Cracked Teeth
 Whether your tooth cracks from an injury or general wear and tear, you can experience a variety of symptoms ranging from erratic pain when you chew your food to sudden pain when your tooth is exposed to very hot or cold temperatures. In many cases, the pain may come and go and your dentist may have difficulty locating the tooth causing the discomfort. If you experience these symptoms or suspect a cracked tooth, it’s best to see an endodontist as soon as possible.
Endodontists specialize in saving cracked teeth and will cater treatment to the type, location, and extent of the crack. The sooner your tooth is treated, the better the outcome. Once treated, most cracked teeth continue to function as they should, for many years of pain-free biting and chewing.
A cracked tooth is quite dangerous to leave untreated. First, a crack will only continue to grow when not treated properly. Second, and more importantly, it can let bacteria into the crack. This can grow into an infection, which could put the health of your mouth or even your whole body, at risk. If you have an obvious cracked tooth or think you may have one due to pain, please get it checked.
Information provided courtesy of the American Academy of Endodontists. Copyright© 1995–2012. |
