What Causes a Cracked Tooth?
A cracked tooth is a complete or partial fracture of the tooth structure. Sometimes a tooth breaks upon impact—such as accidentally chewing a pit or being hit in the face—usually a small fracture begins at the edge of the tooth then deepens over time as you clench, grind or chew.
Who is at risk for a Cracked Tooth?
Some people are more susceptible than others to having a cracked tooth. Factors that are more likely to lead to a cracked tooth are:
Deep fillings that leave thin amounts of tooth structure
Sports such as hockey, football and boxing that have a high risk of facial trauma
People who grind their teeth or have strong chewing muscles
People with destructive habits like chewing ice or opening things with their teeth
How can I prevent a Cracked Tooth?
Your dentist will make recommendations to minimize your risk of a cracked tooth. Here are some things that may be recommended:
Have crowns placed to cover weak cusps of teeth
Have your bite adjusted by your dentist
Have old silver fillings replaced
Do not chew ice or use teeth to open things
Wear a night time grinding appliance
Wear a sports guard
What if I do nothing about my Cracked Tooth?
It is likely that the crack will continue to deepen and eventually the tooth may become painful to chewing or pieces may break off it. Sometimes the tooth may crack completely in half, at which point it must be extracted. Other times, the crack goes into the nerve and root canal treatment may be necessary to save the tooth.