Why Are Crowned Teeth More Prone to Cracking?

A crown is a dental restoration that covers the entire visible portion of the tooth, helping to protect it from further damage while restoring its function and appearance for many years. However, crowned teeth aren’t immune to problems.

Sometimes, a tooth with a crown can develop a chip or crack, impacting its structure and reducing its lifespan.

But why does this happen? Often, it's not the crown itself that’s the issue but the tooth's condition underneath.

In most cases, a tooth requires a crown because it has already been severely damaged by decay or trauma. This means the tooth is already weakened, having lost much of its natural strength and structure in the first place. As a result, it’s less capable of handling the pressure from chewing and biting compared to a healthy tooth.

It’s even more challenging if the tooth has had a root canal. Teeth that have undergone this treatment are more brittle and more likely to crack than those without.

That said, a dental crown won’t cause your tooth to crack. Instead, it’s designed to protect an already weakened tooth from further damage, helping you preserve it for as long as possible.

However, several factors can trigger or worsen a crack under a crown, including:

• Biting down on hard objects like ice or nuts
• Grinding or clenching your teeth, especially while sleeping
• Experiencing trauma to the mouth from a fall or accident
• Having a poorly fitted or old crown that doesn’t fully support the tooth

How Can a Crack Progress Under a Crown?

In its early stages, a crack under a crown can be difficult to detect. It often begins as a tiny, invisible line within the tooth structure. Since the damage is hidden beneath the crown, you might not notice anything unusual at first.

Much like a crack in a windshield, it can slowly worsen over time. As it spreads or deepens, it eventually becomes more noticeable.

At first, you may not feel any discomfort or symptoms. But as the crack progresses, sometimes over months or even years, you may begin to experience pain or sensitivity.

Here’s how a crack can develop under a crown:

1. Fractured cusp:

2. Cracked tooth syndrome:

3. Split tooth:

4. Vertical root fracture:

Can a Cracked Tooth Under a Dental Crown Be Saved?

If you’ve discovered a crack under your dental crown, you might be wondering whether the tooth can be saved or if it’s a lost cause.

The good news is that if caught early, a cracked tooth can often be repaired and saved.

The first step your dentist will likely take is to remove the crown. This allows them to directly assess the damage and determine the best treatment plan. The key factor is whether the crack has reached the roots of your tooth.

Removing a dental crown by cutting it

If the crack is limited to the surface of your tooth and hasn’t reached the roots, your chances of saving the tooth are quite high. Your dentist will clean and reshape the damaged area, then place a new crown over it. This new crown will protect the tooth from further harm while restoring its function and appearance.

However, if the crack extends into the roots, the situation becomes more complicated. In most cases, the tooth will need to be removed. At that point, you can explore tooth replacement options, such as a bridge or dental implant.

The image below shows a crowned tooth that has begun to show signs of infection.

When the tooth was removed, you can definitely see a large vertical crack in the root!

These vertical root fractures are tough to spot, making them tricky to diagnose. They are also one of the most common causes of tooth extraction (3). This is because they are not repairable and often lead to gum infections.