Personal Injury Attorney for Broken Teeth

Types of cracked teeth

While a broken tooth is obvious, a cracked tooth may not always be readily apparent. If you’ve had an accident with trauma to your mouth, it’s a good idea to have a dentist check your teeth.

• Fractured cusp. When a piece of the chewing surface of a tooth is broken off, it’s called a fractured cusp. This usually isn’t too painful, but it is noticeable and the rough surface of the broken tooth can irritate your tongue.
• Cracked tooth. There’s a visible crack line extending from the chewing surface toward the root of the tooth. If left untreated, the crack will get worse and you will end up having to get a root canal/an implant.
• Split tooth. A cracked tooth that’s been neglected usually becomes a split tooth. The crack has distinct segments that can be separated. At this point, the tooth cannot be saved and you’ll need to have it pulled and get an implant.
• Vertical root fracture. Cracks extend from the root of the tooth toward the chewing surface. There are often only subtle signs and symptoms, and may only become apparent when surrounding bone and gum become infected.