When a Tooth Is Cracked or Loose: From First Aid to Treatment and Insurance

If a tooth is cracked, knocked out or loose, you should be diagnosed by a dentist as soon as possible. If a permanent tooth comes out whole, do not touch the root; put it back in place at once, or carry it stored in milk, HBSS, saliva or saline in that order of preference. Baby teeth are not replanted. Treatment varies from resin, inlay, crown and root canal to extraction depending on the extent of the break, and the cost varies with it.

Published 2026-11-08 · Updated 2026-11-08 · DentalStatics editorial team

Key facts

When dental trauma is common	Most common in childhood and adolescence, markedly lower in old age (source: KDCA National Health Information Portal)
Knocked-out permanent tooth care	Immediate replantation at the scene is the best care; baby teeth are not replanted (source: KDCA National Health Information Portal)
Storage liquid order	Milk, HBSS, saliva, saline (water is better than drying) (source: KDCA and International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT))
Time dry outside the tooth socket	After 30 minutes, most periodontal ligament cells do not survive (source: International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT) 2020 Guidelines)
Cracked-tooth pain	Sharp pain on biting, and rebound pain that is worse when pressure is released (source: KDCA National Health Information Portal)
Vertically split tooth	Usually extracted (source: KDCA National Health Information Portal)
Children's resin insurance	Only for permanent-tooth cavities in ages 12 and under; resin for fractures or wear is excluded (source: Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA))
Implants for ages 65+	Lifetime limit of 2, 30% copayment (source: National Health Insurance Service (NHIS))

What causes teeth to crack or loosen?

The most common cause is injury from falling or being hit. The Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA, 질병관리청) explains that dental trauma occurs most often in childhood and adolescence and at a markedly lower rate in old age. The International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT) states that the upper front teeth are the most often injured.

Even without trauma, biting hard objects or habits of grinding and clenching can cause fine cracks in teeth. Heavily filled teeth, teeth weakened by root canal treatment, and teeth worn by brushing or acidic food also break easily. For loose teeth, besides trauma, gum disease is the typical cause.

Trauma: falls, collisions during sports, traffic accidents
Cracks: biting hard food, tooth grinding and clenching
Weakened teeth: large fillings, root-canal-treated teeth, wear
Looseness: gum disease, trauma, the time baby teeth are replaced

What should I do at the scene if a tooth comes out whole?

A knocked-out permanent tooth is one of the few true emergencies in dentistry. The KDCA and IADT explain that putting the tooth back into its socket right at the scene is the best care. Baby teeth, however, are not replanted.

If you cannot put it back at once, place it in a storage liquid so the root surface does not dry and go to the dentist immediately. The IADT explains that if the time dry outside the socket exceeds 30 minutes, most cells around the root do not survive, so cutting travel time matters.

At the dentist, after the tooth is placed in the socket it is splinted to the neighboring teeth with a flexible splint for about 2 weeks, and for a tooth whose root has fully formed, root canal treatment is started within 2 weeks, as the basics of the IADT guideline. After that you attend follow-up checks on a set schedule.

Hold the white crown part of the tooth and do not touch the root
If dirty, rinse gently with milk, saline or the patient's saliva
If possible, put it back in place and bite on gauze or a handkerchief to hold it
If it cannot be put back, store it in milk, HBSS, saliva, then saline in that order
Water is not good, but it is better than letting it dry in the air

What should I do when a tooth breaks?

If you can find the broken piece, do not throw it away; keep it in water or saline and bring it to the dentist. The IADT explains that an intact fragment can be bonded back, and if it has dried, it is soaked in water or saline for 20 minutes to regain moisture before bonding.

If the broken surface shows a pink color or blood, the tooth nerve may be exposed and you should hurry more. The KDCA advises that when a tooth fracture or luxation occurs, you should visit a dentist as soon as possible for diagnosis and care. If the lip or gum is also torn, check that no fragment is embedded.

How do I recognize a cracked tooth?

A cracked tooth is typified by a sharp, zinging pain when chewing. The KDCA explains that pain appears when biting down, disappears quickly when pressure is released, and sometimes rebound pain occurs that is worse on release than on pressing. Sensitivity to cold may also appear.

