The Chairside Instructor 50 If you think you may have a cracked tooth, look for these signs: • sharp pain that quickly disappears when biting down • pain that comes and goes • pain when eating or drinking • feeling that something is stuck between your teeth Or, you may have no signs at all. If you are having symptoms, help your dentist and hygienist find the cracked tooth by sharing some information: • the area where you feel pain • things that cause you tooth pain (such as heat, cold or foods that are sweet, sour or sticky) Why Does a Cracked Tooth Hurt? The crack may be too small to see, but when it opens, the pulp inside the tooth may become irritated. If the crack extends into the pulp, the tooth may become sensitive to extreme heat and cold. Types of treatment include the following: • no treatment right away • repairing the tooth with a filling material • placing a crown on the tooth to protect it from further damage • endodontic (root canal) therapy if the nerves of the tooth are infected • removing the tooth if it is severely cracked and cannot be saved A small crack in the tooth Crack widens as you bite down Cracks in a tooth with a large filling Crack Cracked Tooth Other Oral Conditions