Cracked Tooth Syndrme : Symptoms, Types and Treatments
Cracked Tooth Syndrme (CTS) is where a tooth has incompletely cracked but no part of the tooth has yet broken off. Sometimes it is described as a greenstick fracture. The symptoms are very variable, making it a notoriously difficult condition to diagnose.
Cracked teeth are partial fractures that appear on the crowns of teeth and may extend under the gums.
Some tooth cracks may cause little to no pain. However, most fractures cause acute pain before or after mastication (biting down), which is known as cracked tooth syndrome.
Tooth cracks commonly form on the surfaces of teeth facing the front of the mouth and the surfaces of teeth facing the back of the mouth. They occasionally appear on the front teeth due to injuries or weakened dental restorations.
Cracks also commonly develop on the chewing surfaces of back teeth, including the premolars and molars. These cracks are caused by constant biting pressure and/or chewing on hard objects. Premolars in the lower jaw rarely fracture.
Symptoms:
The reported symptoms are very variable, and frequently have been present for many months before the condition is diagnosed. Reported symptoms may include some of the following:
1.Sharp pain when biting on a certain tooth, which may get worse if the applied biting force is increased. Sometimes the pain on biting occurs when the food being chewed is soft with harder elements, e.g. seeded bread.
2.”Rebound pain” i.e. sharp, fleeting pain occurring when the biting force is released from the tooth, which may occur when eating fibrous foods.
3.Pain on biting.
4.Pain when grinding the teeth backward and forward and side to side.
5.Sharp pain when drinking cold beverages or eating cold foods, lack of pain with heat stimuli.
6.Pain when eating or drinking sugary substances.
7.Sometimes the pain is well localized, and the individual is able to determine the exact tooth from which the symptoms are originating, but not always.
Treatment for a cracked tooth:
Treatment depends on the size of the crack, where it’s located, your symptoms, and whether the crack extends into the gum line. Depending on those factors, your dentist may recommend one of the following:
Bonding:
In this procedure, your doctor uses a plastic resin to fill the crack, restoring its look and function.
Crown:
A dental crown is a prosthetic device usually made of porcelain or ceramic. It fits over the damaged tooth or caps it. To fit a crown, your dentist first shaves off some enamel from your tooth to make room for the crown in your mouth. They then make an impression of the tooth, pick out a color that matches your teeth, and send the impression off to a dental lab to make the crown.
This process may take a couple of weeks. When the crown returns, your dentist fits and cements it over your cracked tooth. With advances in technology, some dentists can mill a porcelain crown right in the office and place it that day. With proper care, a crown can last a lifetime.
Root canal:
When a crack is so extensive it extends into the pulp, your dentist, or a specialist such as an oral surgeon or endodontist, will recommend a root canal to remove damaged pulp and restore some integrity to the tooth. This procedure can prevent the tooth from becoming infected or weakening further.
Extraction:
When the structure of the tooth, and the nerves and roots that lie below it, are very damaged, removing the tooth maybe your only option.
Other Articles :