Fine cracks are hard to see with the eye or ordinary X-rays, so they are confirmed with symptoms plus tests that shine light or use dye. Yonsei University Dental Hospital stresses that a crack, once formed, does not heal by itself, so early diagnosis and treatment are important for preventing extraction.

Cracked teeth mostly occur in the molars used to chew food. If only one tooth zings when you chew and the other side is fine, avoid chewing hard food with that tooth and have a dentist run a test to pinpoint exactly which tooth it is. The further the crack runs toward the root, the lower the chance of saving the tooth.

What should I suspect when a tooth is loose?

If a tooth loosens after a blow, it may be a luxation injury in which the tissue supporting the tooth is hurt. The severity ranges from subluxation, where the tooth stays in position but is abnormally loose, to luxation where the tooth is pushed out or driven in, so a dentist's diagnosis is needed.

If it loosens gradually without trauma, suspect gum disease first. The KDCA explains that untreated gum disease causes swollen, festering gums and teeth that become sensitive and loose. A baby tooth loosening when it is being replaced by a permanent tooth is a natural process.

The dentist checks the root and surrounding bone with X-rays and tests whether the nerve is alive with cold, hot or electric stimulation. The KDCA explains that X-rays taken right after trauma are essential because they become the reference for later follow-up checks.

How is a broken tooth treated, and what about cost and insurance?

A slightly broken front tooth can mostly be restored with composite resin. If the break is wide, it is covered with an inlay or crown, and if the nerve is exposed or inflamed, root canal treatment is done. The KDCA explains that a vertically split tooth usually has to be extracted.

National Health Insurance coverage of light-cured composite resin applies only to permanent-tooth cavity treatment in ages 12 and under, and resin done because of fracture or wear is not covered. Resin fillings and crowns are non-covered items commonly done at dental clinics, and non-covered prices by clinic can be checked on the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA, 건강보험심사평가원) website and the Geongang-eum app.

If a tooth is extracted because it could not be saved, people aged 65 and over can receive National Health Insurance coverage for up to 2 implants in a lifetime with a 30% copayment.

How can I prevent cracked and loose teeth?

The KDCA advises using a mouthguard or face protection when playing sports. The FDI World Dental Federation recommends mouthguards for all ages who play contact or collision sports, and advises taking particular care from the age a child's upper front permanent teeth come in.

Reduce the habit of biting ice, bones and hard nuts, and if you grind your teeth, discuss a night guard with your dentist. Looseness from gum disease is basically prevented with brushing, flossing and regular scaling.

Detailed guides

Frequently asked questions

What should I do if a tooth comes out at night or on a weekend?

Time matters for a knocked-out permanent tooth, so do not wait for office hours; contact a dental clinic or hospital emergency room that can provide emergency care. While travelling, keep the tooth from drying in milk, saline or saliva, and remembering the time of the accident helps the care.

It chipped a little but does not hurt. Can I leave it?

Even without pain, a rough broken surface can cut the tongue and lip, and a crack running inward can break more later. After trauma there are also complications where the nerve slowly deteriorates, so it is good to have a dentist check and follow up.

My child's front tooth turned dark after a blow.

The KDCA explains that after dental trauma, complications such as pulp necrosis, infection and root resorption can occur, and early detection and management improve the outcome. If the color has changed, the nerve condition must be tested at a dentist.

Does a cracked tooth bond back together over time?

It does not. Yonsei University Dental Hospital explains that a cracked tooth does not join by itself, and the purpose of treatment with a cover is to stop the crack from spreading toward the root.

Do I need to go right away when a filling or crown comes off?

Do not throw away a lost filling or crown; keep it and contact the dentist as soon as possible. The exposed tooth is weak, breaks easily and decays easily, so do not chew on that side and avoid sticky or hard food.

How do I compare the cost of treating a broken tooth?

Crowns, inlays and adult resin treatment are mostly non-covered, so prices differ by clinic. It is good to look up non-covered fees by clinic on the HIRA website or the Geongang-eum app and then compare the treatment plan and materials together.

References

Korean version →