Cracked Teeth

A cracked tooth can happen at any time, from an unexpected injury to biting down on a hard food to wear and tear over time. The symptoms you can experience can also range from erratic pain when you bite down to sudden pain when your tooth is exposed to hot or cold temperatures. In many cases, the pain may come and go, which makes it challenging for your dentist to find the location of your discomfort. As endodontists, we have tools and techniques to find the damage and provide the right treatment.

Treatment for a Cracked Tooth

Cracks in teeth can happen in several ways. A tooth can partially crack, completely crack, split down the middle, crack and separate at the corner around a filling, or even split into the root. Each type of cracked tooth requires a different treatment. For example, a dental crown can fix some cracks or chips, while a vertical root fracture will require endodontic surgery. Once treated, most cracked teeth continue to function for years without pain from biting and chewing.

Seeing an Endodontist for a Cracked Tooth

If you experience tooth pain or suspect a cracked tooth, see your dentist or endodontist as soon as possible. As endodontists, we have specialized training in saving cracked teeth. We’ll tailor the treatment to the type of crack, the location of the crack, and the extent of the crack. In all cases, the sooner you treat your tooth, the better the outcome.