• Do your teeth hurt when you’re chewing?
  • Do you have lingering pain from cold or hot fluids?
  • Do your gums hurt when you apply pressure to them?

These are just some of the questions we ask when a current or new patient calls our office in pain. One of more common problems facing our adult patients today is "Cracked Tooth Syndrome."

The 3 main reasons why teeth crack are:

  • Large Amalgam Fillings - Placed 20-30 years ago was the standard of care in all of dentistry. Amalgam is an amazing material that has withstood the test of time. Unfortunately the actual tooth structure supporting the amalgam is weakened and has not withstood the test of time.
  • Grinding Habits – One of the many ways we respond to stress is to grind our teeth. The clinical term is Bruxing and this is an example of a para-functional habit. When someone grinds their teeth, abnormal stresses are created, in most cases prolonged stress applied to anything results in breakdown and damage. Your teeth are no exception.
  • Improper Relationship Between Teeth, Jaw and Muscles – if your teeth are not lining up as they are designed, then the direction of force when chewing will damage teeth and cause facial pain. After a decade or more of trauma, the teeth begin to fracture.

One of these individual reasons may cause or contribute to a cracked tooth. Imagine if all 3 reasons are occurring at once. This can have a devastating effect. In fact I recently had a patient experiencing all 3 reasons, and his resulting treatment plan indicated the need for 3 crowns. The patient had difficulty accepting his problem and proceeded to find a dentist who would “watch” 2 of the 3 teeth. This made the patient feel more comfortable and proceeded to switch to the new dentist.

In regards to "watching" a defective tooth become more defective before treating the problem, I do not agree and neither does the American Dental Association. The patient is now at risk for either a Root Canal or losing either or both of his untreated teeth.

I have accepted the possible outcome of a patient leaving and finding a dentist who will not inform them of their problem. I can only surmise this type of practice would rather let a catastrophic event happen. The Dentist then does not have to spend the time educating the patient on the best course of treatment. The tooth has determined the course of treatment. The question then becomes do you control your outcomes or do your outcomes control you?

To conclude, Symptoms of a Cracked Tooth:

  • No pain and diagnosed during exam
  • Piece of tooth breaks off
  • Pain when Chewing – either a sharp quick pain or a lingering pain
  • Pain to hot and cold temperature – either a sharp quick pain or a lingering pain

Possible Treatment Outcomes Of A Cracked Tooth:

  • Core Build-up and Crown
  • Root Canal, Post and Core, Crown
  • Extraction and Replacement

Anytime there is a crack there is an increased risk for a Root Canal. The longer the pain persists the deeper the crack, therefore the sooner it is addressed the lower the risk for a Root Canal or Extraction.

If you are experiencing any of these problems please call Angel or Waleska to schedule an interview and consultation. We are all committed to creating healthy gums and comfortable bites in Central Massachusetts!