Most people would not know they have a cracked tooth, especially when it is in the early stage. You see, it really depend whether it is acute or chronic pain arising from a cracked tooth.
Initial cracks on teeth are not easily picked up during a routine dental visit. They are termed ” hair-line crack” or “craze line” . They may or may not require intervention, depending on your symptoms.
Hair line cracks are commonly seen on teeth when bruxism is present. That is, the patient grind his or her teeth at night. If grinding is severe and the patient does not wear any night guard, the craze lines may progress into deep cracks and severe pain can ensue.
Cracks that develop due to grinding can take months or even years to develop before pain or sensitivity start. On the other hand, pain from crack can appear suddenly when you accidentally bite into a hard crust or stone in a burger. This usually happen because the tooth, usually a molar, already has a deep or large filling that compromised the tooth strength. This present as an acute pain and can be very uncomfortable and immediate attention is needed.
Whether your crack develop over time or appear suddenly, your immediate action is to see a dentist and find out if the tooth can be saved. If the crack is small or minor and does not penetrate down the root, a filling or crown may be able to keep the tooth. Sometimes, root canal therapy may be needed as well.
On the other hand, if the tooth is very painful and the cracked fragments are loose and involve the root, extraction may be the only option.
Initial cracks on teeth are not easily picked up during a routine dental visit. They are termed ” hair-line crack” or “craze line” . They may or may not require intervention, depending on your symptoms.
Hair line cracks are commonly seen on teeth when bruxism is present. That is, the patient grind his or her teeth at night. If grinding is severe and the patient does not wear any night guard, the craze lines may progress into deep cracks and severe pain can ensue.
Cracks that develop due to grinding can take months or even years to develop before pain or sensitivity start. On the other hand, pain from crack can appear suddenly when you accidentally bite into a hard crust or stone in a burger. This usually happen because the tooth, usually a molar, already has a deep or large filling that compromised the tooth strength. This present as an acute pain and can be very uncomfortable and immediate attention is needed.
Whether your crack develop over time or appear suddenly, your immediate action is to see a dentist and find out if the tooth can be saved. If the crack is small or minor and does not penetrate down the root, a filling or crown may be able to keep the tooth. Sometimes, root canal therapy may be needed as well.
On the other hand, if the tooth is very painful and the cracked fragments are loose and involve the root, extraction may be the only option.