ABSTRACT
Cracked Tooth Syndrome (CTS) is both a transient and progressive condition. CTS is a frequent reason that patients change clinician. Patient reports pain, and often the dentist relies on a periapical radiograph to determine the origin of the pain. Because the CTS is a vital pulp condition, the periapical radiograph is of limited value as a diagnostic test for CTS. As a result, lack of treatment, or inappropriate treatment, will not resolve the symptoms, often causing the patient to seek help from another clinician. Diagnosis of CTS can be difficult, appropriate treatment is necessary to prevent further damage to the tooth, and the failure to diagnose this condition can result in the eventual loss of the affected tooth. This article will present a classification system for CTS and discuss how to accurately diagnose and treat this clinical condition.