Request an Appointment

Toggle navigation
  • blog
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
1472 Cedarwood Lane Pleasanton, CA 94566(925) 846-2375
  • Home
  • About Our Team
    • Meet Our Doctor
    • Meet Our Team
  • About Our Office
    • Financial Policies
    • New Patient Forms
    • Tour Our Office
    • Our Mission
    • Get to Know Us
    • Patient Testimonials
  • Dental Services
    • Cleanings and Prevention
      • Bruxism and Mouthguards
      • Fluoride Treatments
      • Sealants
    • Cosmetic Dentistry
      • Teeth Whitening
      • Fillings
      • Dentures
      • Implants
        • Dental Implants
        • Single Tooth
        • Multiple Teeth
        • All Teeth
      • Crowns
      • Bridges
      • Veneers
      • Inlays and Onlays
      • Bonding
      • Lumineers
        • Lumineers FAQ
        • Before and After
        • Perfect Smile
        • Lumismile
    • Gum and Bone
      • Bone Grafting
      • Cleanings and Prevention
      • Crown Lengthening
      • Frenectomy
      • Gum Tissue Graft
      • Perio Plastic Surgery
      • Ridge Augmentation
      • Scaling and Root Planing
      • Sinus Lift
    • Oral Surgery
      • Fractured Teeth
      • MDI Mini Dental Implants
      • Oral Cancer Exams and Biopsies
      • Pericoronitis
      • Wisdom Teeth
    • Orthodontics
      • ClearCorrect
      • Common Orthodontic Treatment
      • Craniofacial Orthodontics
      • Invisalign
      • Living with Braces
      • Myths and Fact About Orthodontics
      • Orthodontic FAQ
      • Orthodontic Glossary
      • Orthodontic Treatment for Children
      • Post Op Care of Extractions
      • Retainers
      • Six Month Smiles
        • Six Month Smiles FAQ
      • Space Maintainers
      • Surgical Orthodontics
      • Treatment for Adults
      • Treatment for Children
      • Two-Phase Orthodontic Treatment
      • Types of Appliances
      • Types of Braces
    • Pedodontics
      • Pulpotomy
      • Sealants
    • Root Canal
      • Knocked Out Tooth
      • Root Canal FAQ
      • Root Canal Surgery
      • Traumatic Injuries
    • Sedation Dentistry
    • TMJ
    • Sleep Apnea
  • Appointment Request
  • Patient Information
    • Dental Glossary
    • Development of the Teeth
    • FAQ
    • Fun Links for Kids
    • Patient Education
      • Acid Experiment
      • ANUG Trench Mouth
      • Bad Breath
      • Bruxism Tooth Grinding
      • Chemo and Your Mouth
      • Conditions of the Tongue
      • Dental X Rays
      • Denture Care
      • Dry Mouth
      • Fluoride Experiment
      • How to Brush
      • How to Floss
      • How to Read X Rays
      • Oncology Guide
      • Smokeless Tobacco
      • Tooth Anatomy
      • Tooth Sensitivity
      • Toothpaste Ingredients
    • Post Op Instructions
      • Crowns and Bridges Post Op
      • Dentures Post Op
      • Extractions Post Op
      • Fillings Post Op
      • Gum Surgery Post Op
      • Porcelain Veneers Post Op
      • Root Canal Post Op
      • Scaling and Root Planing Post Op
    • Teeth Trivia
    • Tips for Parents
    • Useful Dental Links
  • Smile Gallery
    • Bonding Gallery
    • Crowns Gallery
    • Dentures Gallery
    • Fillings Gallery
    • Implants Gallery
    • Orthodontic Gallery
    • Periodontal Gallery
    • Root Canal Gallery
    • Six Month Smiles Gallery
    • Veneers Gallery
    • Whitening Gallery
  • Technology
    • DEXIS Digital X Rays
    • Gendex Digital X-Ray
    • iTero Digital Impressions
    • Nitrous Oxide
    • NTI System
    • Opalescense Boost
    • Opalescense Take Home
    • VELscope
    • Zoom Take Home
  • Contact Us
    • Patient Privacy
  • My Blog

Fractured Teeth

Online Dental Education Library

Our team of dental specialists and staff strive to improve the overall health of our patients by focusing on preventing, diagnosing and treating conditions associated with your teeth and gums. Please use our dental library to learn more about dental problems and treatments available. If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment, contact us.

Fractured Teeth

Fractured Cusp

Fractured cuspThis is the most common type of tooth fracture and has the best long term prognosis. In this type of fracture, a part of the tooth can completely break off and, occasionally, no pain is felt after the tooth fractures.

Treatment for this type of fracture is to place a crown on the tooth. If the fracture extends into the middle part of the tooth, root canal therapy would be required in addition to a crown.

Vertical Furcation Fracture

Vertical furcation fractureThis tooth has a vertical crack that extends vertically into or toward the furcation. The furcation, which is where the arrow is pointing, is the place where the tooth splits into two or more separate roots. The nerve is almost always involved in a vertical furcation crack. The tooth rarely separates into two pieces because the tooth is held in position by the surrounding bone.

The prognosis for this type of crack is fair but it depends on how deep the crack extends into the internal aspect of the tooth. The options are to treat the tooth with a root canal followed by a build up, post and crown or to extract the tooth.

Split Root Fracture

Split root fractureA split root fracture, also known as a subgingival oblique fracture, can be restorable depending upon where the fracture ends. The term subgingival means below the gumline. If the fracture is not too far below the gumline, the tooth can be restored with a procedure called crown lengthening, followed by adding a crown. The tooth may also require root canal treatment. If the fracture is too far below the gumline, it is unrestorable and requires extraction.

These types of fractures occur for various reasons, such as biting down on very hard foods or foreign objects, the presence of a previous filling in the tooth, or a tooth that had root canal therapy that was not treated with a crown.

Vertical Root Fracture

Vertical root fractureVertical root fractures are not a very common type of fracture and usually occur in teeth that have had root canal therapy. If the fracture is very short in length, the tooth may be saved by performing an apicoectomy. This involves gaining access to the root tip within the bone and removing the part of the root that is fractured. The only other option is an extraction.

Oblique Root Fractures

Oblique root fractureOblique Root Fractures are fractures that are limited to the roots of teeth with the crown portion intact. The fractured root is generally entirely below the gumline and usually completely within the bone.

If the fracture is close to the crown as shown by number 1 in the diagram to the right, the tooth is usually unrestorable. The tooth might be able to be treated with endodontic therapy and root amputation if the remaining roots are strong and healthy, but the overall prognosis is poor.

If the fracture is close to the tip of the root as shown by number 2 in the diagram, the tooth may be restored with root canal therapy. A root canal cannot be performed on a fractured root tip and the body tends to resorb the untreated piece. The prognosis for this procedure is fair to good, and regular exams are recommended to check how the body responds to the treatment.


Learn More

  • New Patient Form
  • Free Cosmetic Exam
  • Cosmetic Dentistry
  • Our Office

Our Location

1472 Cedarwood Lane
Pleasanton, CA 94566
(925) 846-2375

Map & directions

Dentist - Pleasanton, Jeffery E. Teutsch, DDS, 1472 Cedarwood Lane, Pleasanton, CA 94566 (925) 846-2375

  • Home
  • Staff
  • Offices
  • Services
  • New Patients
  • Patient Education
  • Contact Us
  • Appointment Request
  • Dental Web Design Copyright © MH Sub I, LLC dba Officite
  • Disclaimer
  • Patient Privacy
  • Site Map