A cracked molar can’t heal on its own, but it can almost always be repaired by a dentist. The right fix depends entirely on how deep the crack goes: a shallow crack might need nothing more than dental bonding, while a crack that reaches the nerve may require a root canal and crown. In the worst case, a tooth split down to the root needs to come out. The sooner you get it evaluated, the more options you have.
What to Do Right Now
If you’ve just cracked a molar and can’t get to a dentist immediately, a few steps can protect the tooth and manage pain. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water (one teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water) after eating to keep the area clean. Stick to soft foods and chew on the opposite side.
For pain and swelling, hold ice or a cold cloth against your cheek near the tooth. Over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can help. If the inner part of the tooth feels exposed, you can pick up temporary filling material at most drugstores and press it over the broken area as a short-term seal. One important note: if the nerve feels exposed (you’ll know because hot and cold liquids cause sharp, intense pain), avoid temperature extremes near that tooth until you’re in the chair.
Types of Cracks and Why It Matters
Not all cracks are equal, and your dentist will need to figure out which kind you’re dealing with before recommending a fix. A fractured cusp is a chip off one of the raised points on the chewing surface. These usually aren’t very painful and are the simplest to repair. A vertical crack runs from the biting surface down toward the gum line, and sometimes into the root. This is the classic “cracked tooth” and the most common reason people search for help. A split tooth is a crack that has progressed far enough to divide the tooth into two distinct segments, often extending below the gum line. A vertical root fracture starts below the gum and works upward, which makes it particularly tricky because it can go undetected for a while.
The deeper the crack and the closer it gets to the nerve or root, the more aggressive the treatment needs to be.
Treatment Options by Severity
Minor Cracks
For shallow surface cracks or small chips, your dentist may use dental bonding, filling the crack with a tooth-colored resin that hardens under a special light. This is often a single-visit fix. In some cases, the dentist will smooth out rough edges and adjust areas where your bite is hitting too hard, a process called contouring. If the crack is on a visible tooth, a veneer (a custom-made porcelain shell bonded to the front surface) is another option, though veneers typically take three to four weeks to fabricate before they can be placed.
Moderate Cracks
When a crack runs deeper into the tooth structure but hasn’t reached the nerve, a dental crown is the standard fix. The crown is a porcelain or ceramic cap that fits over the entire tooth, holding everything together and restoring normal chewing function. Some offices can mill a crown in a single appointment, but it often takes multiple visits: one to prepare the tooth and take impressions, and a second to place the permanent crown a week or two later.
Many cracks are purely structural problems that a crown or onlay can handle on its own, with no need for deeper treatment.
Cracks That Reach the Nerve
A root canal becomes necessary when the crack has irritated or infected the pulp, which is the living tissue inside your tooth. Signs that the nerve is involved include lingering sensitivity to hot or cold (not just a quick zing, but pain that hangs around), pain when biting down, swelling in the gum near the tooth, or a small pimple-like bump on the gum. If imaging shows signs of infection, that confirms it.
During a root canal, the infected pulp is removed, the inside of the tooth is cleaned and sealed, and a crown is placed on top to protect the remaining structure. The tooth stays in your mouth and functions normally, just without a living nerve inside it.
When the Tooth Can’t Be Saved
If the crack has split the tooth in two, or if it extends so far into the root that the structural integrity is gone, extraction is the remaining option. After removal, the gap can be filled with a dental bridge or a dental implant. Implants are the more durable long-term replacement but involve a longer process, often taking several months from extraction to final restoration as the implant fuses with the jawbone.
What Repair Costs Look Like
The cost range is wide depending on what your tooth needs. A root canal alone runs roughly $900 to $1,500 per tooth. A permanent crown adds another $1,100 to $1,700. If you need both, expect a combined bill of $2,000 to $3,200 or more. Dental implants, for teeth that can’t be saved, typically cost $3,500 to $6,000 or more. Extraction alone has a lower upfront cost than a root canal, but you’ll still need to account for whatever replaces the missing tooth.
Dental insurance often covers a significant portion of crowns and root canals, though implants may have limited coverage. It’s worth calling your insurance before your appointment to understand what’s covered.
How Long Repaired Teeth Last
A crown on a cracked molar that didn’t need a root canal can last decades with good care. When a root canal is involved, the long-term picture is still positive but less certain. A retrospective study published in the Journal of Endodontics tracked over 200 cracked teeth that received root canals and found 10-year survival rates of 66% and 15-year survival rates of 55%. Teeth where the crack hadn’t yet affected the surrounding gum tissue fared considerably better: 76% survival at 10 years and 64% at 15 years.
The takeaway is that early treatment matters. A cracked molar caught before the crack spreads deep or causes gum problems has a much better long-term outlook than one that’s been left alone for months.
Recovery After Treatment
After a crown is placed, most people experience sensitivity for one to two weeks. The first 48 to 72 hours are typically the most noticeable, with tenderness when biting down or chewing on that side. By the two-week mark, the discomfort has usually resolved completely. During that window, you can eat normally but may want to favor the other side for hard or crunchy foods.
Root canal recovery follows a similar timeline. Some soreness around the tooth is normal for a few days, and the area may feel slightly different for a couple of weeks. Most people return to their regular routine within a day or two of the procedure.
Preventing Another Crack
Molars crack for predictable reasons: biting down on something hard (ice, unpopped popcorn kernels, hard candy), grinding your teeth at night, large old fillings that have weakened the surrounding tooth structure, or sudden temperature changes in the mouth. If you grind your teeth, a custom night guard from your dentist is one of the most effective things you can do to protect your remaining molars. Avoid chewing ice, be cautious with hard foods on teeth that already have large fillings, and keep up with regular dental visits so small problems get caught before they become cracks.