A cracked tooth may hurt because the pressure of biting causes the crack to open. When you stop biting, the pressure is released and a sharp pain results as the crack quickly closes. Even though the crack may be microscopic, when it opens, the pulp inside the tooth may become irritated.

How painful is a cracked tooth?

Typically, cracked teeth will cause pain with biting pressure and pain during chewing (especially upon release), as well as sensitivity to heat or cold. Pain may come and go; in some cases, you may experience hardly any pain at all.

Can a cracked tooth heal on its own?

A cracked tooth will not heal on its own. Unlike your bones, which have a lot of blood vessels and are therefore able to repair themselves, tooth enamel does not have any blood supply and is not able to repair itself when damaged. You cannot simply wait for the crack to heal on its own.