Chipped or Broken Tooth: Is It an Emergency, and What Are the Options?
Updated: Oct 7
A chipped tooth is a dental emergency when it hurts, bleeds, shows a pink or red spot in the break, or leaves an edge that cuts your tongue. A small chip with none of those can wait a few days. Either way it is worth having a dentist look, because only an exam shows how deep the break goes.
Below: how to tell the difference, what to do in the next hour, what each repair involves, and what to do on a Sunday, when we are closed. Our emergency dentist page covers how we handle urgent visits.
The short version
• Call us the same day for pain, lingering sensitivity, a pink or red spot in the break, bleeding, a large missing piece or a sharp edge cutting your tongue.
• A small chip with no pain can wait a few days. Book a visit this week anyway.
• Go to the ER, not a dentist, after a blow to the head or jaw with blackout or vomiting, trouble breathing or swallowing, or bleeding that will not stop.
• Rinse, keep the piece in milk, use a cold compress, and cover a sharp edge with dental wax.
Written by Dr. Gloria Jung, DDS, BSc, at Lux Dental in downtown Vancouver. Guidance checked on 7 October 2026 against the Merck Manual, Cleveland Clinic, Harvard Health, the Canadian Dental Association, the American Dental Association, the Government of Canada and the Government of British Columbia, linked where used and listed at the end of this post.
Is a chipped or broken tooth a dental emergency?
Sometimes, and it depends on how deep the break goes. A tooth has three layers: hard enamel outside, dentin beneath it, and at the centre the pulp, a network of nerves and blood vessels.
The Merck Manual puts the rule plainly. If a tooth is not sensitive to cold air or water after an injury, probably only the enamel is damaged, and even a slightly chipped enamel does not need immediate treatment. A break into the dentin usually hurts in air or when you eat. A break into the pulp shows a red spot in the fracture, often with some blood, and may need root canal treatment.
The same three levels are written out below.
A chip, enamel only. Often no pain at all, sometimes a rough edge your tongue keeps finding.
A break into the nerve. Pain, sensitivity to hot or cold, or a pink or red spot in the break, sometimes with blood.
A crack to the root. A crack that runs below the gum line. Some of these cause no symptoms until the nerve becomes infected, Cleveland Clinic notes.
The pink or red spot is the one to take seriously. Cleveland Clinic says a major chip that exposes the tissue inside can let bacteria in and cause a tooth infection, and that seeing a dentist sooner rather than later can prevent it.
Here is the sort in one picture, and again in words below it.
The same sort is written out in the table below.
What you notice | What to do |
Pain, or sensitivity to hot or cold that lingers | Call us the same day |
A pink or red spot in the break | Call us the same day |
Bleeding that stops with firm pressure | Call us the same day |
A large piece missing, or a sharp edge cutting your tongue | Call us the same day, and cover the edge until then |
A small chip with no pain, no sensitivity and no sharp edge | Book a visit this week |
A blow to the head or jaw with blackout, repeated vomiting or a worsening headache, or a suspected broken jaw | ER or 911 |
Trouble breathing or swallowing, swelling spreading toward the eye or neck, or bleeding that will not stop | ER or 911 |
The head injury line comes from the Government of Canada's concussion guidance, which lists loss of consciousness, repeated vomiting and a severe or worsening headache as reasons to get help right away. The breathing, swelling and bleeding lines match our own emergency page.
Swelling in the face with a fever is a separate case. Our emergency page lists both among the signs of an abscess, which needs treatment right away. Call us if we are open. If we are closed, go to the ER.
Pain, bleeding or a sharp edge?
Our emergency page says we may be able to see you the same day, where availability allows. Call as early in the day as you can.
What should I do right now?
Rinse, save the piece, cool the area and cover any sharp edge. None of it repairs the tooth, but it keeps the break clean and comfortable until a dentist sees it.
Rinse your mouth gently with warm water to clean the area.
