Chipped or Broken a Tooth?

Often, yes: a small chip can usually be rebuilt in tooth-coloured bonding at the same visit, and a bigger break may get a filling or a build-up. Where a tooth needs a crown, we protect it with a temporary one while the permanent crown is made. The emergency appointment is £70, and the cost of the lasting repair is given to you in writing before we go ahead.

In most cases yes, and sooner is better. Once enamel chips, the softer dentine underneath wears and decays more quickly, and any crack tends to run further each time you bite. Sorting a chip with bonding or a small filling is quicker and much cheaper than a crown or root canal treatment later on. A quick look, with an X-ray if needed, will tell you whether it can safely wait.

Because the break has uncovered dentine, the layer under the enamel that passes temperature straight through to the nerve. Covering it with bonding or a filling usually stops the sensitivity. If the pain from cold hangs around for more than a few seconds, comes on by itself, throbs or keeps you awake, the nerve may be inflamed and root canal treatment could be needed. Get it looked at rather than waiting to see what happens.

Sometimes: if enough healthy root remains above the bone, the tooth can be rebuilt with a post, a build-up and a crown. An X-ray tells us, and some teeth broken this low can't be restored, particularly if the crack runs down the root. If yours can't be saved, we take it out gently and go through the ways to fill the gap: an implant, a bridge or a denture.

It comes down to how much sound tooth is left: a small hole needs a filling, but a tooth that's mostly filling or badly broken usually needs a crown. In between, an onlay (£750) covers and protects the biting surface while keeping more natural tooth than a crown would. Root-filled back teeth generally need a crown or onlay, because they turn brittle. Your dentist will show you the tooth on the scan and X-ray, and our guide to crowns, onlays and fillings goes further.

Act quickly: pick the tooth up by its white crown, never the root, and if it's dirty give it a second or two in milk. Slide it back into the socket if you can and bite gently on a clean cloth to hold it, or keep it in a cup of milk. Then call us on 01698 767220 straight away, even while you're travelling, because the cells on the root die the longer it's out and the tooth has its best chance if it's back in place within an hour. Out of hours, phone NHS 24 on 111, or go to A&E if the face is injured too. A baby tooth should never be pushed back in, because that can damage the adult tooth growing underneath; just bring your child in to be checked.