---
title: "What Is Fractured tooth? Dental Glossary | Town Center Dental"
description: "A fractured tooth is a tooth with a crack or break. The break can be small and cause no trouble, or deep enough to split the tooth."
url: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/fractured-tooth
publisher: Town Center Dental
phone: +1-636-273-5866
quote: https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment
---

Emergency

# Fractured tooth

A fractured tooth is a tooth with a crack or break. The break can be small and cause no trouble, or deep enough to split the 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](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/root-canal-therapy), 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](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/cracked-tooth-syndrome), [chipped tooth](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/chipped-tooth), and the [emergency dentistry](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/emergency-dentistry) page.

[Town Center Dental can helpEmergency Dentistry](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/services/emergency-dentistry)

## Related terms

-   [Cracked tooth syndrome](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/cracked-tooth-syndrome)
-   [Chipped tooth](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/chipped-tooth)
-   [Root canal therapy](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/root-canal-therapy)
-   [Dental crown](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/dental-crown)
-   [Bruxism (teeth grinding)](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/glossary/bruxism-teeth-grinding)

## Sources

1.  [Cleveland Clinic: Cracked Tooth (Fractured Tooth)](https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21628-fractured-tooth-cracked-tooth)
2.  [ADA MouthHealthy: Dental Emergencies](https://www.mouthhealthy.org/all-topics-a-z/dental-emergencies)

## Ready when you are

[Request an appointment](https://towncenterdental.multisites.ai/request-appointment)[Call (636) 273-5866](tel:+1-636-273-5866)