In brief
If you chip a tooth, rinse your mouth with warm water, save any piece you find in milk or a clean container, press gauze on any bleeding and use a cold compress for swelling. Cover a sharp edge with dental wax or sugar-free gum, avoid chewing on that side and call your dentist. A small chip with no pain is usually not an emergency, but it should be checked within a few days. Severe pain, a large break, a visible pink or red spot in the tooth, or a chip from a hard blow needs a same-day call. Repairs range from simple smoothing to bonding, a filling, a veneer or a crown, depending on how much tooth is lost.
Key takeaways
- Rinse, save the piece, control bleeding and call your dentist.
- Small, painless chips are usually not emergencies, but they should still be examined.
- Pain, a pink or red spot, or a large break means the inner tooth may be exposed and needs prompt care.
- Small chips are often fixed with polishing or tooth-coloured bonding in one visit.
- Larger breaks may need a filling, veneer, crown or root canal treatment.
A chipped tooth is one of the most common dental injuries. It can happen biting into something hard, during sports, in a fall, or simply because a tooth was already weakened by a large filling or grinding. Most chips are not emergencies, but every chip should be checked, because the damage is not always as small as it looks.
This guide explains what to do in the first hour, how to tell whether you need same-day care, and how dentists repair each type of chip.
What should you do right after chipping a tooth?
- Rinse your mouth gently with warm water.
- Look for the broken piece. If you find it, keep it in a small container of milk, or wrapped in damp clean gauze, and bring it to your appointment.
- Control any bleeding by pressing a clean piece of gauze on the area for about 10 minutes.
- Reduce swelling with a cold compress on the outside of your cheek or lip, 15 to 20 minutes at a time.
- Cover sharp edges with dental wax from a pharmacy or a piece of sugar-free gum to protect your tongue and cheek.
- Take over-the-counter pain relief if needed, following the label directions.
- Call your dentist and describe what happened.
Until you are seen, chew on the other side, avoid very hot, cold or sugary food and drink, and do not bite into anything hard.
If a whole tooth has been knocked out, that is a different situation that needs care as soon as possible. Our guide on what to do if a tooth is knocked out explains the steps.
How urgent is a chipped tooth?
| Situation | How soon to call |
|---|---|
| Tiny chip, smooth edge, no pain | Book a visit in the next few days |
| Sharp edge cutting your tongue or cheek | Call within a day or two |
| Sensitivity to cold, heat or sweets | Call within a day or two |
| Large piece missing | Call the same day |
| Pink or red spot visible in the tooth | Call the same day |
| Severe or throbbing pain | Call the same day |
| Tooth is loose or pushed out of position | Call the same day |
| Chip from a hard blow, with swelling of the face | Call the same day |
A pink or red dot in the centre of the break usually means the pulp, the inner tissue with the nerve and blood supply, is exposed. That needs prompt treatment to protect the tooth.
Go to the emergency department or call 911 if the injury came with a head injury, loss of consciousness, a possible broken jaw, trouble breathing or swallowing, or bleeding you cannot control. Our guide to emergency dentist or hospital explains where to go.
Chipped, cracked or broken: what is the difference?
- A chip is a small piece of enamel broken off, often from a corner or edge.
- A crack is a fracture line in the tooth. It may be invisible, and it can cause pain when you bite or release.
- A break involves a larger part of the tooth, sometimes down to or below the gumline.
The difference matters because a chip can hide a crack. If your tooth hurts when you bite, see our article on why a tooth hurts when biting.
What causes chipped teeth?
Common causes include:
- biting hard foods such as ice, hard candy, popcorn kernels or bones
- sports injuries, especially without a mouthguard
- falls and accidents
- using teeth as tools, such as opening packages or bottles
- grinding or clenching, which wears and weakens enamel
- teeth already weakened by decay or large old fillings
How is a chipped tooth repaired?
Your dentist will examine the tooth, check your bite and may take an X-ray to look at the root and nerve. The right repair depends on how much of the tooth is lost, where it is and whether the nerve is affected.
| Repair | Best for | Typical visits |
|---|---|---|
| Smoothing and polishing | Very small chips on the edge | 1 |
| Dental bonding | Small to moderate chips, especially front teeth | 1 |
| Reattaching the fragment | A clean break where the piece was saved | 1 |
| Filling | Chips on back teeth or with decay present | 1 |
| Porcelain veneer | Front teeth with a larger chip or several cosmetic concerns | 2 or more |
| Crown | Large breaks, weakened teeth or back teeth with a big piece missing | 2 or more |
| Root canal treatment plus crown | Breaks that expose or damage the nerve | 2 or more |
Smoothing and polishing
Very small chips can sometimes be smoothed so the edge is no longer sharp. This is quick and usually needs no freezing.
