A cracked tooth is a condition in which a tooth cracks. The patient may experience pain while chewing food or eating very cold or hot food. A cracked tooth can occur for many reasons, such as an accident, eating hard food, grinding teeth while sleeping, or it may occur naturally as people get older. If the patient does not receive proper treatment, they may lose their tooth. In general, the treatment for a cracked tooth depends on the type of crack and the area where the tooth is cracked.
Cracked tooth symptoms
Some people may not experience any signs of a cracked tooth, but when symptoms do occur, they may experience intermittent toothache when chewing or biting food , intermittent but constant toothache, sensitivity when eating hot, cold or sweet foods, and swollen gums around the cracked tooth.
Cracked teeth can be divided into several types based on the symptoms of the cracked tooth, as follows:
- Cracked enamel is usually small, shallow, and affects the outer surface of the tooth enamel. This type of cracked tooth is common in adults. Most are painless and do not require treatment.
- A fractured tooth occurs when a tooth used for chewing breaks off, most commonly around a filling. However, it usually does not affect the tooth’s nerves and is not very painful. It can be treated with a filling or a crown.
- A cracked tooth that reaches the root occurs when a tooth that is used for chewing receives a vertical crack that extends down to the root of the tooth, but does not separate the tooth. The crack may slowly expand. If the crack has not yet reached the tooth’s nerve, the tooth may be saved with root canal treatment, including a crown, toprevent the crack from expanding. If the crack spreads to the gum line, the tooth may need to be extracted.
- A split tooth is a crack that occurs on the tooth surface and extends below the gum line. It is often caused by a long-standing crack that can cause the tooth to separate. A patient may seek treatment to save some of the tooth.
- Vertical root crack is a crack that extends from the root of the tooth up to the chewing tooth. This type of crack usually shows only minor symptoms, making it difficult to notice. However, if the tooth is infected, the symptoms may be more noticeable. The patient may have to have the tooth extracted. However, if the tooth is still at a stage where it can be saved, the doctor may perform a root canal surgery to treat this case.
Causes of cracked teeth
Possible causes of cracked teeth include:
- Using teeth to tear food or chew hard foods such as ice, nuts, candy, unpopped corn, etc.
- Sudden changes in oral temperature, which may be caused by eating very hot food followed by very cold food to cool the mouth.
- Teethgrinding
- There is a large filling that reduces the strength of the tooth.
- Accidents such as car accidents, sports accidents, falls, boxing, etc.
- Age: Cracked teeth are more common in people aged 50 years and above.
Diagnosis of cracked teeth
Your doctor may assess your cracked tooth in the following ways:
- Ask for basic information . The doctor may ask about behaviors that may affect the use of teeth, such as frequent chewing of hard foods or frequent grinding of teeth.
- Try biting on an object. People with cracked teeth may experience pain when biting and releasing the object.
- Use a dental probe. Your doctor may use a probe to check the surface of your tooth to see if it has caught on the edge of a crack.
- Teeth staining to make cracks more visible
- Use a probe to check. Your dentist may use this dental instrument to check for swelling in your gums, and it can be useful to help find vertical cracks in your teeth that can irritate your gums.
- Dental X-rays : This may not help find cracks, but it can indicate dental pulp problems that may arise from cracks in the tooth.
Cracked tooth treatment
The treatment of a cracked tooth may depend on the type of crack in the tooth, the area where the crack is, or the size of the cracked tooth. If the patient receives prompt treatment, the tooth may return to normal function and there will be no pain from chewing or swallowing food for many years. Treatment may be divided into the following methods:
- Monitoring Some patients may develop very small cracks in the enamel of their teeth. If these cracks do not affect the appearance of the tooth or cause pain, the doctor may monitor the patient’s condition periodically without the need for medication, procedures or surgery.
- Dental fillings are the use of fillingmaterials to fill in cracks in the tooth to repair the cracked area.
- Dental crowns require the dentist to schedule multiple visits to get a dental crown. Initially, the dentist may place a temporary crown on the tooth before replacing it with a permanent crown. A crown can last a lifetime if properly cared for.
- Root Canal Treatment If the crack extends to the tooth’s nerve, your doctor may recommend a root canal treatmentto remove the damaged tooth’s nerve and restore the strength of the tooth. This may help prevent infection in the tooth’s nerve.
- Tooth Extraction If the tooth structure, nerves, or underlying tooth roots are severely damaged, your doctor may recommend that you have the tooth
If the area around the cracked tooth becomes infected, the patient may have a fever, toothache when chewing food, swollen gums, sore and swollen lymph nodes, or bad breath. In this case, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics to kill the bacteria. If the infection spreads and causes an abscess in the mouth, the doctor may perform surgery to drain the abscess to prevent possible complications.
Complications of cracked teeth
If the crack is extensive, the tooth root may be affected, leading to infection, which may spread to the bone and gums surrounding the cracked tooth. Therefore, if a patient experiences any signs or symptoms that suggest a cracked tooth may be the cause, they should see a doctor as soon as possible for treatment.
Prevention of cracked teeth
While tooth cracks cannot be completely prevented, the following steps may help reduce your risk.
- Maintain good oral hygiene by brushing your teeth twice a day and visiting your dentist every 6 months for a checkup of your gums and teeth.
- Avoid eating hard foods.
- Do not grind or clench your teeth. If the patient grinds their teeth while sleeping, they should seek appropriate treatment from a doctor and ask for a retainer orrubber teeth to wear to protect their teeth while sleeping.
- Wear a mouth guard or face mask when playing contact sports.
In addition, it is important to seek treatment for a cracked tooth early on, as this can help prevent tooth loss. Therefore, if you suspect that you have a cracked tooth, you should initially clean your mouth by rinsing with warm water, apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek to prevent swelling, or take ibuprofen to reduce swelling. After that, see a doctor for a checkup and treatment.
