Usually not, if there’s no pain, bleeding or sharp edge, though you should book an appointment soon. A broken tooth, severe pain, swelling or a knocked-out tooth needs urgent attention.
Chipped, Cracked or Broken Tooth: Repair Options and When It’s an Emergency
📍 27 Manor Way, Borehamwood WD6 1QJ | 🚗 Unrestricted Parking Outside | 📞 020 8953 3665
Damaged teeth come in all shapes of story: a hard sweet at the office, a tumble in the playground, a knock during Sunday football. What to do depends on what happened. This guide runs through six common scenarios, with advice for each, then explains how a chipped, cracked or broken tooth is repaired at Puresmile Borehamwood Dental & Implants on Manor Way.
Short answer: A small chip is rarely an emergency and can be smoothed or repaired at a booked appointment. A broken tooth, severe pain, swelling, bleeding or a knocked-out tooth needs urgent dental advice. Repairs range from polishing and composite bonding to veneers, crowns and root canal treatment, depending on how much of the tooth is damaged.
The scenarios below are illustrations of common situations, not individual patients.
Six Common Scenarios and What to Do
1. “I bit something hard, and now it hurts when I chew.”
- What it may be: A cracked tooth or cracked cusp. Pain when you bite that sharpens when you let go is a classic sign, and the crack may be too fine to see.
- What to do: Chew on the other side, avoid very hot or cold drinks, and book an appointment promptly. Tell us it’s painful.
- Likely repair: An inlay or onlay or a crown, and sometimes root canal treatment if the nerve is affected.
2. “My child chipped a front tooth at the playground.”
- What it may be: A chipped baby or adult tooth. A baby tooth may need no repair, but both need checking, in case the nerve or the developing adult tooth is affected.
- What to do: Rinse gently, keep any piece in milk, and call us. See our children’s dentistry page.
- Likely repair: For an adult tooth, smoothing or composite bonding. For a baby tooth, monitoring or smoothing.
3. “A tooth has been knocked out playing sport.”
- What it may be: A dental emergency, and time is critical.
- What to do: Hold the tooth by the crown, not the root. Rinse it very briefly in milk or water, without scrubbing. Push it gently back into the socket if you can, and bite on a clean cloth. If you can’t, keep it in milk. Call us immediately, or NHS 111 if we’re closed. Never replant a baby tooth, as it can damage the adult tooth underneath. The NHS gives similar advice (NHS inform: broken or knocked-out tooth).
- Likely treatment: Reimplanting and splinting the tooth if possible. Later, if it can’t be saved, a dental implant or bridge.
4. “A filling fell out, and a bit of tooth came with it.”
- What it may be: A weakened tooth, often around a large old filling, with the nerve possibly close to the surface.
- What to do: Cover any sharp edge with sugar-free gum or dental wax, avoid chewing on that side and call us.
- Likely repair: A new filling, onlay or crown, depending on how much tooth is left.
5. “I woke up with a sharp edge on a tooth.”
- What it may be: A chip from teeth grinding or clenching during the night, or a cusp that has quietly cracked.
- What to do: Cover the edge, and book an appointment. Ask about a night guard to protect your teeth. See our teeth grinding page.
- Likely repair: Smoothing or bonding, and a night guard to prevent it happening again.
6. “My crown or veneer has come off.”
- What it may be: A restoration that has worked loose or broken, sometimes because the tooth underneath has decayed or cracked.
- What to do: Keep it safe, and bring it with you. Don’t glue it back with household glue. Call us for an appointment.
- Likely repair: Re-cementing it if the tooth and restoration are sound, or replacing it with a new veneer or crown.
When Is It an Emergency?
