You may have a very common problem in one of your teeth.  Teeth may crack when subjected to the Stress of chewing hard foods or ice or by biting on an unexpected hard object. Teeth with or without restorations may exhibit this problem, but teeth restored with typical silver alloy restorations are most susceptible.

Symptoms And Signs May Include The Following:

• Pain on chewing.
• Pain on cold air application.
• Unsolicited pain (usually leakage of sugar into tooth crack).
• No x-ray evidence of a problem.
• No dental decay is present.
• Easy verification of crack when a tooth is prepared for restoration.

Treatment Of Cracked Teeth:

1. Simple Crack: The majority of cracked teeth can be treated by the placement of a simple crown (cap) on the tooth. When the tooth is prepared for the crown and a temporary restoration is placed, the symptoms disappear immediately.
2. Complex Crack: Occasionally the tooth cracks into the pulp (nerve) of the tooth. If pain persists after placement of the temporary crown, you may have a crack into the pulp of the affected tooth. Please call us. This tooth may require root canal therapy before the crown is placed.