Look for the piece. Keep it in a little milk and bring it with you, because a dentist may be able to reattach it. If you cannot find it, do not worry: Harvard Health notes that dentists can rebuild the tooth with white resin without it.
If it bleeds, press clean gauze on it for about 10 minutes. If it is still bleeding after that, go to the ER.
Hold a cold compress against the outside of your cheek or lip to ease the pain and keep swelling down.
Cover a sharp edge with orthodontic (dental) wax from a pharmacy or, in a pinch, a piece of sugar-free gum.
For pain, take an over-the-counter reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, as the label directs. Never put a tablet against the tooth or gum, because it may burn the tissue.
Eat soft food and chew on the other side.
Leave the repair to a dentist. Cleveland Clinic is blunt about it: a chipped tooth cannot be fixed at home.
A knocked-out adult tooth is different and time critical: the American Dental Association says to keep it moist at all times, put it back in its socket without touching the root if you can, or keep it in milk, and get to a dentist right away.
Is it okay to leave a slightly chipped tooth?
For a few days, yes, if it is small and comfortable. Cleveland Clinic says a chip or crack that is not causing pain can wait until your dentist can see you, and a sharp edge can be covered with wax in the meantime.
"But it doesn't hurt, Dr. Jung." That is the trouble with pain as a test. A chip in the enamel often hurts not at all, and so can a crack that runs below the gum line until the nerve is infected. Pain tells you when to hurry. It does not tell you the break is shallow.
So book a visit this week. Our emergency page answers the same question, a cracked tooth that does not hurt much, with a yes: come in, because an untreated fracture can lead to pain, infection or tooth loss.
If nothing looks chipped but the tooth hurts when you bite down, our post on pain when you bite down covers the usual causes.
How long can a chipped tooth go untreated?
A few days if it is small and comfortable, and not much longer. None of the guidance I checked for this post gives a safe number of weeks, so I will not invent one. The American Dental Association advises calling your dentist and giving as much detail as you can about your condition, and notes that most dentists reserve time for emergency patients. Cleveland Clinic says to schedule an appointment as soon as possible after you notice the chip.
Waiting is not neutral. Harvard Health explains that when a chip exposes the dentin or the pulp, bacteria can infect the pulp, and it can take a few weeks before a dentist knows whether the nerve survived. It is a bad sign if the tooth hurts, changes colour or is sensitive to temperature, especially heat. That is a reason to have the tooth checked now, and to call again if any of those three appear later.
A small chip with no pain?
Online booking is for a small, comfortable chip. If it hurts, call 604-670-1256 instead. Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, at 1631 Davie Street.
Can the ER do anything for a chipped tooth?
Yes for the pain and infection, no for the tooth itself. Cleveland Clinic explains that emergency room providers can give pain relievers or antibiotics to ease pain and swelling, but they do not do fillings or crowns, so you still need a dentist afterwards.
That is why the ER list above is short and specific. A head or jaw injury, trouble breathing or swallowing, spreading swelling and bleeding that will not stop belong in a hospital. A chipped tooth on its own belongs in a dental chair. If you have been to the ER, call us the next morning we are open and tell us what you were given.
What are the options for repairing a chipped tooth?
Several, from the smallest repair to the largest. Which one fits depends on how much tooth is left and whether the nerve is involved, and only an exam shows that.
Option | When it fits | Visits |
Polishing | A small chip, no sensitivity | Usually 1 |
Bonding | A small chip or crack | Usually 1 |
Veneer | A front tooth that needs more cover | 1 composite, 2 or more porcelain |
Crown or onlay | A large piece is gone | Crown: often 2 or more |
Root canal | The nerve is exposed | 1 or 2 |
Extraction | Root and nerve badly damaged | Replacing it can take months |
The visit counts come from the Canadian Dental Association (bonding and veneers, root canal), Harvard Health (a small chip is usually repaired in one trip, and a crown needs at least two visits for the impression) and Cleveland Clinic (a crown can sometimes be fitted in a day but often takes several appointments, and replacing an extracted tooth with an implant can take months). Your own case may differ.
