Cracked Tooth

Ouch!

Chomp on something your tooth didn’t like? Or get hit in the mouth with a hockey puck? If you think you may have a cracked tooth, or if you’re holding a piece of your tooth in your hand, follow these steps!

Cracked Tooth Syndrome has the following signs & symptoms:

  • Biting down causes some pain but is more painful when you release your bite.
  • Chewing food is painful in all directions.
  • Hot, cold and air sensitivity

Here’s a case example:

Patient had an amalgam filling that had high occlusal drama due to severe grinding. It eventually leaked and causes softness and cavity. As you can see in the photo, there are 2 cracks that caused pain and sensitivity.

Cracked Tooth

Dr. Nguyen took x-rays and Intra-Oral photos to show patient. She then cleaned out the old amalgam filling and cavity.

Cracked Tooth Syndrome

Finally, Dr. Nguyen used composite filling to fix the cracked tooth. She also made sure that the patient’s bite was correct. She then advised the patient to floss and brush thoroughly every night. Patient reported no more pain and no sensitivity.

amalgam filling

When you have these signs and symptoms, the following can be done:

  • We us LASER LIGHT or Illuminated light source and Intra-Oral camera at our office to capture the crack(s) visually so both you and Dr. Nguyen can see.
  • A simple filling tracing the crack.
  • If the crack is too deep and the tooth has old fillings, a temporary crown to make sure all symptoms go away before a permanent crown can be placed.
  • Sometimes a root canal therapy must be done if the crack goes to the pulp/nerves.
  • Sometimes, when the crack splits the tooth into halves, then you have to remove the tooth. This is the worst scenario that Dr. Nguyen always tell patients but it rarely happens.
  • Give us a call to schedule an appointment at 650-838-0260. Let us know about your emergency and we will make our best effort to see you right away.
  • If there are a tooth or tooth fragments that have fallen out, preserve them in a clean container with a moist solution (cold milk, water, saliva), and bring them in to your appointment.
  • Apply a cold pack to your jaw to lessen any pain and swelling.
  • If bleeding, bite down on a gauze pad until bleeding stops.

It is possible to have a cracked tooth and not know it. If you have any pain when biting down, or when eating something hot or cold, it’s best to get it checked out. In order to prevent further damage to the tooth or an infection, it’s very important to correct a cracked tooth immediately. Give us a call to schedule an appointment at 650-838-0260.