Dentistry · Oral health

Cracked or fractured tooth

Understand tooth cracks, fractures and chips whose prognosis depends on depth and direction.

Editorial publication · Medical review pending.

Understand

A cracked or fractured tooth has a break through enamel, dentine, a cusp or root, without necessarily separating into pieces.

Intermittent pain on biting or release, temperature sensitivity and a sharp edge may occur; some cracks remain invisible and painless.

Trauma, biting a hard object, bruxism, a large restoration or weakening after root canal treatment can contribute.

A dentist distinguishes a chip, fractured cusp, crack, split tooth and root fracture because treatment and prognosis differ.

Lit inspection, magnification, bite testing, probing, transillumination, pulp tests and X-rays are combined; no method reveals every crack.

A crack does not heal like bone and may progress; early treatment can improve the chance of retaining the tooth without guaranteeing it.

Smoothing, bonding, filling, onlay, crown, root canal treatment or extraction depends on extent and pulp or root involvement.

Seek prompt care after an impact, visible fracture or repeated biting pain, and keep any fragment in milk or saliva.

A knocked-out or displaced tooth, heavy bleeding, a deep wound, facial trauma, severe pain or swelling needs urgent care.

A procedure linked to a condition does not establish an indication for your individual situation.