Cracked Tooth

Cracks in teeth are a very common. Some are significant.  Some are not.  Some result in symptoms and some cracks can lead to the tooth splitting in two (requiring extraction).

 

Front teeth normally have cracks in them which are visible and insignificant.  Back teeth are normally where the problems are.  Cracks are normally found in teeth with big fillings or associated with clenching and grinding of teeth. A big filling normally means a thin weak piece of tooth.  Clenching and grinding can crack or beak teeth which would normally not crack.

 

Symptoms of a cracked tooth:

· Sharp pain when biting. Often only with hard food or only when you get the food in the right spot.  Pain can be erratic and can tend to come and go.

· Pain when eating hot or cold foods.  Mainly cold foods.

· Pain can often be difficult to localise.

 

 

Diagnosis can be difficult because cracks can be difficult to see and many teeth have cracks in them which are not associated with any pain.

 

Treatment

 

For a simple crack, a filling will usually be sufficient.

Larger cracks may mean that a crown will be needed.

If the crack extends into the nerve or the nerve has died then root canal treatment may be needed.

In severe cases, where the crack extends into the root, the tooth may have to come out

 

Why do my teeth keep breaking? Is it because I am getting old?

 In the majority of cases a tooth with large filling in it will be the tooth to break.  The larger the filling, the smaller and weaker the remaining piece of tooth. The piece of tooth will break off because it is fragile.  The piece of tooth will  fracture off years after the filling was placed.  It is a good time to remember that without the filling the tooth would probable not be there.             

 

http://www.ada.org.au/faqs/faqsCategory,category,Cracked_Teeth.aspx