Cracked or broken tooth: symptoms and treatment
Originally published
A tooth can chip, crack or break after an injury or during everyday use. The damage may be obvious, or you may only notice discomfort when biting. Contact a dentist for advice rather than waiting for pain to become severe.
Not every line in a tooth is a serious fracture. Fine surface lines in enamel, called craze lines, can be harmless. A dentist can distinguish these from damage that needs treatment.
What might you notice?
Possible signs include a sharp edge, a missing piece, sensitivity to temperature or pain when biting or releasing the bite. Symptoms can come and go, and some cracks cause little pain. How much it hurts does not reliably show how deep the damage is.
The dentist examines the tooth and its supporting tissues and may carry out bite tests or take X-rays. A crack is not always visible on an X-ray, so the findings need to be considered together.
What can cause a fracture?
An impact, repeated heavy biting forces, grinding or loss of tooth structure can contribute. A tooth with a large filling may have less remaining structure to support it; a fracture beside a filling does not by itself prove that the filling was done incorrectly.
After root canal treatment, the amount of tooth left and the final restoration affect protection. It is too simple to say that every root-treated tooth becomes brittle solely because its nerve has been removed.
What to do before your appointment
If a piece has broken off, keep it in a container of milk or saliva and bring it to the dentist. Do not keep loose fragments in your mouth, particularly a child’s mouth. Sometimes the fragment can be reattached.
Avoid chewing on the affected side and choose foods that do not put pressure on the tooth. Keep the area clean gently. Do not use household glue, attempt to file the tooth or place aspirin against the gum.
A small chip without other symptoms is not usually a hospital emergency. Seek urgent dental advice for severe pain, increasing swelling or fever. If you cannot obtain urgent dental care, contact NHS 111. Call 999 or go to A&E for heavy mouth bleeding that will not stop, or swelling causing difficulty breathing or swallowing.
The NHS broken-tooth guide explains how to seek dental care and preserve a fragment.
How can it be treated?
The treatment depends on where the damage is, how far it extends and whether the tooth can be restored. Options may include smoothing a small edge, reattaching a fragment, a filling or a restoration such as an onlay or crown.
If the pulp inside the tooth is affected, root canal treatment may be considered alongside a suitable final restoration. It treats the pulp problem; it does not make a crack heal. Some deeply fractured or split teeth cannot be saved and need extraction, even when advice was sought promptly.
A veneer may suit a selected superficial defect on a front tooth, but it is not a general solution for a deep fracture. The dentist should explain the expected result, alternatives and any uncertainty before treatment. A crown can protect a tooth, but it cannot guarantee that a crack will never progress.
Reducing the risk of further damage
Avoid biting pens, ice or packaging. Wear suitable protection for contact sports and ask your dentist about clenching or grinding. Continue daily cleaning and attend reviews; these steps help protect your teeth but cannot prevent every fracture.
Costs depend on the treatment needed. See our dentistry fees and ask for a written estimate after assessment. If relevant, discuss the current finance options. Contact the practice and describe your symptoms so the team can advise how soon you should be seen.