Cracked Teeth demonstrate
many types of symptoms, including pain when chewing, temperature
sensitivities, or even the release of biting pressure. It is also common
for pain to come and go, making it difficult to diagnose the cause of
discomfort.
Chewing can cause movement of the
cracked pieces of your tooth, and the pulp within the tooth becomes
irritated. At the same time, when biting pressure is released, the crack
can close quickly, resulting in sharp pain. Eventually, the pulp will
become damaged and tooth will consistently hurt, even when you are not
chewing. It is possible that cracks can lead to infection of the pulp
tissue, which can spread to the bone and gum surrounding the problematic
tooth.
Craze Lines
These are tiny cracks that only affect the outer enamel of the tooth.
These cracks are more common in adults. These types of cracks are
superficial and are usually of no concern.
Fractured Cusp
When a cusp becomes weakened, a fracture may result. The cusp may break
off or be removed by a dentist. A fractured cusp rarely damages the
pulp, so root canal is not necessary. Your dentist will usually restore
the tooth with a full crown.
Cracked Tooth
This type of crack extends from the chewing surface of the tooth and
vertically migrates towards the root. In some cases, the crack may
extend below the gum line. It is possible for the crack to extend
further into the root. Damage to the pulp is common place. In this case,
root canal treatment is usually necessary. A cracked tooth that is not
treated will worsen, resulting in the loss of the tooth. Therefore,
early detection is essential.
Split Tooth
A split tooth is usually the result of an untreated cracked tooth. It
can be identified by a crack with distinct segments. This type of tooth
can never be saved intact. Yet, the position and extent of the problem
will dictate whether any portion of the tooth can be saved. Sometimes,
endodontic retreatment by Doctor D'Amelio and then restoration by your
dentist can be used to save a portion of the tooth.
Vertical Root
Fracture
A vertical root fracture begins at the root and extends towards the
chewing surface of the tooth. Unfortunately, they show minimal symptoms
and may go unnoticed. Treatment involves endodontic surgery if a portion
of the tooth can be saved by removal of the fractured root. Otherwise
the tooth will have to be extracted.
