Cracked Tooth Syndrome: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

By Dr. Premendra Goyal , Dentistry

Are you suffering from sharp shooting pain while biting? It could be ‘Cracked tooth syndrome’. Cracked tooth syndrome (CTS), is a term used to describe the pain originating from a hairline or incomplete fracture of the tooth. This condition usually involves posterior / grinding teeth.

Signs and symptoms of cracked tooth-

People with cracked tooth usually feel an uncomfortable pain in their teeth while biting food or while drinking something hot or cold. Some of the common signs of cracked tooth syndrome are:

1. Sharp pain when biting on a certain tooth, which may get worse if the applied biting force is increased.
2. “Rebound pain” i.e. sharp, fleeting pain occurring when the biting force is released from the tooth which may occur when eating fibrous foods.
3. Pain when grinding the teeth backwards and forwards and side to side.
4. Sharp pain when drinking cold beverages or eating cold foods, lack of pain with heat stimulae.
5. Pain when eating or drinking sugary substances. Sometimes the pain is well localized, and the individual is able to determine the exact tooth from which the symptoms are originating, but not always. Most of the times these cracks are not visible and even x-rays fail to detect them.

Causes of Cracked Tooth Syndrome-

Several incidents and behaviors can lead to cracked tooth:

1. Habit of grinding or clenching teeth.
2. Teeth with large dental fillings.
3. Root canal treated teeth which have not been crowned
4. Exerting accidental excessive pressure on the teeth while eating something too hard, like a beetle nut.

Treatment for Cracked Tooth-

Treatment for cracked tooth depends on the severity of the crack / fracture. Some of the treatments available for a cracked tooth are:

1. Bonding: Bonding can restore the original shape of the tooth. A resin material is used to fill the crack.
2. Crowns: A crown is placed over the affected tooth. If the nerve is affected, a root canal treatment may be needed before placing a crown.
3. Veneers: Dental Veneers are thin plastics or porcelain material which is placed over the front surface of the tooth. Veneers are usually used when there isn’t excessive damage to the tooth and only slight covering or restructuring of the affected area is required.
4. Cosmetic contouring: This treatment is done if the crack is minimal. The sharp edges are polished and rounded to blend the crack.
5. Some teeth may be too far cracked / fractured and may need to be extracted and replaced by Implants other options available.

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