Chipped or broken tooth: what to do now and how it can be repaired
Most chipped teeth can be repaired, and a small chip can often be rebuilt in one visit with tooth-coloured composite matched to your tooth.
If it hurts, or a large piece has broken off, call us on 031 563 2473. We see people in pain as soon as we can during practice hours.
In the first hour
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Step 1: Rinse
Rinse your mouth gently with warm water to clean the area around the broken tooth.
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Step 2: Keep the piece
Put any piece of tooth you find in a clean container and bring it with you to the appointment.
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Step 3: Cold compress
If your lip or cheek swells, hold a cold compress against the outside of your face.
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Step 4: Call 031 563 2473
Tell us which tooth it is, how big the break is and whether it hurts, so we know how soon to see you.
How soon a chipped tooth needs to be seen
If you're not sure which row fits, call us and describe it.
| What you notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| A small chip that doesn't hurt and has no sharp edge | Book an appointment in the next week or two. |
| A sharp edge catching your tongue or lip | Book soon, and avoid chewing on that tooth. |
| A large break, pain, or sensitivity to hot and cold | Call us the same day, during practice hours. |
| A pink or red spot in the middle of the break, or bleeding from the tooth | Call us straight away: the nerve may be exposed. |
| A whole adult tooth knocked out | Act now: follow the steps for a knocked-out tooth below. |
| Swelling spreading towards the eye or neck, a fever, or trouble breathing or swallowing | Go to a hospital emergency department now. |
If the pain can't wait until we open, go to a hospital emergency department.
If a whole tooth has been knocked out
For an adult tooth, act quickly: the chance of saving it is highest in the first 20 minutes.
- Hold it by the crown (the part you normally see), not the root.
- Rinse it briefly if it's dirty.
- Put it back into its socket and bite on a clean cloth to hold it there.
- If it won't go back, keep it in milk; an adult can also keep it in the mouth, against the cheek.
- Don't let it dry out.
Then call us and come straight in; if we're closed, take the tooth to a hospital emergency department. Never put a knocked-out baby tooth back in: call us so the gum and the teeth around it can be checked. More first aid for knocks, lost fillings and toothache is on our page about toothache and broken teeth.
How a chipped or broken tooth is repaired
The repair depends on how much of the tooth has gone and whether the nerve inside it is affected. We examine the tooth, take an X-ray if one is needed, and talk you through the options.
| Size of the damage | Usual repair |
|---|---|
| A tiny chip on the edge | Smoothing and polishing the edge |
| A small to medium chip | Composite bonding: tooth-coloured composite added to the tooth and shaped by hand |
| Larger damage to a front tooth | A composite veneer, or a composite build-up |
| A broken back tooth | A tooth-coloured filling, built up in composite |
| The nerve exposed, or much of the tooth broken away | Pain relief at your visit, then a plan for the tooth |
| Broken below the gum, or split down the middle | The tooth may need to come out |
Composite bonding is usually done in one visit: the shade is matched to your tooth, and the composite is added in layers, shaped by hand and polished so it blends in. It typically lasts 3 to 10 years before it needs a touch-up or replacement, depending on your habits and how many teeth are involved. For a front tooth with more damage, a composite veneer covers the whole front surface.
A tooth that can't be saved can be taken out at the practice under local anaesthetic: see tooth extractions.
A broken back tooth
A broken back tooth is often rebuilt with a tooth-coloured filling at one appointment, as long as enough of the tooth is left to hold it. Until it has been seen, chew on the other side: biting on a broken back tooth can break it further.
Investing in your teeth
We take medical aid, card and cash. If the tooth broke in an accident, ask your scheme how it covers that, because accident cover can differ from cover for cosmetic work.
Repair kits from the pharmacy
Kits sold for home use can cover a sharp edge for a short time. They don't repair the tooth, and a crack under the covering can still get worse. If you use one, follow the instructions on the pack and keep your appointment.
Preventing another chip
- Wear a sports mouth guard for contact sport: it protects the teeth, gums and jaw.
- If you grind your teeth at night, ask about a night guard, because grinding can wear and crack teeth. Read more about teeth grinding.
- Don't open packets or bottles with your teeth, or bite on ice, pens or other hard objects.
If a tooth is keeping you awake, read toothache at night.
Your questions about chipped and broken teeth
Rinse with warm water, keep any piece you find, and hold a cold compress against your lip or cheek if it swells. Then call us, and we'll tell you how soon to come in.
Usually not, if it is small and doesn't hurt: book an appointment in the next week or two. Call us the same day for a large break, pain or sensitivity, and straight away if you see a pink or red spot in the break or bleeding from the tooth. Swelling towards the eye or neck, a fever, or trouble breathing or swallowing needs a hospital emergency department.
A small or medium chip often can, with composite bonding, which is usually done in one visit. We tell you at the examination whether your tooth suits bonding or needs more.
It depends on the repair your tooth needs, from smoothing a sharp edge to bonding or a filling, and we go through the options at your appointment. We take medical aid, card and cash. Call 031 563 2473 or send us a WhatsApp to book.
Sometimes. It depends on where the break runs and whether the nerve is affected. A tooth split down the middle usually can't be saved and may need to come out.
Book an appointment anyway. A chip can leave a sharp edge or weaken the tooth, and a small chip is easier to repair before it breaks further.
Opening hours at Durban Dental Care
Durban Dental Care, 490 Chris Hani Road, Park Hill, Durban North
- Monday 9am to 4pm
- Tuesday 9am to 4pm
- Wednesday 9am to 4pm
- Thursday 9am to 4pm
- Friday 9am to 4pm
- Saturday 9am to 12pm
- Sunday Closed
- Public holidays Closed
Treatments for chipped and broken teeth
Composite bonding
Repair a chipped, worn or uneven front tooth, or close a small gap, with tooth-coloured composite, usually in one visit.
Composite veneers
Change the colour, shape and size of your front teeth with thin layers of tooth-coloured composite, shaped by hand on your teeth.
Fillings
A cavity, a cracked old filling or a small chip repaired in composite matched to the shade of your tooth.
Toothache and emergencies
If a tooth hurts or breaks, call us and we'll see you as soon as we can during practice hours.
Book a repair
We're open on weekdays and Saturday mornings. If the tooth hurts, call instead so we can see you sooner.
More guides from the practice
Composite veneers: what they cost and how long they last
What goes into the cost of composite veneers, what research says about their lifespan, and the upkeep they need.
- Cosmetic treatment
Does medical aid cover dental work in South Africa?
How dental benefits on South African medical aid usually work, what is usually excluded, and how to check your plan.
- Costs and medical aid
After a tooth extraction: the first days, healing and dry socket
What to do in the hours and days after an extraction, how long healing takes, and how to spot dry socket.
- Toothache and aftercare