What to Know About Cracked Tooth Syndrome

Having tooth pain from time to time doesn’t always mean you have cavities. Cracked tooth syndrome can cause occasional tooth pain, such as when you bite down or drink something hot or cold. This type of tooth problem has several potential causes, so it’s important to have it checked. Finding out if you have a cracked tooth can help ensure that you receive prompt treatment as needed.

What Is Cracked Tooth Syndrome?

Cracked tooth syndrome typically refers to tiny cracks in teeth or cracks that happen in difficult areas, such as under your gums. This condition has many potential causes. It can also cause a wide range of symptoms to occur. The kind of treatment you end up needing for this condition will depend on the type of cracked tooth you have, what’s causing it, and other factors. Learning more about cracked tooth syndrome can help you understand why you might be experiencing tooth pain.

Causes of Cracked Tooth Syndrome

This condition can happen if you have a habit of clenching or grinding your teeth, since this puts added pressure on them. This pressure can cause microscopic cracks to develop. Cracked tooth syndrome can also occur due to wear and tear on your teeth as you get older. Other potential causes include problems with the way your teeth align when you bite down and large fillings in your teeth. If you’ve had a root canal done in the past, you might also end up with cracked tooth syndrome. An endodontist can evaluate cracked teeth to find the cause and determine the right treatment plan.

Types of Cracked Teeth

Having a cracked tooth might seem like a simple condition. However, you might not realize how many different types of cracked teeth there are. The type you have affects the kind of treatment you need for it. Different types of cracked teeth include:

• Fractured cusp: These tend to happen around fillings
• Oblique root crack: These develop below your gums, such as inside the jawbone
• Vertical root fracture: These extend from the tooth root to the surface
• Craze lines: These shallow, tiny cracks develop in the outer enamel
• Oblique subgingival crack: These reach under the gums
• Oblique supragingival crack: These occur in the tooth crown and stay above your gums
• Split tooth: These result in the tooth cracking into different pieces or segments

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of a Cracked Tooth?

You might experience different kinds of symptoms with cracked tooth syndrome. Having pain is common, although how much pain you have and when it occurs can vary. Some of the most common kinds of signs and symptoms include the following:

• Pain when biting down or chewing
• Pain just after biting down, known as rebound pain
• Increased sensitivity to sweetness, cold, and hot when eating or drinking
• Swollen gums around the affected tooth
• Pain that comes and goes when something irritates the affected tooth
• Pain that becomes ongoing rather than occurring from time to time
• Jaw pain if the crack reaches the tooth root inside the jawbone

Keep in mind that tooth pain can occur due to other problems, such as tooth decay or tooth infections. It’s important to see an endodontist to have tooth pain diagnosed as soon as possible. Some causes of tooth pain, such as infections, are considered an emergency that requires immediate care.

Can an Endodontist Fix Cracked Teeth?

This depends on the type of cracked teeth you have. Endodontists treat tooth problems that involve the pulp and tissue inside your teeth. Some types of tooth cracks are treatable using endodontic methods. Endodontists can generally treat incomplete crown fractures or vertical cracks that don’t go below the gums. They can also usually treat fractured cusp cracks that occur around fillings. Treatment might involve having a root canal done and placing a dental crown on the affected tooth to protect it from damage and infections.

Some types of cracked teeth might require another form of treatment, such as tooth extraction. In these cases, the tooth can’t be repaired with endodontic treatment. Endodontists might be able to save part of a tooth if a split tooth occurs. However, the entire tooth might end up needing to be removed. Complete crown fractures, root fractures, and cracks that go below the gums are also types of cracked tooth syndrome that might require tooth extraction.

How to Prevent Cracked Teeth

Preventing cracked teeth isn’t always possible, but you can take some steps to lower your risk. Wearing a mouthguard to protect your teeth from injuries or prevent grinding can reduce your chance of having cracked tooth syndrome. Eating hard foods carefully can also help prevent cracks from developing.

If you think you might have cracked teeth or if you’re dealing with tooth pain, our endodontist can help. Contact Largo Endodontics to schedule an appointment with Dr. Ernest Rillman.