A cracked tooth can happen at any time. It is more common in adults because your tooth enamel weakens as you age. If a tooth has thin and brittle enamel, all it takes is for you to bite down on something hard, grinding your teeth, or getting bumped in the mouth to cause a crack to develop. In many cases a cracked tooth is an easy fix. In other cases, the tooth may not be able to be fixed at all. It all depends on the type and extent of the crack. If you have a cracked tooth, here’s what you need to know about getting it taken care of. Types of Cracks in Teeth There are a few different types of cracks that develop in teeth: Craze lines. Over time teeth develop tiny hairline cracks in the enamel called craze lines. They are only surface deep and cause no pain Cracked tooth. A typical crack in a tooth will start in the crown of the tooth and extend toward the root of the tooth. Whether or not you feel any pain associated with a cracked tooth varies based on the depth of the crack. Vertical root fracture. A tooth may develop a crack that starts in the root under the gumline and extends toward the crown of the tooth. This type may cause pain that is difficult to diagnose because the crack is often not visible above the gums. Split tooth. When a crack in the crown of a …
