Broken Tooth — Same-Day Repair
A broken tooth can leave a sharp edge or an exposed nerve. Many fractures can be protected the day you call.
What is happening?
A broken tooth is a piece of tooth that has fractured off or split. It often follows biting ice, pits, or kernels, a fall or sports hit, a large old filling, grinding, a crack that finally gave way, or a root-canal-treated tooth left without a crown.
Same-day care
Common symptoms
- A visibly missing piece
- Sharp pain when you bite
- Temperature sensitivity
- An edge cutting your tongue or cheek
- Sometimes bleeding
Is it urgent?
A sharp edge cutting the tongue or cheek. Severe pain to air, which can mean an exposed nerve. Bleeding that does not slow with gentle pressure.
Until we see the broken tooth
Rinse and save
Rinse with warm water. Keep any fragments in milk or saliva and bring them.
Protect the edge
Dental wax from a pharmacy can cover a sharp edge. Chew on the other side.
Bleeding or swelling
Gauze with gentle pressure for about 10 minutes. A cold compress if the lip or cheek is swelling. Call for same-day care if it hurts.
Common causes
Biting hard foods such as ice, pits, or kernels · Falls or sports · Large old fillings that weakened the walls · Grinding · A crack that finally propagated · A root-canal-treated tooth left without a crown
How we diagnose it
We see how deep the break goes, whether the nerve is involved, and whether the remaining walls can hold a filling, an onlay, or a crown. An x-ray checks the root. A same-day crown is one option for many fractures, not a promise for every break.
How we treat it
Smooth, bond, or cover
Small breaks may be bonded. Deeper breaks may need a crown, sometimes milled the same day when the case suits it.
If the nerve is involved
We tell you if the pulp is inflamed and what saving the tooth would involve before any root canal starts.
Sedation for this kind of treatment
Repairing a broken tooth uses local anesthetic. If the appointment will be long and anxiety is part of why you delayed calling, ask about nitrous for this visit or a booked sedation appointment for a bigger restoration.
Sedation optionsCase examples
See before-and-after cases for this type of treatment. Individual results vary.
See example results →Related pages
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
Still have a question? Our team is happy to help over the phone.
(416) 483-0000Can a broken tooth be repaired the day it happens?
Often yes, when a chair is open. Call and describe the break. A front tooth that shows when you talk is prioritized the same way as a painful molar.
Should I keep the piece?
Yes. Bring fragments in milk or saliva. We cannot always bond the original piece back, but it helps us see what was lost.
Do I need a crown for every break?
No. The depth and the remaining walls decide filling, onlay, or crown. We explain that after the exam, with a written estimate.
Read this as education
These are common patterns, not a diagnosis of your tooth. Your dentist determines the cause during an examination.