If your tooth is cracked because of an injury and the damage is evident, you can tell it’s serious. For more minor cracks, however, the only person who can accurately assess how serious a cracked tooth is is a dentist. Cracked teeth vary widely in seriousness, from the most superficial fissures that only affect the enamel, to deeper fractures that affect the inner layers of the tooth, and each of these types of dental cracks poses different risks, presents different symptoms, and requires different treatments with different levels of urgency.
For many patients, the pain associated with a cracked tooth is sufficient to motivate the patient to seek dental attention. This pain can be intense, especially when the tooth is exposed to pressure or temperature changes, as the crack could be exposing the sensitive pulp inside the tooth to irritants, like cold or hot foods and beverages. In some cases, pain appears intermittently, making it more challenging to identify cracked teeth without the use of routine x-rays. Cracked teeth are also prone to additional deterioration if they’re left untreated, and, as the crack moves deeper into the tooth, it continues to compromise the structural integrity of the tooth and increase the complexity of treatment required if the tooth is to be saved. Cracked teeth can also have an impact on the function and aesthetics of the tooth, affecting the ability to chew comfortably, speak clearly, and smile confidently.
Beyond functional and aesthetic concerns, cracked teeth can also pose an increased risk of infection. If bacteria enter through a tooth crack and reach the tooth’s inner pulp, the pulp becomes infected and inflamed and could even form an abscess that poses a risk to the patient’s systemic health. The most common approaches to treating deeper cracks that extend into the layer of dentin below the tooth’s enamel, or that go even deeper into the pulp, are with dental crowns, with root canal therapy, or with a combination of both. Root canal therapy removes inflamed, infected pulp tissue from inside a damaged tooth, sanitizing and sealing the tooth to prevent further infection. In many cases, the tooth is then fitted with a crown, which helps protect the tooth and maintain its tooth-like shape and structure. Crowns are dental prosthetics that resemble the top portion of a tooth and are used to cap natural teeth to restore and protect them. In some cases, crowns are used when a piece of the tooth has broken off, or if the tooth has split into segments. In these cases, the crown’s primary role is to protect as much of the natural tooth’s structure as possible, holding it together and helping it maintain both its function and appearance as a tooth. If a split tooth has fractured vertically, surgical intervention may be required, and even then, it may be impossible to save the tooth.
In some cases, minor cracks that only affect the enamel of the teeth can remain untreated without increasing in magnitude, though some patients find these superficial cracks, called craze lines, unattractive, relying on cosmetic dentistry treatments to restore their smiles. Because a cracked tooth can impair a person’s ability to function, cause tremendous pain, and pose serious health risks, prompt diagnosis and following treatment recommendations are the best ways to prevent complications and preserve the tooth. When treatment isn’t needed, as is often the case with craze lines, make sure to see your dentist for regular checkups, doing your part to keep the problem from becoming more serious over time.