How Serious is a Cracked Tooth
A cracked tooth might be the result of natural aging, unscheduled trauma, tooth grinding, or other issues. You could not have any obvious symptoms of a cracked tooth. Or you might notice sensitivity, swelling, or discomfort. Your dentist will have several options to treat the fracture, based on the severity of the crack and the exact location.
Are All Cracked Teeth the Same?
Teeth can crack in several different, unusual ways:
- Cracked tooth- A crack that progresses from the biting surface to the root. It can sometimes extend below the gum line and even into the root. A cracked tooth does not always split open, yet the inner pulp tissue of the tooth is damaged.
- Cracked cusp- The cusp is the pointed part of the biting surface. If a cusp is damaged, the tooth could break. You might experience sharp pain in your tooth when biting.
- Craze lines- These are tiny cracks affecting the outer enamel surface of the tooth. They are quite common in adults and create no pain. No treatment is necessary for craze lines.
- Split tooth- Quite often the result of an untreated cracked tooth, which splits into two parts.
- Vertical root fractures- A crack begins at the root and advances upward to the biting surface.
What Causes a Tooth Crack?
A variety of reasons can cause a cracked tooth, such as:
- Intense and consistent tooth grinding exposes your teeth to enormous pressure.
- A large filling that has weakened the structure of the tooth.
- Biting or chewing a hard object, such as an ice cube, certain sweets, fruit stones, or meat bones.
- A hit or blow to your chin, lower jaw, or mouth.
- Gum disease results in bone loss. This instability makes the tooth more at risk of a root fracture.
- Unexpected extreme changes in your mouth temperature.
Will You Need to have Treatment?
It is essential to see your dentist soon to optimize the best treatment and successful results. If your tooth is not treated promptly, a crack could lead to nerve damage, and then an abscess develops. The tooth could now regress to need root canal treatment or even an extraction. In severe cases, a tooth can even split in half. If this happens, your dentist cannot save the tooth, and it must be removed.
Will You Lose Your Tooth?
In some cases, the tooth will need to be removed, but not always. It is still wise to seek treatment as soon as possible.
After Your Treatment, Will Your Tooth Heal?
Different than a broken bone in your body, a cracked tooth will not heal completely. Following your treatment, the crack could get worse, and you might still lose the tooth. It is crucial to get proper treatment soon because most cracked teeth can function normally for years after proper treatment. Your dentist will examine and recommend the best solution.
Can You Stop Your Teeth from Cracking?
NO, you cannot, but there are precautions you can take:
- Unnecessary pressure- Simply avoid biting and chewing on hard objects.
- Wear a mouthguard- If you clench or grind your teeth, have a guard fabricated to protect your teeth at night. If you participate in contact sports, wear a personalized mouthguard.
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