How to Fix a Broken Tooth: Emergency Care and Treatment Options

Cracked a tooth? Don’t panic—but don’t wait around either. Whether you bit down on something unexpectedly hard, took a hit during your weekend basketball game, or your tooth just gave out from years of wear and decay, you need to know what to do right now and what comes next. Most broken teeth can be saved if you act quickly and get the right treatment. Let’s walk through everything from those first crucial minutes to the different ways your dentist can fix things up.

What Should You Do Right After Breaking a Tooth?

First things first: take a breath. Then get to your bathroom sink. These next few minutes matter more than you might think.

Why Does Rinsing Your Mouth Come First?

Grab some lukewarm water and gently swish it around your mouth. You’re washing away blood, food particles, and bacteria that could lead to infection. Don’t rinse too aggressively—you’re not trying to dislodge anything important. If you can find the broken piece, rinse it off too and drop it in a glass of milk or even your own saliva. Sounds weird, but your dentist might actually be able to reattach larger fragments.

How Do You Get the Bleeding to Stop?

Bleeding along with a broken tooth is pretty common, especially if you caught your gum or cheek in the process. Press clean gauze directly on the spot for 10 to 15 minutes. Here’s a pro tip: if you’ve got tea bags handy, use one of those instead. The tannins in tea actually help your blood clot faster. Still bleeding after 20 minutes of steady pressure? That’s your signal to call for emergency dental care.

What Helps With the Swelling and Pain?

Ice is your friend here. Wrap an ice pack in a thin towel and hold it against your cheek near the broken tooth—15 minutes on, 15 minutes off. This numbs the area and keeps swelling down. Pop some ibuprofen or acetaminophen for the pain, but skip the aspirin directly on your gums. That can actually burn your tissue. If the pain keeps you from eating or sleeping, call your dentist first thing in the morning. Don’t tough it out for days.

What About Those Sharp Edges Cutting Your Tongue?

Broken teeth usually leave behind jagged edges that feel like tiny knives against your tongue and cheeks. Run to any pharmacy and pick up dental wax—it’s in the oral care aisle near the floss. Soften a small chunk between your fingers, then press it firmly over the sharp part. Creates a smooth barrier until you can get professional help. This is temporary protection, not a fix, but it’ll save your tongue from getting shredded while you wait for your appointment.

When Does a Broken Tooth Actually Count as an Emergency?

Not every chip means you need to rush to the ER, but some situations can’t wait until Monday morning.

What Are the Red Flags?

Seek emergency care if the pain is so bad that over-the-counter meds don’t touch it. That throbbing, can’t-think-about-anything-else kind of pain usually means your nerve is exposed or infection is setting in. Bleeding that just won’t quit, teeth that look noticeably shifted or loose, or breaks that go down below your gum line—all emergencies. And if your broken tooth came from getting hit in the face, head to the ER first to make sure your jaw isn’t fractured. Watch for fever, swelling that spreads beyond the immediate area, or trouble swallowing. Those signal infection spreading, and you need antibiotics ASAP.

How Can You Tell If the Inside of Your Tooth Is Exposed?

Look closely at the break. See a small red or pink spot in the center? That’s your pulp—the soft tissue inside with all the nerves and blood vessels. It might look moist and could be bleeding slightly. If you’ve got pulp exposure, you’ll know it: extreme sensitivity to hot and cold, sharp pain when air hits it, and general misery. This needs attention within 24 hours to save the tooth through root canal therapy. Wait too long, and you’re looking at infection and possibly losing the tooth entirely.

What Are Your Options for Fixing a Broken Tooth?

Modern dentistry has gotten pretty good at repairs. Your dentist will recommend different approaches depending on how much tooth you’ve lost and where the break is.

How Does Dental Bonding Work for Small Chips?

For minor chips and small breaks, bonding is usually your best bet. It’s quick, affordable, and looks natural. Your dentist applies a tooth-colored resin right to the damaged spot, sculpts it to match your tooth’s shape, then hardens it with a special light. The whole thing takes 30 to 60 minutes, and you walk out with a fixed tooth. Bonding typically lasts 3 to 10 years if you take care of it. It’s perfect for front teeth with cosmetic chips, though it might not hold up as well on molars that take serious chewing pressure.

When Do You Actually Need a Crown?

