Fractured tooth

A cracked or fractured tooth may happen because you grind your teeth, injure a tooth, or as you get older. Cleveland Clinic says a crack can be small enough that it does not affect the tooth, or the tooth may break into pieces or split. A cracked tooth may cause pain, swelling, and sensitivity to temperature changes.

Treatment depends on where the crack is and how severe it is. Options range from watching a small crack to a filling, crown, or root canal, and a badly cracked tooth may need to be removed. MouthHealthy advises rinsing with warm water and putting a cold compress on your face to keep swelling down. Then see your dentist.

See cracked tooth syndrome, chipped tooth, and the emergency dentistry page.