Cracked teeth are increasingly common and can be tricky to diagnose. Endodontists are often the specialists who pinpoint a crack and determine whether the tooth can be saved.
Cracks range from harmless craze lines in the enamel to serious fractures that split the tooth. Symptoms often include sharp pain when biting or sensitivity to temperature that comes and goes. Because cracks can be invisible on standard X-rays, endodontists use magnification, transillumination and 3D CBCT imaging to find them. Depending on how deep the crack extends, treatment may involve a root canal and crown, or in severe cases extraction. Early evaluation gives the best chance of saving the tooth.
Specialist exam with magnification and imaging to locate and assess a crack.
When the crack reaches the pulp but the tooth is restorable.
Recommended when a crack extends below the gum or splits the root.
Endodontists are root canal and dental-pain specialists. After dental school they complete two or more years of accredited residency focused on saving teeth. The defining credentials are AAE membership and board certification — Diplomate of the American Board of Endodontics.
Procedure facts on this page draw on authoritative medical sources. Confirm specifics in a consultation.
American Association of Endodontists (AAE) ↗AAE — Root Canal Explained ↗Verify a dentist’s credentials and Florida license yourself:
AAE — American Association of Endodontists ↗ ADA — MouthHealthy (American Dental Association) ↗ Florida Board of Dentistry — License verification ↗