Situation What to Do Small chip, no pain + Book an appointment in the next few days Sharp edge cutting your tongue or cheek + Cover it, and call for the next available appointment Broken tooth, or sensitivity to hot, cold or biting + Call as early as you can, and tell us it’s urgent Severe pain, swelling, a pimple on the gum or a bad taste + Call straight away, as this can signal infection Knocked-out adult tooth + Call us immediately Facial or head injury, trouble breathing or swallowing, spreading swelling, or heavy bleeding + Call 999 or go to A&E We’re open Monday to Thursday, 8am to 6pm, and Friday, 8am to 3pm. If we’re closed, call NHS 111 for urgent dental advice.
Until you’re seen: rinse gently with warm water, keep any fragment in milk, cover sharp edges, hold a cold compress to your cheek, eat soft food on the other side, and take pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, following the pack instructions, if suitable for you. Don’t use household glue or put aspirin against the gum.
At Your Appointment
Your dentist will examine the tooth, check your bite and usually take an X-ray to look at the root and the surrounding bone. Cracks can be hard to see, and may not show on X-rays, so an examination matters, even when the pain comes and goes. We’ll explain your options and costs before any treatment starts.
NHS or private? Fillings, crowns and root canal treatment can be provided on the NHS for patients who qualify, while cosmetic repairs such as bonding and veneers are private. See our NHS treatment page and fees page.
Why Do Teeth Chip and Crack?
- Biting on hard foods, ice, pen lids or fingernails
- Falls, knocks and sports injuries
- Teeth grinding or clenching, especially at night
- Large old fillings that weaken the tooth around them
- Tooth decay that has hollowed out the tooth
- Sudden temperature changes
- Age, as teeth become more brittle over time
Protecting Your Teeth
- Wear a mouthguard for contact sports
- Ask about a night guard if you grind your teeth
- Don’t use your teeth as tools
- Have old fillings checked at your regular dental examination
- Treat decay early
Nervous?
Pain and worry often come together. Tell us when you call, and we’ll go at your pace. We offer sedation options for suitable patients.
Find Us in Borehamwood
Puresmile Borehamwood Dental & Implants is at 27 Manor Way, with unrestricted parking outside, a short distance from Elstree Studios. Elstree & Borehamwood station on the Thameslink line is nearby, and buses 292 (from Edgware) and 107 (from Barnet) serve the area.
If you’ve damaged a tooth, call 020 8953 3665 as early as you can, and tell us it’s urgent. We welcome patients from Borehamwood, Elstree, Radlett, Shenley, Bushey, Potters Bar, Edgware, Barnet and Watford.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency?
What should I do if I break a tooth in Borehamwood?
Rinse your mouth, keep any piece in milk, cover sharp edges, take suitable pain relief and call us on 020 8953 3665. If we’re closed, call NHS 111.
Do you see dental emergencies in Borehamwood?
We aim to see patients with urgent problems as soon as we can. Call us as early as possible and tell us what’s happened.
Can a chipped tooth be repaired?
Yes. Options include smoothing, bonding, veneers, fillings, inlays and onlays, and crowns, depending on the size of the damage.
What if my crown or veneer comes off?
Keep it safe, don’t glue it back with household glue, and call us for an appointment.
How do I know if a tooth is cracked?
Signs include pain when you bite that eases when you release, sensitivity to hot and cold, and pain that comes and goes. Cracks can be hard to see, so an examination is the only way to be sure.
Can a cracked tooth be saved?
Often, yes, with a crown, and sometimes root canal treatment, especially if caught early.
What should I do if a tooth is knocked out?
Hold it by the crown, rinse it briefly, push it back into the socket if you can or keep it in milk, and call us immediately. Never replant a baby tooth.
Does repair hurt?
Treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic where needed, and we’ll explain what to expect first.
How much does it cost to repair a broken tooth?
It depends on the treatment and whether you choose NHS or private care. We’ll confirm costs before we begin.
Broken a Tooth? Call Us.
The sooner a damaged tooth is seen, the more of it we can usually save.
CALL 020 8953 3665 OR BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Puresmile Borehamwood Dental & Implants, 27 Manor Way, Borehamwood WD6 1QJ
