A very common occurrence is to have a crack in a tooth. The teeth most likely to suffer from cracking are these that have been heavily filled during the life of the tooth. The cavity which causes the need for the filling also causes a weakening of the remaining tooth structure. Like all materials, teeth are subject to stress fatigue. After many bites on the tooth (stress cycles) a hairline fracture can develop, usually at the bottom corner of the cavity. A person that is predisposed to clench or grind their teeth due to life stress will have a much higher likelihood of creating stress cracks in their teeth, even in teeth that have never had a filling.
Once cracks are created in the enamel of the tooth, it hurts to bite because of the flexing of the enamel crack. As the tooth flexes microscopically, the nerve located deep in the interior of the tooth is stimulated via very small tubes situated in the inner core of the tooth, below the enamel. These small tubes run down to the nerve and fluid in the tubes runs down to the nerve creating pressure – which you feel as a sharp pain. The nerve in the tooth is aggravated by the crack and by bacteria being pumped into it via the small tubes. The nerve then becomes inflamed because of the toxins in bacteria. A classic symptom of nerve inflammation is hot and cold sensitivity.
If nothing is done, the crack continues to slowly propagate (spread) like a crack in the windshield of your car. Sometimes the crack goes off to the side of the tooth and a fragment of the tooth breaks off. The crack can also go deep into the root and at times right into the tooth nerve. It is hard to predict the course of the untreated cracked tooth, but usually it is a slow downhill slide as the crack deepens. It is not a good idea to leave a cracked tooth untreated, because a small crack can be corrected effectively, but a bigger one can lead to root canal treatment or extraction of the tooth should the crack split the tooth root completely.
Unless the crack is immobilized and splinted together, the tooth is very likely to deteriorate. Although various methods have been employed in an attempt to stick the crack together, chewing forces are extremely powerful and these patch-up solutions are fairly unpredictable and ineffective. The only effective solution is to bind the whole tooth together with a "cap" or crown, so that any chewing force moves the tooth as a whole, rather than splitting it apart.
Those of you in your adult years who have had a lot of dental work done over your lifetime have a much higher risk of suffering from cracked tooth syndrome. If you are noticing hot & cold sensitivity or pain when biting on firm foods, seek help from your dental professionals and they will evaluate your condition and recommend solutions.
Once cracks are created in the enamel of the tooth, it hurts to bite because of the flexing of the enamel crack. As the tooth flexes microscopically, the nerve located deep in the interior of the tooth is stimulated via very small tubes situated in the inner core of the tooth, below the enamel. These small tubes run down to the nerve and fluid in the tubes runs down to the nerve creating pressure – which you feel as a sharp pain. The nerve in the tooth is aggravated by the crack and by bacteria being pumped into it via the small tubes. The nerve then becomes inflamed because of the toxins in bacteria. A classic symptom of nerve inflammation is hot and cold sensitivity.
If nothing is done, the crack continues to slowly propagate (spread) like a crack in the windshield of your car. Sometimes the crack goes off to the side of the tooth and a fragment of the tooth breaks off. The crack can also go deep into the root and at times right into the tooth nerve. It is hard to predict the course of the untreated cracked tooth, but usually it is a slow downhill slide as the crack deepens. It is not a good idea to leave a cracked tooth untreated, because a small crack can be corrected effectively, but a bigger one can lead to root canal treatment or extraction of the tooth should the crack split the tooth root completely.
Unless the crack is immobilized and splinted together, the tooth is very likely to deteriorate. Although various methods have been employed in an attempt to stick the crack together, chewing forces are extremely powerful and these patch-up solutions are fairly unpredictable and ineffective. The only effective solution is to bind the whole tooth together with a "cap" or crown, so that any chewing force moves the tooth as a whole, rather than splitting it apart.
Those of you in your adult years who have had a lot of dental work done over your lifetime have a much higher risk of suffering from cracked tooth syndrome. If you are noticing hot & cold sensitivity or pain when biting on firm foods, seek help from your dental professionals and they will evaluate your condition and recommend solutions.
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