Cracked Tooth Syndrome is one of the most difficult and unpredictable conditions to diagnose and manage in dentistry. What makes it tricky is that cracks are often invisible to the naked eye and sometimes don’t show up clearly on X-rays. Sometimes, patients may require a second opinion from an endodontist.
Factors that Cause Cracked Teeth:
- Facial trauma
- Tooth grinding
- Night time bruxism
- Early loss of supporting teeth
- Large restorations (especially old amalgams) from extensive decay
Symptoms of Cracked Tooth Syndrome include:
- Pain when chewing (especially on release)
- Lingering sensitivity to hot or cold
- A constant dull ache in the affected tooth
- Tenderness in the gums.
Dr Edward’s Personal Experience with Cracked Tooth Syndrome
Even as a dentist, I’m not immune to the challenges of CTS. This is my personal story about my lower left first molar.
For those who don’t know me personally, I work at all three Namo Dental locations across St Albans, Sunbury, and Cairnlea. I’m a long-time night time grinder, and I wear a night guard religiously – it helps immensely.
Around three years ago, I began experiencing lingering cold sensitivity in my lower left molar. I could see a faint crack line running toward the back of the tooth. My colleague, Dr James, placed a filling to stabilise it, and things settled for a while.
However, by June last year, the symptoms had returned. I made the decision to crown the tooth with a zirconia crown, and fortunately, the sensitivity resolved. I was able to eat and sleep normally again.
But several months later, I noticed a gum swelling on the cheek side between the two roots of that tooth. I ignored it for a while, until I cracked the crown itself.
Dr James took an X-ray of the tooth. In addition to the periodontal abscess at the furcation, we also saw an apical radiolucency at the mesial root, along with root resorption. To put it kindly, the tooth was buggered.
We had to extract it. Dr James then placed a bone graft and membrane in the site to preserve the bone for future implant placement. After four months of healing, I’ll be taking a CBCT 3D scan to begin implant planning.
The key message?
Cracks don’t fix themselves. If you’re experiencing symptoms like biting pain or lingering sensitivity, don’t ignore it. Early intervention might save your tooth. Click here to book an appointment today. Stay tuned to our blog posts, my implant journey to replace the tooth is just beginning.
