What is cracked tooth syndrome?
As the name implies, cracked tooth syndrome relates to a variety of symptoms caused by a crack in a tooth.
Teeth are strong - and by practicing good home care with regular, professional cleanings and check-ups, you’re working to keep them strong! But however diligent you may be at using these procedures, we still can’t guarantee that accidents won’t happen. And, unfortunately, accidents can lead to fractured teeth.
Fractured teeth are the second leading cause of tooth loss in adults, with the first being periodontal or gum disease. There are several things that can cause teeth to chip, fracture or break:
You may inadvertently bite down on something hard
Sports injuries
Accidents such as falling, being hit in the mouth
Traumas such as a car accident
Severe clenching or grinding of the teeth – this is very common especially when life is stressful
Daily wear & tear from clenching, grinding and chewing can slowly cause cracks
Large cavities may lead to ‘more cavity than tooth’ and the resulting thin shell of tooth is vulnerable to cracking and breaking.
How will I know if I get a tooth fracture?
You’ll know if your tooth breaks severely enough to expose the sensitive inner material and nerve - it will hurt! The pain however may come and go. It can be extremely sensitive to hot or cold drinks, or being exposed to air. The pain increases when you chew and put pressure on the tooth. You may also feel the sharp edge of the broken tooth with your tongue. If you experience any of these unfortunate events, please make an emergency appointment with us to begin the correction and repair process.
Many tooth fractures, however, do not hurt - and this is where the trouble comes in. Tiny, hairline fractures that don’t enter the sensitive part of the teeth often go undetected. Over time, these fractures can form areas for bacteria to collect and begin the all-too-familiar process of producing acids that lead to tooth decay. Since any fracture is capable of going deeper, the existence of undetected fractures sets you up for a broken-tooth-waiting-to-happen. So often, these things will also happen at the worst possible time. Like the start of a long holiday weekend!
The key, then, is to find and correct these little cracks before they become big ones. This is easier said than done. X-rays can’t be used to detect fractures like those in bones, so they are often missed. Fortunately there’s a new, non-invasive approach called transillumination. This long word literally means ‘shining the light through’, and it’s something we do with every examination.
Light helps us find it, so we can fix it
As a kid, did you ever play with a flashlight on an overnight camping trip? Remember how the light could shine through parts of your hands, or produce weird-looking shadows and effects (and a nice atmosphere for ghost stories) when angled on your face? In a sense, what you were doing was transilluminating!
The same principle holds in the dentist’s office (but without the ghost stories). A small, high-intensity light is used to illuminate the teeth. Any small, undetected fractures, such as the ones we’ve discussed above, can easily be seen with this technique. Once found at this early stage, very often the crack or chip can be repaired with no risk of losing the tooth. This is so much easier than waiting for your tooth to start hurting or fall apart when the risk of losing the tooth becomes very real.
We believe that ‘a stitch in time saves nine’, and our examination procedures rely on the power of light to find little problems. That way, we can fix them before they get big!
How do you fix a cracked tooth?
Early intervention is important for cracked teeth. Propagating cracks may be stopped or slowed down, increasing the chances that the tooth can be saved. The treatment approach depends on the extent and the position of the crack.
Simple Crack Treatment:
The treatment for most cracked teeth involves removing the weakened cusp and placing a large filling or crown on the tooth. If more than one cusp is fractured or if the tooth is heavily restored, a crown is usually the recommended treatment.
The crown protects the tooth and often prevents the crack from progressing. When the tooth is prepared for the crown and a temporary crown is put in place, the pain usually subsides quickly.
Complex Crack Treatment:
If the crack has progressed to the nerve of the tooth or has caused inflammation of the nerve, root canal treatment may be needed before the crown or filling is put in place.
xxx Link here? - [i.e. can we add a page for Root Canals?)
Is treatment expensive?
As with all medical and dental procedures prevention is less expensive than cure. With cracked teeth, the levels of treatment vary according to the complexity of the crack.
The best way is to make an appointment so that we can take a look and give you a more accurate quote of what fees would be expected to ensure you have a successful treatment outcome for your cracked tooth.
As you would expect we only use the best materials available in our treatments. As we treat our friends we make sure we do the right thing by them.
What happens if a cracked tooth is not treated?
The longer a simple crack is left untreated, the more likely it will become a complex crack. The nerve inside the tooth may die, and an infection in the tooth may occur. At this stage the tooth will require a root canal or in some cases, the tooth will have to be removed.
In severe cases, a tooth may split in half. Unfortunately if this occurs – there is no other treatment option but to remove the tooth. A bridge, denture or implant may then be needed, which is the expensive end of dentistry.
A Dental Practice that puts prevention first
Our procedures for cracked teeth are completed successfully every day, an if you are in pain, whether you think you have a cracked tooth or not, it’s time to make an appointment.
By taking action immediately and assessing the area that’s causing you discomfort, you can often avoid more serious, potentially painful (and more expensive) issues in the future!
As with any dental procedure though – prevention is far better than cure! That’s why at every examination appointment we take the time to investigate signs of any potential risks in your mouth to ensure that they are addressed before they cause a problem.
As for cracked teeth, we do this by using transillumination at every examination appointment.
We also often make protective mouthguards for sports and night grinding.
As we treat our friends we make sure we do the right thing by them.