Question: What is a split tooth and can it be saved?
Explanation: A split tooth is the end stage of an untreated crack. The tooth has separated into two distinct, mobile segments, with the fracture line running through the entire crown and extending below the gum. Unlike a cracked tooth, the segments can be moved independently. Patients describe pain on biting and release, and the tooth may bleed at the fracture line. The tooth cannot be saved in its entirety. In molars, the smaller segment is sometimes removed and the remainder restored with a crown. In most cases, extraction is required.
Related Questions:
What is the difference between a cracked tooth and a split tooth?
A crack is incomplete. The segments remain attached and do not separate. A split tooth has a complete fracture with two independently mobile pieces. Cracked teeth are often salvageable with a crown. Split teeth generally are not.
Can a split tooth be saved with a crown?
Not once is separation complete. A crown cannot hold two mobile segments together predictably. If one segment is small and the fracture does not extend deeply, that segment may be removed and the remainder crowned. This is only viable in multi-rooted teeth.
How can I stop a cracked tooth from becoming a split tooth?
Have it crowned promptly. A crown holds the tooth under compression and prevents the crack from propagating. Avoid chewing ice, hard sweets, and unpopped popcorn kernels. If you grind your teeth, a night guard reduces the cyclic loading that drives cracks deeper.
« Back to Glossary Index