Lost a significant chunk of tooth—like more than half, or a whole cusp broke off a molar? You’re probably looking at a crown. Think of it as a protective cap that covers what’s left of your tooth, bringing back its strength and normal appearance. Your dentist removes any damaged parts, shapes what remains, and takes impressions for a custom crown. You’ll get a temporary crown while the lab makes your permanent one—usually takes a couple weeks. Modern crowns made from porcelain, ceramic, or zirconia match your natural teeth beautifully and can last 15 to 30 years with proper care.

What Happens During a Root Canal?

If your break exposed the pulp or goes deep into the tooth, you’ll likely need a root canal to save it. Before you panic: root canals have a terrible reputation they don’t deserve anymore. With modern anesthesia, they’re no worse than getting a filling. Your dentist removes the damaged pulp, cleans out the inside of your tooth, fills it with a material called gutta-percha, then typically caps it with a crown. Usually takes one to three appointments. The alternative is losing the tooth, so root canals are actually the good guys here.

Can Veneers Fix Broken Front Teeth?

For front teeth where the break is mostly cosmetic but hasn’t compromised the tooth’s strength, veneers work beautifully. These thin shells of porcelain or composite cover the front surface of your tooth, hiding chips, cracks, and discoloration while adding some protection. Your dentist removes a tiny bit of enamel (less than a millimeter) so the veneer sits flush and looks natural. Veneers resist staining better than your natural teeth and typically last 10 to 20 years. They’re a popular choice when you want your smile to look perfect after a front tooth injury.

Sometimes a tooth is just too far gone to save. It happens, and the replacement options these days are actually pretty impressive.

How Do Dental Implants Replace Teeth?

Implants are the gold standard for tooth replacement. Your dentist surgically places a titanium post into your jawbone, which fuses with the bone over three to six months. Once healed, they attach an abutment and custom crown to the post. The result looks, feels, and functions like a natural tooth. Implants preserve your jawbone density and don’t affect your other teeth. The whole process from extraction to final crown takes four to nine months, but success rates top 95 percent for healthy patients. They can literally last a lifetime.

What Makes Dental Bridges Different?

A bridge replaces your missing tooth by anchoring a fake tooth to the natural teeth on either side. Your dentist prepares those neighboring teeth by removing some enamel to fit crowns, which support the artificial tooth in between. Bridges offer a faster solution than implants—done in two to three weeks usually—and cost less. They restore your ability to chew normally and keep surrounding teeth from shifting. The downside? You’re modifying two healthy teeth, and bridges typically last 10 to 15 years before needing replacement.

When Are Partial Dentures the Right Call?

Partial dentures are the budget-friendly option, especially when you’re dealing with multiple missing teeth or don’t have enough jawbone for implants. These removable appliances have replacement teeth attached to a base that matches your gums, held in place by clasps on your natural teeth. Modern partials look way more natural than the old-school versions. You’ll need to take them out for cleaning, and they might feel less secure than permanent options, but they work well and cost a fraction of what you’d pay for implants or bridges.

What If the Tooth Needs to Come Out?

Despite everything dentistry can do, some teeth can’t be saved. Better to know what you’re facing than to throw money at a hopeless situation.

When Is Extraction Unavoidable?

Extraction becomes necessary when a tooth splits vertically through the root, breaks below the gum line without enough structure left for a crown, or has decay that’s destroyed the root. Teeth with severe gum disease affecting the bone often can’t be saved either, even if the break itself looks manageable. Broken wisdom teeth usually get extracted rather than repaired—they’re in the back, hard to work on, and you don’t really need them anyway. Your dentist will always try to save your natural tooth first, but sometimes extraction is the smartest move.

What Actually Happens During Extraction?

Simple extractions are pretty straightforward. Your dentist numbs you up, loosens the tooth with special tools called elevators, and removes it with forceps. Takes 20 to 40 minutes, and you’re back to normal in a day or two. Surgical extractions are more involved—needed when teeth break at the gum line or have curved roots. Your dentist might make small cuts in your gum, sometimes remove a bit of bone to access the tooth, and may break the tooth into sections for easier removal. Surgical extractions need one to two weeks healing time and might involve stitches.

What Are Your Replacement Options?

Think about replacement before the extraction if possible. Immediate implant placement—putting the implant post in during the same appointment as extraction—works great when you have enough bone and no infection. Cuts down treatment time and preserves bone. Sometimes you need to let the site heal completely over three to four months before placing an implant, especially if there’s infection or you need bone grafting. Temporary partials or bridges can fill the gap during healing if the missing tooth affects your appearance or makes eating difficult.

