Despite of being covered with enamel, which is touted as the hardest substance found in the human body, it’s very much possible for the teeth to become cracked or chipped. There are instances in which a crack or fracture of a tooth is too fine to be detected unless careful inspection or the use of special dental tools is done.
This article will talk about what’s referred to as cracked tooth syndrome. The name of this problem concerning the teeth was coined back in 1964, and it’s something that can cause pain or discomfort especially when eating.
Cause
According to dental experts, there are many different things that can cause cracked tooth syndrome to strike.
One of the most common of the bunch is bruxism — teeth grinding in layman’s terms. Contrary to popular belief, teeth grinding does not occur only when the person is asleep. It’s also something that can show up during stressful situations or while an individual is having an anxiety attack.
Sometimes the one to blame for the development of cracked tooth syndrome is the alignment of the teeth — certain types of faulty alignment can cause unnecessary pressure on a tooth, causing it to eventually crack.
Dentists say that cracked tooth syndrome can also be blamed on undergoing a root canal. At times it can be attributed to having large fillings.
Signs and Symptoms
Upon visually inspecting the affected tooth with the naked eye, it’s not unlikely for the very tiny crack or fracture to be missed by the dentist. This is especially true because pain experienced by someone who suffers from cracked tooth syndrome is the referred kind — pain that’s felt in an area other than the source of the problem.
It is during while having a meal that pain brought about by cracked tooth syndrome makes its presence known. Such can bug the individual each time he or she bites into food.
Certainly, consuming something hot or cold can cause pain associated with cracked tooth syndrome to be experienced. Just like in the case of a cavity, the pain goes away once the consumption of food is stopped.
Diagnosis
As mentioned above, oftentimes a dentist may not be able to spot the crack or fracture of a tooth using his or her eyes only. It’s for this reason why a lot of people who are suffering from cracked tooth syndrome tend to put up with the pain or discomfort for months until such time that the causative factor has been pinned down.
In diagnosing cracked tooth syndrome, complete oral examination has to be done by a dental expert. He or she will get the person’s dental history — if cracked tooth syndrome happened in the past, it’s not unlikely for it to strike once again. Multiple teeth may be affected by cracked tooth syndrome all at the same time.
The best way to detect the presence of a tiny crack or fracture is with the use of a handheld device that employs fiber optic light.
Treatment
In dealing with cracked tooth syndrome, the person who is suffering from it may choose from an assortment of treatment options. Some of the most common ones include bonding and performing a root canal.
Unfortunately, severe cases of cracked tooth syndrome usually call for the extraction of the affected tooth.
To determine which treatment approach is best for someone who is being bugged by cracked tooth syndrome, various factors need to be considered. Some of them include the location of the crack or fracture as well as its severity.
