Treatment
Cracked tooth treatment in Market Harborough
A cracked tooth often announces itself with a sharp pain on biting that disappears as quickly as it came. Cracks do not heal, and they tend to deepen with every chewing cycle — so the sooner one is assessed, the more options you have for keeping the tooth.
How a cracked tooth feels
- a sharp, brief pain when you bite — often worse on releasing the bite;
- sensitivity to cold that lingers longer than it used to;
- pain that is hard to locate, sometimes seeming to move between teeth;
- a filling that keeps feeling "high" or a tooth that feels different when chewing.
Cracks are most common in heavily filled back teeth, in people who clench or grind, and after biting on something unexpectedly hard. Root-treated teeth without a crown are particularly at risk.
How we find the crack
Cracks are rarely visible on an X-ray, which is why they are so often missed. Our assessment combines a bite test on individual cusps, cold testing, a staining dye, transillumination with a bright light through the tooth, and examination under the microscope — sometimes after removing an old filling to see the floor of the cavity. The aim is to establish three things: where the crack runs, how deep it goes and whether the pulp has been affected.
Treatment options
- A protective restoration. A shallow crack confined to the crown of the tooth can be held together with a bonded onlay or crown that stops it flexing.
- Root canal treatment plus a crown. When the crack has reached the pulp, the pulp is inflamed and the tooth needs root canal treatment before it is crowned. Treated promptly, many of these teeth do well.
- Monitoring. Some cracks are stable and symptom-free and simply need watching at your regular check-ups.
- Extraction. A crack that extends down the root, or splits the tooth, cannot be repaired. In that case we say so clearly and discuss replacement options with your dentist.
Why early assessment matters
A crack is a one-way process. Caught early, it can often be contained with a restoration; left for months, it may reach the pulp, then the root, at which point the tooth is lost. If you have had an unexplained biting pain for more than a few days, a consultation is worthwhile — our tooth pain diagnosis page explains what the appointment involves.
Reducing the risk of further cracks
If you grind your teeth at night, a well-made night guard from your dentist protects every tooth in the mouth. Cracked or heavily filled molars are best restored with cuspal coverage rather than large direct fillings, and hard sweets, ice and olive stones are worth avoiding altogether.