While not all cracked teeth may cause symptoms, if they do, you will notice the following:
 
• Pain that will come and go, mainly when you chew
• Sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures that change or when eating sweet foods
• Swelling around the cracked tooth
• Toothache when you begin to bite or chew items
 
Fractures often occur to the upper front set of teeth as well as the teeth which are found toward the back of the lower jaw. Though people are quite likely to fracture only one tooth, the more they severely injure or traumatically fracture multiple teeth, the more dental cavities occur and they have a higher risk of fracturing more teeth.

There are a few causes of a fractured tooth, some of which include:
 
• Age – With age comes other issues like tooth cracks, often occurring at age 50 and older
• Biting into hard foods – biting into hard foods which may include popcorn kernels, candy, and ice
• Habits – Some habits are hard to get rid of including chewing gum and ice
• Large dental fillings – Large dental fillings will often weaken the tooth
• Root canals – Root canals will also cause the tooth to become weaker
• Teeth grinding
• Dental trauma – dental trauma including bike accidents, sports injuries, car accidents, falls, or physical violence

For a root fracture to be diagnosed and treated, the dental specialist will ask certain questions about symptoms and what may have caused the tooth to crack or break in the first place. They may also bring up questions about any trauma or injuries that have occurred to the tooth.
 
A thorough evaluation of the tooth will be completed before the procedure to fix the root fracture or broken/cracked tooth can be offered treatment. This will include dental history, and whether you grind your teeth or chew often on hard items like ice and candy.
 
Then the dentist will check to see whether the tooth has been fractured or the injury or traumatic event caused it to become knocked out. You may be asked to bite down on a stick if you feel any pain, as well as to show exactly where the pain is. Inspect the teeth for any crack lines, and examine the gums for any swelling/inflammation, This is in case any vertical fractures occur, as it can cause irritation to the gums. A light will be passed through the tooth to illuminate the fracture, as well as a staining dye to see the tooth crack better. Finally, an X-ray will be used to see if the tooth fracture and other related issues including bone loss are connected.

There are several different types of dental root fractures including:
 
• Oblique Subgingival fractures
Extends past the gum line, the severity of this fracture depends on how far the fracture has gone past the gum line. These fractures are often quite painful and remain in the gums even after they break off.
 
• Oblique Supragingival fractures
This fracture affects the tooth’s crown and does not extend below the gum line. This particular fracture results in the affected part of the tooth breaking off, many patients will not experience any pain, and if so, very little. The nerves and blood vessels of the tooth’s pulp remain fully intact and undamaged.
 
• Oblique Root fractures
These fractures do not affect the surface of the tooth, the damage that is caused to the tooth is below the gum line, and under the bone usually. While it is not visible, it can be quite painful. Many patients with oblique root fractures will require a root canal.
 
• Vertical Apical fractures
These fractures occur at the tip of the tooth’s root. Severe pain is often a result of the tooth fragments which place pressure on the bone.
 
• Vertical Furcation fractures
When the root of the tooth fracture separates, that is when this particular fracture occurs. This fracture always affects the tooth’s nerves and can cause pain and difficulty in completing simple tasks including eating and speaking.
 
• Vertical Root fractures
This fracture occurs when a part of the tooth root breaks off. The damage is not common and only occurs in teeth that have endodontic treatment like root canal therapy.

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