Why Are Broken Molars Trickier to Handle?

Back teeth present special challenges when they break. They’re bigger, they’re harder to reach, and they take way more abuse than your front teeth.

What Makes Molar Repairs More Complicated?

Molars handle biting forces up to 200 pounds per square inch when you’re chewing normally. That’s intense pressure, which makes repairs more complex and increases the chance of additional breaks if the restoration isn’t done right. They’re also in the back of your mouth where working precisely is just harder. Molars have multiple roots and cusps, so breaks often extend in weird directions you can’t see just by looking. Your dentist needs X-rays from different angles to really understand what’s going on under the surface.

What Works Best for Fixing Back Teeth?

Crowns are usually the go-to for broken molars because they distribute chewing forces evenly and protect what’s left of your tooth. When just a cusp breaks but the pulp is fine, an onlay (think partial crown) might work, preserving more natural tooth while still providing protection. For molars with exposed pulp, root canal plus crown typically gives you the best long-term result. If decay contributed to the break, your dentist has to remove all the bad tissue first, which might require crown lengthening surgery to expose enough healthy tooth for the crown to grab onto.

Can You Actually Save a Badly Broken Molar?

Depends on how it broke. Vertical cracks that split the tooth from top to bottom usually can’t be fixed—those need extraction. But horizontal breaks or damage to just one root of a multi-rooted tooth might let your dentist save part of it through root amputation and crown placement. Your dentist considers how important that particular tooth is. Second molars really matter for chewing, while third molars (wisdom teeth) can usually come out without replacement. Advanced imaging like cone beam CT scans help identify hidden cracks and guide the decision on complex cases.

Bonding is great, but it’s not indestructible. Sometimes bonded teeth re-break or the bonding material fails over time.

Why Does Bonding Sometimes Give Out?

Bonding material is durable but not as strong as natural enamel or ceramic crowns and veneers. Bite into hard candy, use your teeth to open packages, or grind your teeth at night, and that bonded area can chip or pop off. The bond between the resin and your tooth enamel also weakens over time, especially if you drink a lot of coffee, tea, or use tobacco. And bonding on teeth that do heavy lifting—molars and canines—tends to fail faster than bonding on front teeth that are mostly for show. If your bonded tooth breaks within the first year, your dentist might fix it for free, since early failure usually points to a technique issue.

How Fast Can a Failed Bond Be Fixed?

Usually just one appointment, 30 to 60 minutes. Your dentist removes the old bonding material, cleans the tooth surface, and applies fresh resin. The quick turnaround makes bonding a solid temporary fix even when you know you’ll eventually want something more permanent. Many dentists keep your original bonding shade on file so they can match it perfectly during repairs. If something’s changed with your tooth—like new decay developed—they’ll address that first before rebonding.

When Should You Upgrade to Something Stronger?

If bonding keeps failing on the same tooth, that’s your sign you need a more durable restoration. Porcelain veneers offer better durability and stain resistance for front teeth, while crowns provide superior protection for back teeth or extensively damaged front teeth. Your dentist might also recommend fixing underlying problems—like making you a night guard if you’re grinding your teeth, or adjusting your bite if certain teeth are taking too much force. Upgrading to a more durable restoration costs more upfront but saves you money over time by ending the cycle of repeated repairs.

How Does Dental Wax Help With Broken Teeth?

Dental wax is one of those simple solutions that makes a huge difference between the time your tooth breaks and when you can get to the dentist.

What Exactly Is Dental Wax?

It’s a soft, pliable substance made from natural waxes like beeswax or paraffin, designed to create a smooth protective barrier. Originally made for people with braces to keep the metal from tearing up their cheeks, it works just as well for covering sharp edges on broken teeth. The wax sticks in place through pressure and the natural moisture in your mouth—it’s not actually bonded chemically. It won’t fix your tooth, but it’ll keep those jagged edges from slicing your tongue, cheeks, or lips while you’re waiting for professional treatment.

Where Can You Get Dental Wax?

Any pharmacy or drugstore stocks it in the oral care section, usually near toothbrushes and floss. Small containers with enough wax for multiple uses run about $3 to $8. Online retailers have wider selections, including flavored options and hypoallergenic versions. Some dental offices hand out free samples to patients, so it’s worth calling your dentist’s office to ask. In a pinch, sugar-free chewing gum can provide temporary protection, though it’s less effective than real dental wax and should only be your last resort.

