What does it mean if I bite down hard and have a sharp pain?


Usually it implies that you have a cracked tooth. Biting down hard can make the crack worse. If you have experienced this, try and localize where in the mouth it has happened, so that when you visit your dentist to help him (or her) determine which tooth is cracked.

When the dentist examines your mouth, sometimes it is obvious which tooth is cracked. This is especially true if part of a tooth is loose while the rest is solid or if there is an obvious fissure developing in the tooth.

Some cracks are hard to visualize because they are hidden under a filling. They can be surmised by having a patient bite down on a plastic or wooden stick (Q-tip or plastic applicator handle or tooth sleuth). When the patient bites down in the correct position, they experience discomfort.

Some cracks are self limiting especially if they are in a more horizontal plane. Usually if a tooth has a compromised buccal or lingual wall the remaining tooth is restorable with a crown or large filling. If the crack is vertical it can compromise tooth and even cause its loss.

Often dentists will advise the placement of crowns or onlays on teeth with extensive tooth structure missing in order to minimize the risk for a future crack from developing in the remaining "compromised" tooth structure. This type of treatment planning is proactive since more extensive treatment is advocated for teeth at risk for fracture. "Don't wait until it breaks" could some up these treatments and often being proactive when tooth structure is compromised will better preserve the remaining tooth structure. "I'll wait until it breaks" can be often heard from a patient looking to avoid the time and expense involved in crowning their tooth, but if they experience an "unlucky break" down the road they may need a root canal or even an extraction instead of just a protective crown.

from Ask Dr. Spindel - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/2019/03/what-does-it-mean-if-i-bite-down-hard.html - http://lspindelnycdds.blogspot.com/

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