Cracks and Fractures in Teeth

A fractured tooth, often called a cracked tooth or cracked tooth syndrome (CTS), is when a crack appears in the tooth. The crack can sometimes be small and harmless. Other times, it can cause the tooth to break or split.

Tooth fractures are most common in children and older people, although anybody can crack a tooth. Cracks can occur either in crown or in root. Both the crown and the root consist of several layers:

Enamel: Hard white outer surface.
Dentin: Middle layer of the tooth.
Pulp: Soft inner tissue that contains blood vessels and nerves.
Tooth fractures can affect some or all of these layers. Treatment for a cracked tooth depends on where the fracture happens and the severity of the fracture.
A broken tooth may hurt or feel sensitive, though some fractures cause no symptoms. treatment sooner increases the chances of repairing a cracked tooth.