How Do You Apply It Correctly?

Start by gently drying the broken tooth with a clean tissue—wax sticks better to dry surfaces. Pinch off a pea-sized piece and roll it between your fingers for 5 to 10 seconds to warm and soften it. Press the softened wax firmly over the sharp edge, molding it to create a smooth surface that blends with your tooth shape. It should feel comfortable against your tongue and cheek without feeling bulky when you close your mouth. Replace the wax after eating, drinking, or brushing since it’ll come loose during those activities. It’s safe if you accidentally swallow some, but remove it before your dental appointment.

Should You Fix or Pull a Broken Wisdom Tooth?

Wisdom teeth live in that awkward spot at the back of your mouth, which makes breaks particularly problematic and treatment decisions pretty straightforward.

Is It Worth Repairing a Broken Wisdom Tooth?

Most dentists recommend just pulling broken wisdom teeth rather than fixing them. Third molars serve almost no purpose in modern diets—we’re not chewing raw meat and roots anymore. Their far-back location makes them nearly impossible to clean properly, raising infection risk if you restore them. Many wisdom teeth come in crooked or only partially, creating natural weak spots that make future breaks likely even after repair. And here’s the kicker: repairing a wisdom tooth with a crown often costs as much or more than extraction, making pulling it the smarter financial move. The exception? If your wisdom tooth erupted perfectly straight and actually helps you chew, your dentist might consider repair for a minor break.

What Happens If You Ignore a Broken Wisdom Tooth?

Untreated broken wisdom teeth become food traps that collect bacteria, dramatically increasing your odds of infection, decay, and gum disease. The rough edges irritate your cheek and tongue, causing painful sores that can get infected. Partially erupted wisdom teeth with breaks often develop pericoronitis—inflammation of the gum tissue around the tooth—which causes pain, swelling, and makes opening your mouth difficult. In bad cases, infections from broken wisdom teeth spread to surrounding tissues, landing you in the hospital needing IV antibiotics. Even without immediate symptoms, bacteria piling up around a broken wisdom tooth can damage the adjacent second molar through decay or gum disease—and you definitely want to keep that one.

Is Wisdom Tooth Extraction Different From Other Teeth?

Often more complex due to location, root shape, and proximity to nerves and sinuses. Lower wisdom teeth sit near the nerve that gives sensation to your lower lip and chin, so extraction requires careful technique to avoid nerve damage. Upper wisdom teeth sometimes have roots poking into your sinus, requiring special precautions to prevent sinus problems. When wisdom teeth break at or below the gum line, surgical extraction becomes necessary—involving small incisions and possibly breaking the tooth into pieces for removal. Recovery typically takes one to two weeks, with swelling and discomfort peaking around day three before gradually improving.

What If Just the Root Is Left in Your Gums?

When a tooth breaks right at the gum line, leaving the root buried in your jaw, getting it out requires specialized techniques.

How Do Dentists Remove Roots Left Behind?

This requires what’s called a surgical extraction. Your dentist thoroughly numbs the area, then makes a small cut in your gum to expose the remaining root. Special tools called elevators gently loosen the root from the surrounding bone, working carefully to avoid breaking it into smaller pieces. If the root proves stubborn, your dentist might section it into parts or remove a bit of surrounding bone to create better access. The procedure typically takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on how long, curved, and firmly anchored the root is. After removal, your dentist cleans out the socket and places stitches to close the incision and promote healing.

What’s the Risk of Leaving Root Pieces Behind?

Retained root fragments act like foreign objects your body tries to reject, leading to chronic infection, abscess formation, or cysts developing around the root tip. The bacteria harbored by those leftover roots can spread to surrounding teeth and bone, potentially causing extensive damage requiring more aggressive treatment. Some people experience ongoing pain, swelling, or pus drainage from the area where a root remains. In rare cases, retained roots migrate through the gum tissue over time, creating painful spots that interfere with eating or wearing dentures. While very small root tips (under 3 millimeters) sometimes stay put without problems, most dentists prefer complete removal when possible to eliminate future complications.

How Long Until You’re Healed After Root Removal?

Initial healing from surgical root removal takes 7 to 10 days. Expect some swelling, bruising, and discomfort managed with prescribed or over-the-counter pain meds. Stick to soft foods those first few days and avoid chewing on that side. Complete bone healing takes three to four months, during which new bone gradually fills where the root was. Your dentist may recommend waiting until healing is complete before placing a dental implant if that’s your replacement plan. Follow all post-op instructions carefully, including any prescribed antibiotics, to minimize infection risk and promote optimal healing. Call your dentist immediately if you develop increasing pain, fever, excessive bleeding, or swelling that worsens after day three—those may indicate complications needing intervention.

