Cracked Teeth
Cracked teeth demonstrate many types of symptoms, including pain when chewing, temperature sensitivities, or even pain upon the release of biting pressure. It is also common for pain to come and go, making it sometimes 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 inflammed. 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 the tooth will consistently hurt, even when you are not chewing. Deep cracks will lead to infection of the pulp tissue, which can spread to the bone and gum surrounding the problematic tooth. A crack that eventually travels below (apical to) the bone level may necessitate extraction of the tooth.
Types of Cracks
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 may or may not damage the pulp, so root canal may or may not be 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 pulp and 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 commonplace. If the fracture travels to the pulp space, endodontic treatment will be 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, a distinctive bone-loss pattern, or sometimes by an isolated, deep probing defect. Sometimes the only way to make this diagnosis is by direct examination with a dental operating microscope (DOM) during root canal treatment. This type of tooth can never be saved intact. The position and extent of the crack will dictate whether the tooth can be saved.
Vertical Root Fracture (VRF)
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.