By Arthur Kezian
If you've got tiny fractures in your teeth, you're dealing with something called Cracked Tooth Syndrome. So, how does this change your life?
1. It causes pain when you're eating
This is the most telling symptom of Cracked Tooth Syndrome -- the pain only occurs when you're eating. Sometimes, it can cause a severe toothache. But, unlike other dental problems, the pain from cracked tooth syndrome will go away when you stop eating.
However, you won't necessarily experience pain during every meal. You may only feel pain when you bite into certain foods. You may even develop tooth sensitivities to hot and cold foods.
2. It can be difficult to diagnose
Because the pain from Cracked Tooth Syndrome can be so random, it can be difficult to diagnose. You and your Los Angeles dentist will have to figure out exactly when the pain occurs and narrow down the causes from there.
Adding to the challenge -- in many cases, the fractures associated with Cracked Tooth Syndrome are too small to show up in an x-ray. Instead, a dentist will have to use special tools to locate the fractures. It's not a painful or lengthy process, but it is a little more tedious than just snapping an x-ray.
3. It can be made worse by bad habits
Some instances of Cracked Tooth Syndrome can't be ignored. If you eat a lot of crunchy foods, you might develop fractures in your bottom molars -- where most of the chewing is done. Or, if you have a filling in one of your teeth, it can make the entire tooth weaker -- leaving you more susceptible to developing fractures. Even misaligned teeth can lead to fractures, because uneven bite pressure is being put on each tooth.
However, there are some things you can do to make your Cracked Tooth Syndrome worse. If you grind your teeth, clench your teeth, chew on ice, or chew on pens, your odds of developing fractures -- or making existing fractures worse -- go up.
4. It requires quick treatment
As with any dental problem, the sooner you can take care of it, the better. The longer you put pressure on these fractures, the worse they can get. And, as you might expect, the worse they are, the more painful they can be.
Unfortunately, if your fractures are severe enough -- like if they go all the way to the roots of your teeth -- your dentist may not be able to fix them. Instead, he may have to replace the affected teeth with dental implants.
In most cases, though, you can solve the problem with porcelain crowns. By covering each affected tooth with a crown, your dentist can prevent further damage from happening.
Dr. Arthur A. Kezian DDS 443 N. Larchmont Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90004 (323) 467-2777
-N.S.
