How do teeth crack?

Teeth can crack in different ways, and for different reasons.

A cracked tooth can cause pain and discomfort, and if left untreated, may lead to serious oral health complications. Read on to learn more about cracked teeth, including potential causes, symptoms and treatment options.

What causes teeth to crack?

Teeth may crack for a number of different reasons. Some of the most common causes of cracked teeth include:

• Teeth grinding (bruxism). Bruxism is a chronic condition, and – over time – pressure from teeth grinding during sleep can cause teeth to crack.
  • Biting/chewing hard foods. Teeth may crack under the impact of biting into hard foods such as nuts, ice, boiled sweets or hard candy.
  • Injury/disease. Blows to the mouth – commonly received through car accidents or sporting injuries – can cause facial damage, including cracked teeth. Meanwhile, gum disease can undermine tooth structure, causing weaknesses and cracks.
  • Dental fillings. When fillings are especially large, they may weaken the integrity of the tooth, leading to chips and cracks.
  • Age. Especially in patients over the age of 50, cracked teeth may be caused by natural processes of wear and tear.

How do I know if I have a cracked tooth?

It is important to realise that not every cracked tooth will produce symptoms. In fact, many people will not even notice that they have a cracked tooth until other, more serious oral health concerns emerge.

However, some tell-tale cracked tooth symptoms include:

• Pain when chewing or biting, especially when the bite is released.
  • Sensitivity in a particular tooth to heat, cold, or sweetness.
  • Swelling/redness of the gum around the affected tooth, or shooting pain in the gum at the base of the tooth.

How do teeth crack?

We have seen that teeth can crack for a number of different reasons, but they can also crack in a number of different ways.

These different cracks will require different treatments, from no intervention at all to serious restorative dental procedures.

• Craze lines are minute cracks in the outer enamel covering of the tooth, requiring no dental intervention at all.
  • Fractured cusps usually occur around dental fillings, with a section of the tooth chipping away from the filling. These don’t cause much pain (as the pulp of the tooth is unaffected), but need to be fixed quickly to prevent further damage.
  • Cracks extending toward the gum line need to be seen immediately. Generally speaking, if the crack can be treated before it reaches the gum line, the chances of extreme pain (and the possibility of needing to extract the tooth) are significantly reduced.
  • Vertical root fractures begin below the gum line and travel upwards through the tooth. Although these cracks are usually slow to produce symptoms, they require urgent dental treatment to prevent infection.

What are the treatment options for cracked teeth?

Treatment options for cracked teeth will depend on the individual situation, including factors such as the location of the cracked tooth and the severity of the crack.

This is why it is vital to visit your dentist if you think you may have a cracked tooth, as prompt and efficient intervention is key for successful treatment.

For patients suffering from teeth grinding, a mouth guard can serve as an effective preventative measure against cracked teeth. For minor cracks, dental crowns and dental bonding can be an excellent treatment to protect cracked teeth from further damage.

More serious cases of cracked teeth will require specialised treatment methods. When the crack in the tooth reaches the dental pulp, root canal treatment may be necessary; while, in some cases, a tooth extraction may be the only available course of action.

How can we help?

My Dental Care @ West End offers comprehensive care for cracked teeth, from expert diagnosis to effective restorative treatment options. For more information about our approach to treating cracked teeth, please consult our website. 

Simple and effective dental care of the utmost quality is always available for you at My Dental Care @ West End. Caring for your teeth is essential for your overall well-being, and our highly-qualified dentists will assist you in maximising your oral health. To book an appointment to meet with our skilled and experienced team, please contact us here.

Here at My Dental Care @ West End, our goal is to provide the best and most comprehensive dental treatments possible, using the latest technology to ensure a relaxed and pleasant visit. For information about our general, cosmetic and restorative dental services, please read more here.