Free Dental Directory of Diseases, Aliments and Solutions

Cracked Tooth Accompanied By Pain While Chewing:

Treatment:

Call your Dentist immediately.  The pain is caused by flexing of the tooth beneath the crack.  It is highly likely that a significant portion of the tooth may soon break away.

The potential also exists that the crack extends into the nerve, and a root canal will be necessary.   Most cracked teeth that produce pain will need to be crowned.  However, occasionally small cracks can be repaired with fillings.

Tooth Crack That Hurts Continuously:

The crack likely extends into the tooth's inner dentin layer (The dentin layer is near the nerve center of the tooth, also called the pulp chamber, which lies just below the dentin.).

Treatment:

Constant pain increases the chance that the nerve is affected and a root canal will be necessary, followed perhaps by being fitted with a crown.  Although placing a crown is usually necessary, a filling or onlay filling  (which covers the tops or cusps of the teeth) may prove to be a viable solution.

Tooth Cracks Exist But Are Without Pain:

Treatment:

Surface cracks commonly appear as part of the aging process and often do not cause any problem; thus, it is likely that these teeth are fine and require no treatment other than possibly some cosmetic remedies.

2001 All Rights Reserved