Dental bonding
Bonding is the most common repair for chipped front teeth. Tooth-coloured composite resin is shaped onto the tooth, hardened with a light and polished to match. It is usually done in a single visit. Bonding can stain or chip over time and may need touch-ups. Read more in what dental bonding can help improve and how long dental bonding typically lasts.
Fillings
On back teeth, a chip is often repaired like a cavity, with a tooth-coloured filling. If decay contributed to the break, it is removed first.
Porcelain veneers
A veneer is a thin shell bonded to the front of the tooth. It can be a good choice for a front tooth with a larger chip, or when you also want to change shape or colour. Veneers involve removing a small amount of enamel, so they are a longer-term decision. Our comparison of dental bonding vs porcelain veneers explains the trade-offs.
Crowns
When a large part of the tooth is gone, a crown covers and protects what remains. Crowns are common for back teeth that do most of the chewing. See signs a tooth may need a dental crown.
Root canal treatment
If the break exposes or damages the nerve, root canal treatment may be needed before the tooth is restored, usually with a crown.
What happens if you do not fix a chipped tooth?
Some tiny chips are fine to monitor once a dentist has checked them. Others can lead to:
- sharp edges that cut your tongue or cheek
- sensitivity to temperature and sweets
- a crack that grows until a larger piece breaks
- decay starting in the rough, exposed area
- infection if the nerve was exposed
Fixing a small chip early is usually simpler, and less expensive, than repairing a larger break later.
Chipped baby teeth
Children chip baby teeth often, especially when learning to walk. Call your dentist to have it checked, particularly if your child has pain, swelling, a change in tooth colour or a loose tooth. A chipped baby tooth can still affect the adult tooth developing underneath. Our children’s dentistry page explains how we care for young patients.
How to prevent chipped teeth
- Wear a custom mouthguard for contact sports.
- Avoid chewing ice, hard candy and pen caps.
- Do not use your teeth to open packages or bottles.
- Ask about a night guard if you grind or clench. See night guards for teeth grinding.
- Keep up regular checkups so weak spots and old fillings are caught early.
Chipped tooth repair in Cornwall
At York Street Dental Centre, 118 York Street in Cornwall, we examine chipped teeth, explain what we see and walk you through the repair options and estimated fees before treatment. Many small chips can be repaired with bonding in a single visit. If you are in pain or a large piece has broken off, call us and describe what happened so our team can advise how soon you should be seen.
We see patients from across Cornwall, including downtown, Riverdale, Eamer’s Corners and Churchill Heights, as well as Lakeview Heights, St. Andrews West and Cornwall Island (Akwesasne). We are accepting new patients, offer direct billing for many insurance plans and welcome eligible CDCP patients.
Book an appointment
Call York Street Dental Centre at (613) 932-1620 or request an appointment online. For urgent concerns, please call rather than booking online. You can also read about our emergency dentistry care.
Frequently asked questions
Is a chipped tooth an emergency?
A small chip without pain is usually not an emergency, but it should be checked within a few days. Call the same day if you have severe pain, a large piece missing, a pink or red spot showing, bleeding from the tooth, a loose tooth or a chip caused by a hard blow to the face.
Can a chipped tooth heal on its own?
No. Enamel does not grow back. A tiny chip may not need treatment beyond smoothing, but any chip should be checked, because a crack can extend deeper than it looks.
Can the broken piece be glued back on?
Sometimes. If you find the piece, keep it in milk or a clean container and bring it to your appointment. Your dentist can tell you whether reattaching it is possible or whether bonding is the better option.
How much does it cost to fix a chipped tooth?
It depends on the repair. Smoothing or bonding usually costs less than a crown or veneer, and a chip that exposes the nerve may need root canal treatment too. Your dentist will explain the options and estimated fees after examining the tooth.
Does it hurt to fix a chipped tooth?
Many small repairs, such as smoothing or bonding, need little or no freezing. For larger repairs, the area is numbed first, so you should feel pressure but not pain.
Is it safe to leave a small chip alone?
A small, smooth chip with no symptoms may be fine to monitor, but only after a dentist has looked at it. Sharp edges can cut your tongue or cheek, and small cracks can grow over time.
Why does my chipped tooth hurt with cold drinks?
The chip may have exposed the dentin under the enamel, which has tiny channels leading toward the nerve. Cold, heat and sweets can then trigger sharp sensitivity. Bonding or a filling usually seals the area and relieves it.
Sources
About the author
This article was written by the York Street Dental Centre Team and reviewed for clinical accuracy by the York Street Dental Centre dental team. York Street Dental Centre is a family dental office at 118 York Street, Cornwall, Ontario K6J 3Y8, providing general, preventive, restorative, and cosmetic dental care for patients of all ages.
Our articles explain common dental questions in plain language, cite reputable health and government sources where relevant, and are updated when guidance changes. Read our editorial policy or learn more about our practice.
This content is intended for general educational purposes and does not replace an examination, diagnosis or personalized treatment recommendation from a dental professional.