What Will Fixing Your Broken Tooth Cost?

Treatment costs vary wildly based on how bad the damage is, what type of restoration you need, and where you live.

What Drives the Cost of Different Repairs?

Simple bonding for minor chips runs $100 to $400 per tooth, making it the cheapest option. Dental crowns jump up significantly—$800 to $3,000 depending on material. Porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns fall on the lower end, while all-ceramic or zirconia crowns cost more but look better. Root canal treatment adds $700 to $1,500 to your bill, varying by which tooth (front teeth cost less than molars) and whether a specialist does the procedure. Dental implants represent the biggest investment—$3,000 to $6,000 per tooth for the complete package including surgery, abutment, and crown. Extra procedures like bone grafting, extraction, or crown lengthening tack on another $200 to $1,000 each. Big cities and specialty practices generally charge more than rural areas or general dentists.

Will Your Insurance Cover It?

Most dental insurance plans cover broken tooth treatment, though coverage varies by procedure and plan. Emergency exams and X-rays typically get 80 to 100 percent coverage. Basic fixes like fillings and bonding usually receive 70 to 80 percent coverage after your deductible. Major work including crowns, root canals, and bridges typically gets 50 percent coverage, often subject to annual maximum benefits of $1,000 to $2,000. Dental implants frequently aren’t covered by traditional insurance, though some plans partially cover the crown portion. Review your specific plan benefits, and keep in mind some insurance won’t cover cosmetic repairs on front teeth unless the break affects function. If treatment costs exceed your insurance benefits or you don’t have coverage, many dental offices offer payment plans or work with healthcare financing companies.

Accidents happen, but many broken teeth result from preventable causes you can address through simple changes and protective gear.

What Lifestyle Changes Actually Protect Your Teeth?

Stop using your teeth as tools. Seriously. No opening packages, bottles, or cracking nuts with your teeth—these activities subject them to forces they weren’t designed to handle. Cut back on hard foods like ice, hard candy, popcorn kernels, and hard nuts that can cause fractures, especially if you already have fillings or crowns. If you grind your teeth at night, get a custom night guard from your dentist. Chronic grinding weakens enamel and creates tiny cracks that eventually lead to major breaks. Keep up with regular dental checkups so your dentist can catch and treat cavities before they weaken your tooth structure enough to cause breaks. If you have large old amalgam fillings, ask your dentist whether preventive crowns might protect those teeth from future fractures—teeth with extensive fillings are way more prone to breaking.

When Should You Wear a Mouthguard?

Wear a properly fitted mouthguard during any contact sports—football, basketball, soccer, hockey, martial arts. The American Dental Association reports that athletes without mouthguards are 60 times more likely to damage their teeth than those who wear them. Custom mouthguards from your dentist provide the best protection and comfort, though boil-and-bite versions from sporting goods stores offer decent protection at lower cost. Even for non-contact sports with fall risk like skateboarding, cycling, or gymnastics, mouthguards provide valuable protection. Kids and teenagers playing organized sports should always wear mouthguards—their developing teeth are particularly vulnerable to injury, and protecting permanent teeth from trauma is crucial for their long-term dental health.

Take Action Now: Don’t Wait on That Broken Tooth

Here’s the thing about broken teeth: they don’t get better on their own. That tiny crack you’re ignoring? It’s collecting bacteria and possibly extending deeper into your tooth every single day. What looks manageable today could turn into a painful infection or tooth loss if you put it off.

Modern dental treatment is comfortable, effective, and designed to save your natural smile whenever possible. Whether you’re dealing with a dental emergency or just want to fix a minor chip that’s bothering you, getting professional care stops the problem in its tracks and prevents bigger headaches down the road.

Don’t let cost worries, dental anxiety, or a busy schedule keep you from getting the care you need. Most dental offices offer flexible payment options, and waiting only makes everything more complicated and expensive.

Ready to get your tooth fixed? Schedule your consultation with our experienced team today. We’ll evaluate your situation, explain your options in plain English, and work with you to create a treatment plan that fits your needs and budget. Your healthy smile is closer than you think—let’s make it happen.

QnA on Broken Tooth Care and Treatment