Cracked teeth can display many types of symptoms, including pain when chewing, temperature sensitivities, or even pain on the release of biting pressure. It is also common for tooth pain to come and go, making it difficult to diagnose the cause of discomfort.
Chewing can cause the tooth to flex around a crack, which can elicit a very sharp and sudden painful sensation. Similarly, when biting pressure is released, the crack can close quickly, resulting in sharp pain. Eventually, the dental pulp can become damaged and the tooth will consistently hurt, even when you are not chewing. It is possible that cracks can lead to infection of the pulp tissue, which can spread to the bone and gum surrounding the tooth. And if not managed in a timely fashion, cracks can structurally damage the tooth enough to necessitate extraction.
