I Chipped My Tooth! What Do I Do Next?
- Dr. Panesar
- 2 days ago
- 6 min read
One moment you could be enjoying a sandwich, and the next you could be chewing on a surprisingly hard piece that turns out to be a part of your tooth! A chipped tooth is a very common dental emergency, and at Burnewood Dental in South Edmonton, we see patients for this issue every day. But fear not – here’s a handy dandy guide you can refer to if you have a chipped tooth. And if you love hearing about the nitty gritty details, here’s a link to the IADT (International Association of Dental Traumatology) website, which inspired much of this article.
Stay Calm and Take a Quick Look
Here’s a short checklist of what to do in the immediate aftermath.
✅ Stay calm and look at your tooth! How much is chipped?
Enamel only – only the white portion is chipped
Enamel + dentin – the yellowish layer of the tooth is exposed
Pulp (nerve) exposure – you may notice a pinkish layer, or the middle of the tooth may be bleeding
✅ Can you find the fragment? If you can, keep it moist (in milk, saline, or your own saliva) – it may be reattached by a dentist
✅ Rinse your mouth gently with lukewarm water. If you have gauze on hand, roll it up and bite on it to control any bleeding present.
✅ If the edges are sharp, cover them with sugar-free gum or wax to protect your lips/cheek
✅ Call your dentist, explaining what happened, and any relevant symptoms (e.g. bleeding, pain, tooth mobility)
Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency? When to Be Seen
In the vast majority of cases, we strongly recommend patients experiencing a chipped tooth should call and visit their dentist. However, the size of the fracture will typically determine how quickly you should be seen – and here’s a list of severity levels to give you an idea (remember, if you’re unsure, call your dentist!).
Urgent (see a dentist same-day): pulp exposure (pink/red visible in the fracture), uncontrolled bleeding, tooth loosened/displaced, facial injuries
In the case of facial injuries, if you suspect a broken jaw or facial bone, you may consider visiting the ER – most hospitals have dentists on call to address these issues.
Within 48 hours: dentin (yellowish surface) exposed with notable sensitivity or cosmetic concern.
Within a week: small enamel chip (white surface only) and no other symptoms. It should still be assessed!
At-Home Care for a Chipped Tooth: The Dos and Don'ts
Here are some practical, safe steps you can take at home to ensure the best outcome in the case of a chipped tooth.
✅ DO rinse your mouth gently with lukewarm saltwater.
✅ DO keep any tooth fragments moist in milk or saliva (and, do get immediate treatment!)
✅ DO use an ice pack on your cheek to reduce swelling and pain.
✅ DO take over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen if needed.
❌ DON'T use superglue or other home adhesives to try and fix the tooth.
❌ DON'T scrub the tooth or the broken fragment.
❌ DON'T chew on the damaged tooth.
What to Expect at Your Dental Appointment
Now that you have an idea of what to do and not do at home, here’s an idea of what you might expect at your dental visit:
Visual Inspection: Looking closely at the tooth, sometimes with magnification, to see the extent of the damage.
Pulp Testing: Applying a cold stimulus to the tooth to check the health of the nerve (the pulp). Nerve response can be unreliable immediately after trauma, so follow-up tests are crucial.
Bite Test: Having you bite down on a special tool to check for hidden cracks or fractures.
Transillumination: shining a light on the tooth to detect any cracks.
Radiographs (X-rays): Taking an x-ray to check for damage to the tooth's root or the surrounding bone.
What Kind of Treatment Can I Expect?
Now that you’ve done some excellent home care, and your dentist has taken a good look, what can you expect as far as treatment? Of course, it depends! And since we clearly like our lists, here’s another one going over different treatment options. And as a disclaimer, every situation is different, and some options may not be realistic depending on many factors (extent of fracture, patient’s age, any medical conditions, etc).
Enamel-only: depending on the size of the break, treatment can range from smoothing/polishing the tooth, to a small bonded filling.
Enamel + dentin (yellow inner surface of tooth exposed): a composite (white) filling can often be done. If the broken fragment is preserved, it could potentially be reattached as well. If the break is extensive, a crown (a cap) may be recommended as a long-term solution.
Complicated fracture (pulp/nerve exposure): this means the nerve of the tooth is exposed, and needs to be treated. The treatment depends on how “mature” tooth is.
In children and teenagers, the root (and therefore nerve) of an adult tooth might not always be fully developed. In cases like these, a Cvek or partial pulpotomy (think of it as a “partial” root canal) can often be done to preserve the vitality of a tooth.
In adults, root canal treatment (RCT) is usually indicated, followed by a restoration (a filling or a cap/crown)
Deep fractures, sometimes potentially involving the root: teeth with these kinds of fractures often are indicated for extraction. However, additional procedures involving manipulating the gums and bone surrounding the tooth can sometimes be done to help restore the chipped area.
Teeth with associated mobility or luxation (ie it shifted): if the tooth can be repositioned to its original spot, often these can be splinted together for 2-4 weeks, to allow the tooth to recover.
As we mentioned previously, these teeth will need to have pulp testing periodically to ensure nerve vitality.
Follow-ups After the Initial Assessment and/or Treatment
Once you see your dentist for an initial assessment of your situation, you’ll likely be recommended to return for a follow-up. This is because the vitality of a tooth can change over the course of a few weeks, months, or even years (e.g. a seemingly “dead” nerve can test positive later on, or a tooth that is deemed vital can later on undergo necrosis, or nerve death).
Typically, you can expect a follow-up appointment recommended about 2 weeks after the injury, then again anywhere from 4-8 weeks after the injury. And because the status of the tooth can change months or even years down the line, follow-ups are recommended 6 months later, as well as yearly follow-ups for 5 years in some cases (these can coincide with your regular checkups!).
How Much Does It Cost to Fix a Chipped Tooth?
Like many things in this article, the cost of a chip depends on many factors. These include (but are not limited to): the size of the chip, how long the chip has been there, the maturity of the root of the tooth, and any additional injuries present. As a rule of thumb, the IADT supports conservative treatments that can preserve tooth vitality and structure, however some cases may end up needing root canal therapy or more complex restorative work.
We recommend discussing costs and insurance coverage (if applicable) with your office, as cost can vary greatly (e.g. smoothing a tooth is much cheaper than root canal treatment and a full coverage crown).
Frequently Asked Questions About Chipped Teeth
Question: Can a chipped tooth heal on its own?
Answer: No – you can’t regrow enamel (not yet anyway!), but if the chip is small, sometimes it can just be polished. Any injuries involving the pulp or nerve need dental care.
Question: Should I really keep the broken fragment?
Answer: Yes! If the fragment is intact, and you stored it according to the recommendations we covered earlier, reattachment is possible.
Question: Do all nerve exposures require a full root canal?
Answer: Most will require it, but not necessarily - in some specific cases, conservative pulp therapy can work if the conditions for it are favourable (e.g. if the case involves an immature adult tooth).
Question: Will I need long-term monitoring?
Answer: Yes – the status of the tooth’s nerve can change years later. In some cases, follow-up up to 5 years after the injury can be recommended.
Chipped Tooth? Contact Your South Edmonton Dentist Today!
If you're in South Edmonton or a surrounding neighbourhood and have a chipped tooth, don't wait. Prompt treatment leads to the best outcomes.
Call Burnewood Dental at 780-440-4800 or book your appointment online. We try and keep spots open for same-day emergencies and offer after-hours care options.
References for further reading
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