Cracked Tooth Syndrome
Teeth may crack when subjected to the stress of chewing hard food or ice, or by biting on an unexpected hard object. Teeth with or without restorations may exhibit this problem, but teeth restored with typical silver-alloy restorations are most susceptible.
Symptom and Signs of Cracked Teeth
Some or all of the following may occur when you have a cracked tooth:
- Pain while chewing
- Pain upon cold air application
- Unsolicited pain (usually leakage of sugar into a tooth crack)
Treatment of Cracked Teeth
There are two main ways to treat cracked teeth, and each depends on the severity of the crack.
Simple Crack:
The majority of cracked teeth – about 9 out of every 10 – can be trated by placement of a simple crown 9cap) on the tooth. When the tooth is prepared for the crown, a temporary restoration is placed, the pain usually leaves immediately. If this is the case with your tooth, we will place the final crown on your next appointment, and the condition should be resolved.
Complex Crack:
Occasionally – about 1 in 10 – a crack is pronounced or severe enough to access the pulp (nerve) of the tooth. If pain persists after placement to the temporary crown, you may have such a crack into the pulp of the affected tooth. To verify, please call us. The tooth may require endodontics (root canal therapy) before the crown is placed.
If you are experiencing major tooth pain and suspect you have a cracked tooth, contact Lake Pointe Dental Group in O’Fallon, IL today to schedule an appointment!