Rinse gently
Use lukewarm water to clear debris. If there is bleeding, apply gentle pressure with clean gauze.
Emergency
Broken or Chipped Tooth
Protect the tooth and find out how deeply it is damaged.
A chip, crack or fracture can affect only the enamel or extend towards the nerve or root. Prompt assessment helps protect the tooth and identify suitable repair options.
Prompt assessment
Get a broken or chipped tooth checked before further damage occurs.
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A broken tooth can range from a small chip to a deep fracture.
A tooth may break after trauma, biting something hard, grinding or clenching, or because decay or a large restoration has weakened it. A small enamel chip may be painless, while a deeper fracture can expose dentine, irritate the pulp or extend towards the root.
The appearance of the tooth does not always show how far the damage travels. An assessment can check the fracture depth, nerve response, bite and supporting tissues before the tooth is repaired or protected.
Common signs
A rough or sharp edge
The broken surface may catch your tongue or cheek.
Pain when biting
A crack can flex under pressure and cause sharp, intermittent pain.
Sensitivity
Cold air, drinks or sweet foods may trigger discomfort in exposed tooth tissue.
Visible fracture or missing piece
Part of the tooth or an existing filling may have detached.
Broken or chipped a tooth? Do these things now.
Protect the tooth and any detached fragment until a dentist can assess the depth of the damage.
Keep any tooth fragment
Store it in milk or saliva and bring it with you. In some cases it may help with treatment.
Avoid pressure on the tooth
Eat soft foods and chew on the other side. Contact an emergency dentist for advice.
What to avoid
- Do not file or attempt to smooth the tooth yourself.
- Do not use household glue to reattach a fragment.
- Avoid hard foods and extreme temperatures until the tooth has been assessed.
When should a broken tooth be treated urgently?
The urgency depends on pain, trauma and how deeply the tooth has fractured.
Severe or increasing pain
Strong spontaneous pain may mean the nerve has been exposed or inflamed.
Red or bleeding centre
A pink or red point in the fracture can indicate exposed pulp tissue.
Loose or displaced tooth
Movement after impact may involve the root or supporting bone.
Facial injury
Significant impact, uncontrolled bleeding or suspected jaw injury needs urgent assessment.
Not sure whether it can wait?
Our emergency dental team can help you understand whether you need to be seen urgently.
What happens if I leave a broken tooth untreated?
Fractures do not repair themselves and may extend under everyday biting forces.
- A small crack can propagate and remove more tooth structure.
- Bacteria may reach the nerve and cause pain or infection.
- Sharp edges can repeatedly injure the tongue or cheek.
- Delayed care may reduce the chance of restoring the tooth.
How a broken or chipped tooth may be repaired
The dentist will examine the fracture, check the bite and pulp response, and may take an X-ray to assess the root and surrounding bone. Repair depends on how much sound tooth remains and whether the pulp or root is involved.
Repair and restoration
Minor to moderate damage may be rebuilt to restore shape and protect the tooth.
- smoothing a very small enamel chip
- composite bonding or filling
- onlay or crown where more coverage is needed
Treatment for deeper damage
A fracture involving the pulp or root may require more extensive care.
- protective dressing or temporary restoration
- root canal treatment
- extraction when the tooth is not restorable
Looking after a repaired tooth
- Follow advice about eating while anaesthetic or temporary materials are present.
- Return if the bite feels high or symptoms increase.
- Complete any planned definitive restoration or root canal treatment.
Reducing the risk of another fracture
- Wear a mouthguard for contact sports.
- Discuss a night guard if you grind or clench.
- Avoid using teeth to open packaging or bite very hard objects.
Related emergency dental guidance
These pages explain closely related symptoms and treatments without replacing a dental assessment.
Common questions
Clear answers to questions patients often ask before an urgent dental assessment.
A small painless chip may not require immediate treatment, but it should still be assessed. Seek urgent care for severe pain, bleeding, trauma, a loose tooth, swelling or a deep break exposing the centre of the tooth.
Many broken teeth can be repaired, but the option depends on fracture depth, the remaining tooth, pulp health and root support. Treatment may range from smoothing or bonding to a filling, crown or root canal treatment.
Handle it carefully, keep it moist in milk or saliva and bring it to the appointment. Do not scrub it or try to glue it back yourself.
A crack may flex under pressure or the tissues around the root may be inflamed. Pain on biting can also have other causes, so the tooth and bite need assessment.
No. Root canal treatment is considered when the pulp is irreversibly damaged or infected and the tooth remains restorable. Shallower fractures may be managed with a restoration alone.
Arrange urgent dental assessment because trauma can also affect the root, supporting bone and nearby teeth. Attend A&E for serious facial injury, loss of consciousness, uncontrolled bleeding or other medical concerns.
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Other emergency dental problems we treat
Explore guidance for other common dental emergencies, including symptoms, what to do immediately and when to seek urgent dental care.
Swelling or dental abscess
Swelling, tenderness or a bad taste may indicate an infection that should be examined promptly.
Toothache and severe tooth pain
Persistent, throbbing or night-time tooth pain needs assessment to identify its cause and urgency.
Lost filling or crown
Protect an exposed or sensitive tooth and arrange an assessment before further damage occurs.
Wisdom tooth pain
Help for pain, swelling or infection around an emerging or impacted wisdom tooth.
Emergency tooth extraction
When a tooth cannot be restored, an urgent assessment can establish the safest next step.
Root canal treatment
Treatment may help relieve pain and address infection inside a damaged tooth.
Loose implant crown or lost veneer
Careful assessment distinguishes a loose implant restoration, a moving implant and a detached veneer.
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