Cracked Teeth in Lake Forest, Whittier CA

Cracked Teeth in Lake Forest

Cracked Tooth
A tooth can crack as a result of chewing hard food, grinding teeth while asleep, or even naturally as you age. A crack may lead to tooth loss. Other causes of a cracked tooth include:

  • Trauma to the mouth, caused by accidents or injuries
  • An abrupt change in temperature such as drinking iced cold water immediately after drinking hot liquids

Symptoms of a Cracked Tooth
Sometimes a cracked tooth does not present any symptoms until a later stage. However, the most common symptoms are:

  • Sharp pain on biting which may be sporadic, making it hard to diagnose the crack
  • Sensitivity to cold or hot drinks
  • Mild gum inflammation around the cracked tooth

At an advanced stage, a cracked tooth can cause complications such as:

  • Strong, continuous pain
  • Swelling, redness and sometime fever
  • Bad breath
  • Tender lymph nodes in the neck

Types of cracks

Craze Lines
Shallow craze lines are normally harmless. They are very small cracks that occur on the outer covering of the tooth known as enamel. They are more common in adults above 50 years of age. Usually protective measures such as night guards or bite splints are recommended.

Fractured Cusp or Teeth
These types of cracks and fractures usually occur around old large dental fillings and may or may not affect the pulp. Sometimes a root canal is necessary before restoring the tooth. Your dentist or endodontist will fully evaluate the teeth and do vitality testing to determine if your tooth needs a root canal or not.

Extended or Deep Cracks
Sometimes cracks extend deeper into tooth below the gum line or bone level. If detected early and the crack extends into the root but not too deep under the tissues, a root canal is the most probable treatment option, followed by a crown. Deeper cracks under the bone level or fractures that are mobile under the gums may require extraction. Your endodontist will fully evaluate your condition with a CT scan to discuss your best option.

Contact Us Today!

If you think you may have a cracked tooth, please contact us today to schedule an appointment. Our highly trained endodontists will inspect the condition of your teeth and recommend the ideal dental procedure to restore your tooth’s form and functionality.