Usually not, if there’s no pain, bleeding or sharp edge, though you should book 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
📍 629-631 Roman Road, London E3 2RN | 📞 020 8980 6398
A damaged tooth leaves you with two questions. Do I need help today, and what will it take to fix? This guide answers the first with a short urgency checklist, then helps with the second by comparing the three most common repairs side by side.
Short answer: A small chip with no pain is rarely an emergency and can be repaired at a booked appointment. Severe pain, swelling, bleeding, a knocked-out tooth or a large break needs urgent dental advice. Bonding, veneers and crowns suit different levels of damage, and your dentist will recommend the one that fits.
How Urgent Is It?
Call 999 or go to A&E if you have:
- a head or facial injury, or have lost consciousness
- difficulty breathing or swallowing
- swelling spreading towards your eye or neck
- bleeding that won’t stop
Call a dentist straight away (NHS 111 if we’re closed) if:
- an adult tooth has been knocked out or pushed out of position
- you have severe or throbbing pain, swelling, a pimple on the gum or a bad taste
- a large piece has broken off
Call us as soon as you can if:
- the tooth is broken or sensitive to hot, cold or biting
- a sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek
Book a routine appointment if:
- it’s a small, painless chip, though don’t leave it for weeks
Knocked-Out Adult Tooth
Pick it up 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 immediately. 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).
Until You’re Seen
Rinse gently with warm water, and use a cold compress on your cheek if it swells. Eat soft food on the other side. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen if suitable for you, following the pack instructions. Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum or dental wax, and keep any broken piece in milk. Please don’t use household glue or put aspirin against the gum.
Please check our contact page for current opening hours. If we’re closed, call NHS 111 for urgent dental advice.
Bonding, Veneer or Crown? Comparing the Common Repairs
Feature Composite bonding Porcelain veneer Crown What it is + Tooth-coloured material built up and shaped on the tooth A thin porcelain shell bonded to the front of the tooth A cap that covers the whole tooth Best for + Small to medium chips Larger chips on visible teeth, or where shape and colour also need improving Heavily damaged or cracked teeth, or teeth with root canal treatment How much tooth is changed + Usually the least A thin layer of the front surface The most, as the tooth is shaped to fit the cap Visits + Often one Usually more than one Usually more than one Strength + Good for small repairs, but less robust on big breaks Strong and stain-resistant The strongest protection for a weak tooth Your dentist will advise which suits your tooth, as the right choice depends on how much healthy tooth remains, where it sits in your bite, and whether you grind.
Other Repairs
- Smoothing and polishing for tiny chips
- A filling for moderate breaks, especially at the back
- An inlay or onlay for a cracked cusp or a failed large filling
- Root canal treatment when the nerve is damaged, usually followed by a crown
- Extraction, then a single-tooth implant or bridge when a tooth has split below the gum or can’t be saved
What Happens at Your Appointment?
The dentist will ask what happened, examine the tooth and your bite, and usually take an X-ray to check the root and surrounding bone. Cracks can be hard to see, and some don’t show on an X-ray, so a careful examination matters. We’ll explain your options and costs before any treatment begins. See our prices page and NHS treatment page.
Why Waiting Costs You More
Enamel can’t regrow, so a damaged tooth won’t heal on its own. Left alone, it can:
- crack further, turning a bonding job into a crown
- let decay reach the exposed tooth
- become infected if the nerve is exposed
- leave a sharp edge that keeps cutting your tongue or cheek
What Breaks Teeth?
- Hard food, ice, boiled sweets and olive stones
- Cycling falls and trips on busy pavements
- Contact sport, including five-a-side and rugby
- Grinding or clenching, often linked to stress or a long commute
- Old fillings that have weakened the tooth around them
- Decay that has hollowed out the tooth
- Age, as teeth become more brittle
Protecting Your Teeth
- Wear a mouthguard for contact sport
- Ask us about a night guard if you grind (see teeth grinding)
- Don’t use your teeth as tools
- Have old fillings checked at your regular dental examination
- Treat decay early
Children’s teeth often take knocks in the playground. Have a damaged baby tooth checked. See our children’s dentistry page.
Nervous About the Dentist?
If a broken tooth also brings back worries about dental visits, tell us when you call. We’ll explain each step and work at your pace.
Find Us on Roman Road
Bow Dental Practice is at 629-631 Roman Road, London E3 2RN. We welcome patients from Bow, Old Ford, Globe Town, Mile End, Bethnal Green, Victoria Park, Hackney Wick, Poplar and Stratford.
If you’ve damaged a tooth, call 020 8980 6398 as early as you can and tell us it’s urgent. We aim to see patients with urgent problems as soon as we can.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency?
What should I do if I break a tooth in Bow?
Rinse your mouth, keep any piece in milk, cover sharp edges, take suitable pain relief and call us. If we’re closed, call NHS 111.
Is there an emergency dentist in Bow?
Call us as early as you can and tell us what’s happened. We aim to see patients with urgent problems as soon as we can. Out of hours, call NHS 111.
Can a chipped tooth be repaired?
Yes. Options include smoothing, bonding, veneers, fillings, inlays and onlays, and crowns, depending on the damage.
Should I choose bonding, a veneer or a crown?
It depends on how much of the tooth is damaged and where it is. Bonding suits small chips, veneers suit larger chips on visible teeth, and crowns protect heavily damaged teeth. Your dentist will advise.
What happens if I leave a chipped tooth?
It won’t heal, and the damage can spread, leading to decay, infection or a bigger repair.
How do I know if my tooth is cracked?
Signs include pain when you bite that eases when you let go, 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 if a tooth has been 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.
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 8980 6398 OR BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Bow Dental Practice, 629-631 Roman Road, London E3 2RN
