When you feel an unpleasant sensation when you bite down but quickly disappears. You only chew your food on one side of the mouth and avoid foods that may cause you pain, you may have cracked tooth.
What are the causes a tooth cracks?
Chewing/ biting on hard objects like hard candy, ice or nuts
accidents – such as a blow to the mouth
uneven chewing pressure
stress on a tooth
grinding/clenching your tooth
Significant portion of the tooth is lost due to wear, large fillings or other restorations
Tooth enamel is exposed to extreme temperatures, like eating hot food and then drinking ice old water
Brittleness of teeth with root canal
Why does a cracked tooth hurt?
The pressure of biting causes the crack to open. No matter how small the crack is, the pulp inside the tooth becomes irritated when it opens. It contains a soft tissue where the tooth’s nerves and blood vessels are located. The tooth becomes sensitive to extreme temperatures if the crack irritates the pulp. Root canal treatment maybe needed to treat the damaged or affected tooth.
How is a cracked tooth treated?
Treatment may vary from bonding to root canal, it all depends on the size and location of the crack. If the tooth is severely cracked or lost a significant portion, it may need to be extracted.