I Was Told My Tooth is Cracked. What Now?

Cracked teeth are fairly common and most often fixable.  Some teeth have been in your mouth since you were 6 years old and have been through some wear and tear.

Most common causes of a cracked tooth:

• Clenching and Grinding
• Large silver fillings
• Older fillings
• Root canalled teeth

How do I know if I have a cracked tooth?

• You or your dental professional can see it.  At our office we will take a photograph of the crack, so you can see what we see.
• You have off and on biting sensitivity. 
• Sensitivity to hot and/or cold
• Gum swelling
• A "line" of stain 

How is a cracked tooth treated?

• If a crack is superficial (simple) and not causing any pain, removing the crack and placing a filling can be done.
• If a crack is large (complex) and symptomatic, the best treatment is a crown.  A crown is placed over the top of the tooth to prevent the crack from spreading and progressing.  Eating and drinking will cause flexure of the tooth.  A crown prevents that flexure, keeping that crack right where it is.

What happens if I leave a crack and do nothing?

• Much like a crack on the sidewalk it will spread.  The larger the crack the more symptoms and pain you can have, as the crack gets closer to the nerve.
• The crack can cause the tooth to split in two.  Often this will result in needed the tooth extracted.