Chipped Tooth: What to Do Next

First: save the piece if you can find it

A chipped tooth often happens in an instant—a fork catches an edge, a fall lands badly, or an old filling gives way while you are eating. Once the initial surprise passes, rinse your mouth gently and look for the fragment. Put it in a clean container and bring it to the dentist.

Avoid chewing on that tooth. If the lip or cheek is swelling, hold a cold pack wrapped in cloth against the outside of the face for short periods.

When you call the clinic, explain how the chip happened and whether the tooth is painful, sensitive, loose, or sitting differently. A clear phone photo can help the team understand what you are seeing, but it cannot show how far a crack travels inside the tooth.

How urgent is it?

A tiny enamel chip with no pain is different from a tooth that has split after a hard impact. Call promptly for advice, and make the urgency clear if you have:

• strong or increasing pain
• bleeding from the centre of the tooth
• a loose or displaced permanent tooth
• marked sensitivity
• a large section missing
• facial swelling or significant trauma

Deep fractures may need the centre of the tooth protected quickly. Major head or facial trauma, loss of consciousness, uncontrolled bleeding, or swelling that affects breathing or swallowing requires emergency medical care. Call 9-1-1 for a life-threatening emergency.

Resist the do-it-yourself fix

A rough edge can be annoying, but do not file it with a nail tool or try to glue the fragment back on. Household adhesives and nail products are not made for the mouth. Aspirin placed against the gum can damage the tissue, and biting something hard to “see if the tooth is okay” may turn a small crack into a larger one.

Orthodontic wax can be pressed gently over a sharp edge if it is cutting your tongue or cheek. Think of it as a temporary cover, not a repair.

What the dentist needs to figure out

The visible chip is only part of the picture. Enamel is the hard outer shell. Beneath it is dentin, which is more sensitive, and at the centre is the pulp, where the tooth's nerves and blood supply live.

A shallow enamel chip may simply feel rough. A deeper break can expose dentin and react to air, cold, or sweets. If the pulp is involved, the tooth may become painful or vulnerable to infection.

The dentist will look at the remaining tooth, check the bite, and test how the tooth responds. An X-ray may help assess the root and surrounding bone, although fine cracks do not always show clearly. That is why the hands-on examination matters.

Repair depends on how much tooth remains

For a very small chip, smoothing the edge may be enough. A modest chip can often be rebuilt with tooth-coloured composite bonding. Bonding is conservative and can look natural, but it is not indestructible; it may stain, wear, or chip again over time.

When more structure has been lost, a veneer or crown may be considered. A veneer covers the visible front surface, while a crown wraps around more of the tooth. The right choice depends on the fracture, the bite, and how much healthy tooth remains—not just appearance.

If the pulp is badly inflamed, infected, or exposed, root canal treatment may be needed to keep the tooth. A durable restoration is usually required afterward. You can read more on our root canal service page.

A deeply split tooth that cannot be restored may need to be removed, but that is not the expected outcome for every chip.

Until you are seen

Choose softer foods and chew on the other side. Avoid very hot, cold, or sweet foods if they trigger sensitivity. Follow label directions for any non-prescription pain medication, and ask a pharmacist if you take other medicines, have a medical condition, are pregnant, or are treating a child.

Watch the tooth after an injury even if it settles down. New pain, swelling, looseness, or a tooth that gradually darkens should be reported. Teeth do not always announce deeper damage right away.

A fitted sports mouthguard, avoiding ice and other hard objects, and never using teeth as tools can lower the odds of another chip. They cannot prevent every accident—but they are far easier than repairing one.