Usually not, if there’s no pain, bleeding or sharp edge, though you should book an appointment soon. A broken tooth, severe pain, swelling or a knocked-out tooth needs urgent attention.
Chipped, Cracked or Broken Tooth: Repair Options and When It’s an Emergency
📍 9-10 Market Place, Reading, Berkshire | 🚆 5 Minutes from Reading Station | 📞 0118 950 7229
A damaged tooth rarely happens at a convenient moment. It might be a sudden crunch on a hard crust, a knock on the pitch, a stumble on the way to the station, or a filling that finally gives up. What you do next, and how quickly, can make a real difference to whether the tooth can be saved.
This guide follows the first hour, the first day and the first week after you damage a tooth, and explains the repair options available at Puresmile Reading Dental & Implants in the centre of Reading.
Short answer: A small chip is rarely an emergency and can be smoothed or repaired at a booked appointment. A broken tooth, severe pain, swelling, bleeding or a knocked-out tooth needs urgent dental advice. Repairs range from polishing and composite bonding to veneers, crowns and root canal treatment, depending on how much of the tooth is damaged.
Quick Guide: Call Now or Book Soon?
Call us as early as you can if:
- A tooth is broken, or a piece has come away and the tooth hurts
- You have severe or throbbing pain, swelling, a pimple on the gum or a bad taste
- A tooth has been knocked out or pushed out of position
- A sharp edge is cutting your tongue or cheek
Book an appointment in the next few days if:
- You have a small chip with no pain
- A tooth feels rough, or is mildly sensitive to hot or cold
- You think a tooth may be cracked, but the discomfort comes and goes
Call 999 or go to A&E if:
- You’ve had a facial or head injury
- You’re struggling to breathe or swallow
- Swelling is spreading towards your eye or neck
- You can’t stop the bleeding
If we’re closed, call NHS 111 for urgent dental advice.
In the First Hour: What to Do
- Rinse your mouth gently with warm water.
- Find any piece that’s broken off and keep it in milk. Bring it with you.
- Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax.
- Hold a cold compress to your cheek if it’s swelling.
- Take pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen, following the pack instructions, if they’re suitable for you.
- Call us on 0118 950 7229, and tell us it’s urgent.
- Avoid gluing the tooth back, poking at it, or putting aspirin against the gum.
If an Adult Tooth Has Been Knocked Out
This is an emergency, and every minute counts.
- Hold the tooth by the crown, not the root
- If it’s dirty, rinse it very briefly in milk or water, without scrubbing
- Gently push it back into the socket if you can, and bite on a clean cloth to hold it
- If you can’t, keep it in a small container of milk
- Call us immediately, or NHS 111 if we’re closed
Never push a knocked-out baby tooth back in, as it can damage the adult tooth underneath. Take your child to a dentist straight away. The NHS gives similar advice (NHS inform: broken or knocked-out tooth).
Within the First Day: Getting It Seen
We’re open Monday to Friday, with appointments from 8am to 5pm, so if you’ve damaged a tooth, call as soon as we open. Tell us:
- What happened and when
- Whether you’re in pain, and how severe
- Whether you have a broken piece
- Any swelling or bad taste
We’ll aim to see you as soon as we can, and tell you what to do in the meantime. Parking in central Reading is limited, so please ask us about the nearest options when you call, or travel by train, as we’re about five minutes’ walk from Reading station.
This Week: What Repair Will Involve
Your dentist will examine the tooth, check your bite and usually take an X-ray to look at the root and the surrounding bone. Cracks can be hard to see, and may not show on X-rays, which is why a proper examination matters.
Repair Best For What It Involves Smoothing and polishing + Tiny chips Gently smoothing a rough edge Composite bonding + Small to medium chips, mainly front teeth Tooth-coloured resin is built up, shaped and polished Porcelain veneer + Larger chips on visible teeth, or where shape and colour also need improving A thin porcelain shell is bonded over the front of the tooth Inlay or onlay + A cracked cusp, or a failed large filling A custom-made restoration rebuilds the damaged part Filling + Moderate breaks, particularly at the back The missing part is rebuilt with tooth-coloured material Crown + Heavily damaged or cracked teeth A cap covers and protects the whole tooth Root canal treatment + Damage that reaches the nerve Infected or damaged tissue is removed, usually followed by a crown Extraction and replacement + Teeth split below the gum line A dental implant or bridge can replace the tooth How the Types of Damage Differ
- Craze lines: fine surface cracks that are usually harmless, and often just monitored.
- Chip: a missing piece of enamel, often painless, but with a rough edge.
- Cracked cusp: part of the chewing surface breaks away, often around a large filling.
- Cracked tooth: pain when you bite that sharpens on release, and comes and goes.
- Exposed nerve: severe or throbbing pain, and sensitivity to heat.
- Split tooth or root fracture: the crack goes below the gum line, and the tooth may not be savable.
NHS or Private?
Fillings, crowns and root canal treatment can be provided on the NHS for patients who qualify, while cosmetic repairs such as bonding and veneers are private. We’ll explain your options and costs before any treatment starts. See our NHS treatment page and fees page.
Longer Term: Protecting Your Teeth
- Wear a mouthguard for contact sports
- Ask about a night guard if you grind your teeth (see our teeth grinding page)
- Avoid biting ice, pen lids, nails or packaging
- Have old fillings checked at your regular dental examination
- Treat decay early, before it weakens the tooth
Children’s teeth often chip and break at play. Always have a damaged baby tooth checked. See our children’s dentistry page.
Nervous?
Pain and worry often come together. Tell us when you call, and we’ll go at your pace. We offer sedation options for suitable patients.
Find Us in the Centre of Reading
Puresmile Reading Dental & Implants is at 9-10 Market Place, Reading RG1 2EG, near Broad Street, the Oracle, Forbury Gardens and the River Kennet. We welcome patients with damaged teeth from Reading town centre, Caversham, Tilehurst, Whitley, Calcot, Purley-on-Thames, Theale and across Berkshire.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency?
What should I do if I break a tooth in Reading?
Rinse your mouth, keep any piece in milk, cover sharp edges, take suitable pain relief and call us on 0118 950 7229. If we’re closed, call NHS 111.
Do you offer emergency dental appointments in Reading?
We aim to see patients with urgent problems as soon as we can. Call us as early as possible and tell us what’s happened.
Can a chipped tooth be repaired?
Yes. Options include smoothing, composite bonding, veneers, fillings, inlays and onlays, and crowns, depending on the size of the damage.
Will a chipped tooth heal itself?
No. Enamel can’t regrow, so a chip needs smoothing or repair, and leaving it can lead to further damage or decay.
How do I know if my tooth is cracked?
Signs include pain when you bite that eases when you release, sensitivity to hot and cold, and pain that comes and goes. Cracks can be hard to see, so an examination is the only way to be sure.
Can a cracked tooth be saved?
Often, yes, with a crown, and sometimes root canal treatment, especially if caught early. A tooth that has split below the gum line may need to be extracted.
What should I do if a tooth is knocked out?
Hold it by the crown, rinse it briefly, push it back into the socket if you can or keep it in milk, and call us immediately. Never replant a baby tooth.
Does repair hurt?
Treatment is carried out under local anaesthetic where needed, and we’ll explain what to expect first.
How much does it cost to repair a broken tooth?
It depends on the treatment and whether you choose NHS or private care. We’ll confirm costs before we begin.
Broken a Tooth? Call Us.
The sooner a damaged tooth is seen, the more of it we can usually save.
CALL 0118 950 7229 OR BOOK AN APPOINTMENT
Puresmile Reading Dental & Implants, 9-10 Market Place, Reading RG1 2EG
