What should I do if I chip a tooth?
If you've chipped a tooth, the first thing is not to panic. Small chips are quite common and often aren't a major problem, but it's worth getting the tooth checked.
If you've found the piece of tooth, keep it and bring it with you. It may help us work out what has happened, although we won't always be able to put it back.
Try not to bite on the tooth until we've seen you, especially if it's sore or sensitive. If there's a sharp edge catching on your tongue or cheek, you can cover it with dental wax or sugar-free chewing gum. If you don't have either, a clean, unused emery board can be used very gently to take the sharpness off.
We'd recommend making an appointment even if the tooth doesn't hurt. Sometimes a small chip is exactly that — a small chip — and we can simply smooth the edge. Other times, the tooth may have a larger fracture that isn't obvious from looking at it.
You should arrange to be seen more urgently if you're in significant pain, the tooth is very sensitive to hot or cold, a large piece has broken off, the tooth is loose or has moved, or there's bleeding around the tooth.
If the tooth has chipped because you've had a knock to your face or jaw, let us know when you book. There can sometimes be damage to other teeth as well.
What we do to repair a chipped tooth depends on how much tooth has been lost. A small chip can often be repaired with tooth-coloured composite resin, or sometimes we simply smooth it. A larger fracture may need a crown, veneer or other types of treatment.
