Think you might have cracked a tooth? It’s not always obvious. Unlike a broken bone, cracked teeth don’t always cause immediate, severe pain. Sometimes the symptoms are subtle—but ignoring them can lead to serious problems and expensive treatment down the road.
At Toothcrew Family Dental in SE Calgary, we see patients with cracked teeth every week. The sooner you identify and treat a cracked tooth, the better your chances of saving it. Here’s what you need to know.
Common Signs of a Cracked Tooth
1. Pain When Chewing or Biting
This is the most common symptom. If you feel sharp pain when you bite down, especially when releasing the bite, you likely have a crack. The pain might not happen every time you chew—it can be intermittent and unpredictable, which makes it easy to ignore.
2. Sensitivity to Temperature
Does drinking something cold or hot cause a sudden, sharp pain that quickly disappears? Cracked teeth often become sensitive to temperature extremes because the crack exposes the inner layers of your tooth where nerves reside.
3. Pain That Comes and Goes
Unlike a cavity that causes constant, worsening pain, cracked teeth often produce pain that appears and disappears without an obvious pattern. You might be fine for days, then suddenly experience sharp pain while eating.
4. Sensitivity to Sweet Foods
If eating candy, drinking soda, or consuming other sugary foods causes sudden pain, a crack might be allowing sugar to reach the sensitive inner tooth structure.
5. Swelling Around the Tooth
In some cases, the gum tissue around a cracked tooth becomes swollen or tender. This happens when bacteria enter through the crack and cause infection.
6. No Symptoms at All
Here’s the tricky part: some cracked teeth don’t cause any symptoms initially. The crack might be small or located in a way that doesn’t affect the nerve—yet. This is why regular dental check-ups at Toothcrew Family Dental are so important. We can often detect cracks before you feel them.
What Causes Teeth to Crack?
Understanding the causes helps you prevent future problems:
- Chewing hard foods like ice, hard candy, popcorn kernels, or nuts
- Teeth grinding (bruxism) especially during sleep
- Large old fillings that weaken the remaining tooth structure
- Sudden temperature changes (like hot coffee followed by ice water)
- Age-related wear (teeth naturally weaken over time)
- Trauma or injury from sports, falls, or accidents
- Using teeth as tools to open packages or bottles
Types of Cracked Teeth
Not all cracks are created equal. Here are the most common types we see at our SE Calgary dental clinic:
Craze Lines: Tiny, surface-level cracks in the enamel that don’t cause pain and usually don’t require treatment. They’re extremely common in adults.
Fractured Cusp: When a piece of the tooth’s chewing surface breaks off, usually around a filling. These often don’t damage the tooth’s pulp (nerve) and can be repaired with a crown.
Cracked Tooth: A crack that extends from the chewing surface toward the root. This type needs immediate treatment to prevent the crack from deepening. If caught early, the tooth can often be saved with a crown.
Split Tooth: A crack that has progressed until the tooth is split into distinct segments. These teeth usually can’t be saved intact—extraction is often necessary, followed by replacement with an implant or bridge.
Vertical Root Fracture: Cracks that begin in the root and extend toward the chewing surface. These are particularly tricky because they often show minimal symptoms until infection develops. They usually require extraction.
What Happens If You Ignore a Cracked Tooth?
The crack won’t heal on its own. Teeth, unlike bones, cannot repair themselves. Without treatment, cracked teeth typically worsen over time.
Here’s what can happen:
- The crack deepens, eventually reaching the tooth’s pulp (nerve chamber), causing severe pain and requiring root canal treatment
- Infection develops, leading to an abscess that requires emergency treatment
- The tooth splits completely, making it impossible to save and requiring extraction
- Adjacent teeth become damaged from altered bite forces
- What could have been fixed with a crown ($1,200-$1,800) now requires extraction plus implant replacement ($3,000-$5,000)
At Toothcrew Family Dental, we’ve seen countless patients who waited too long. A crack that could have been repaired with a simple crown became an emergency extraction because they hoped it would “just go away.”
It won’t.
How We Diagnose Cracked Teeth in SE Calgary
When you visit Toothcrew Family Dental with suspected cracked tooth symptoms, here’s what we do:
Visual Examination: We carefully inspect your teeth for visible cracks, using magnification and special lighting to see what the naked eye might miss.
Digital X-Rays: While cracks don’t always show up on X-rays, they can reveal problems beneath the gum line or in the tooth’s root.
Bite Test: We’ll have you bite on a special tool to identify which tooth is causing pain and where the crack might be located.
Dye and Fiber-Optic Light: We can apply a special dye that seeps into cracks, making them visible, or use fiber-optic light that illuminates crack lines.
Probing for Tender Spots: Gently probing around the tooth can help us locate the crack and assess whether it’s affecting the tooth’s pulp.
Treatment Options for Cracked Teeth
The treatment depends on the type, location, and severity of the crack:
Dental Bonding ($150-$300): For minor cracks or chips, we can apply tooth-colored resin to seal and strengthen the area.
Dental Crown ($1,200-$1,800): The most common treatment for cracked teeth. A crown covers and protects the entire tooth, preventing the crack from worsening while restoring function and appearance.
Root Canal ($1,000-$1,500): If the crack has reached the tooth’s pulp, root canal therapy removes the damaged nerve tissue and saves the tooth. A crown is then placed to protect it.
Tooth Extraction ($200-$600): When a crack is too severe to repair, extraction becomes necessary. We’ll discuss replacement options including dental implants or bridges.
All our pricing follows the Alberta Dental Fee Guide, ensuring fair, transparent costs.
Why Choose Toothcrew Family Dental for Cracked Tooth Treatment?
Same-Day Emergency Appointments: Cracked tooth causing pain? We’ll see you today. We keep emergency slots available specifically for urgent situations like this.
Alberta Dental Fee Guide Pricing: We follow standardized pricing—no surprise fees, no emergency upcharges. Fair prices whether you need bonding, a crown, or extraction.
New Patient Promotions: First time at our clinic? Ask about our new patient specials that can reduce your treatment costs.
Advanced Diagnostic Technology: Our digital X-rays and diagnostic tools help us identify cracks quickly and accurately, ensuring you get the right treatment the first time.
Experienced Calgary Dentists: We’ve treated hundreds of cracked teeth. We know how to save teeth whenever possible and provide compassionate care when extraction is necessary.
Flexible Payment Plans: Don’t let cost prevent you from treating a cracked tooth. We offer payment options that fit your budget.
Convenient SE Calgary Location: Easy to find at 11420 27 St SE #304, with parking available.
Don’t Wait—Contact Toothcrew Family Dental Today
If you’re experiencing any symptoms of a cracked tooth—pain when chewing, temperature sensitivity, or intermittent discomfort—don’t ignore it. Early treatment is almost always simpler and less expensive than waiting until the crack worsens.
📞 Call us now at (587) 358-3333
📍 Toothcrew Family Dental
11420 27 St SE #304, Calgary, AB T2Z 3R6
🌐 Book online: toothcrewdental.ca
We’re accepting new patients and offer same-day emergency appointments.
✅ Alberta Dental Fee Guide Pricing
✅ Direct Insurance Billing
✅ New Patient Promotions
✅ Flexible Payment Plans
✅ SE Calgary’s Trusted Family Dentist
Your cracked tooth won’t fix itself—but we can fix it. Call Toothcrew Family Dental today.