While tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the human body, undue stress on your teeth – due to chewing hard foods such as a popcorn kernel or an ice cube, biting on a hard object such as a pen or pipe, and clenching or grinding your teeth – can cause enamel to crack.

Cracked Tooth Syndrome is common in teeth with large fillings and is seen most often in the back teeth. If the crack goes untreated, it can deepen or expand like a crack in a glass window, causing part of the tooth to break off. If this occurs, the tooth might have to be extracted or might need root canal treatment in an attempt to save it.

Some of the symptoms of this occurrence are pain in chewing, unsolicited pain, pain from cold air, no X-ray evidence of the problem and no dental decay present. Often it is difficult for the patient to determine which tooth is causing the pain. However, the absence of pain does not rule out the presence of a crack.

To determine if a tooth has developed a crack that is not visible to the naked eye, the dentist will take a thorough dental history, including history of trauma to your teeth and history of any bite adjustments performed. The teeth in the problem area will be examined with a dental explorer. Hot and cold sensitivity will be tested. If a severe pain is elicited with temperature, and the pain rapidly subsides with removal of the stimulus, it usually indicates a fracture.

Can cracks be treated so that the tooth can be saved? Yes. Early diagnosis leads to a better chance of success. The best solution is to have a full crown placed over the tooth to strengthen and hold the tooth together. In about 10 percent of cracked teeth, the nerve dies and root canal will be required.

For questions, or to set up an appointment for any of these symptoms, contact Dr. Dikran Dragopian in Brentwood at 925-513-0100.

– Courtesy of DentalSenders.com