The smaller repairs
Polishing. For a small chip, Cleveland Clinic says the dentist may be able to smooth the edge so it blends in with the teeth around it. Some small chips need no treatment at all.
Bonding. Tooth-coloured resin is built up on the chip and hardened with a light. The Canadian Dental Association says bonding is typically used for smaller repairs and can usually be done in one visit.
Veneer. A thin shell over the front of the tooth, for a chip that needs more cover than bonding. The Canadian Dental Association notes that porcelain veneers remove a thin layer of enamel and cannot be reversed. If you are weighing bonding against a veneer, our post on porcelain veneers or composite bonding compares them.
The larger repairs
Crown or onlay. A crown is a tooth-shaped cap, and Cleveland Clinic says you may need one if you lose a large fragment. An onlay sits between a filling and a crown: Cleveland Clinic's crown guide says an inlay or onlay can restore a tooth that is too damaged for a filling but too healthy to need a crown.
Root canal. When a break reaches the nerve, a root canal removes the damaged pulp. The Canadian Dental Association says the tooth is then restored with a filling or a crown, and that a back tooth will likely need a crown.
Extraction. The last option. If a crack does severe damage to the root and nerves, Cleveland Clinic says your dentist may recommend removing the tooth. It is another reason a crack below the gum line should not wait.
Crowns, root canals and fillings are on our restorative dentistry page. Coverage depends on your plan, and your insurer decides it, so ask your insurer what your plan includes before treatment is planned. Our fee guide page explains how the BC dental fee guide works, which many insurers use to set their coverage amounts.
Where does MINISH fit?
If the chip is on a front tooth and you want to keep as much of your own enamel as you can, ask about MINISH. I provide it at Lux. Our MINISH page describes an ultra-thin ceramic restoration, 0.1 to 0.2 mm thick, bonded to the tooth. It says most cases need only a light polish of the surface and that treatment is usually two visits over two to four weeks.
It is one option, not the answer to every chip, and a small chip often needs only bonding. The page itself says the only way to know for certain is a clinical exam.
What if it happens on a Sunday?
Cover it, rest it and call on Monday, unless it is on the ER list. We are open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, and closed on Sunday. The same applies to a chip after 5pm on any other day.
Small, or sore but manageable. Rinse, cover any sharp edge, eat soft food, use the pain relief on the label if you need it, and call us when we open at 9am. Tell us about any pink or red spot or lingering sensitivity, because those are the same-day calls. A Saturday chip is a normal call: we are open that day.
Pain that medication will not settle, or bleeding that will not stop. Go to the ER. It can ease the pain and treat infection but not repair the tooth, so call us on the next day we are open.
Anything on the ER list above. ER or 911, any day. A knocked-out adult tooth goes with you in milk.
Not sure which one you have. Call 8-1-1. HealthLink BC gives health information and advice by phone with 24-hour access, and can connect you with a registered nurse.
What happens when you call Lux Dental about a chipped tooth?
Treatment rooms at Lux Dental, downtown Vancouver.
You get a straight answer about whether it needs to be seen today. If you are unsure whether it counts as an emergency, call, and we will tell you honestly, which is how our emergency page puts it. We offer same-day emergency appointments where availability allows, and the page says same-day capacity is limited and fills quickly. I will not promise you a slot in a blog post. I can tell you the question is worth asking.
At the visit, the dentist inspects the tooth for chips and cracks and, depending on the damage, may take x-rays, as Cleveland Clinic describes. Our emergency page adds that when one tooth is visibly damaged, neighbouring teeth may be injured in ways that do not show without an exam. For a complex break, we have CBCT 3D imaging on site. A cone beam CT scan can show bone loss that may be a sign of a fracture, Cleveland Clinic notes, though it is not needed for every chip.
Then the options are explained in plain language and you decide.
A few practical things:
We are open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm. Closed Sunday.
Call early. Same-day capacity fills quickly.
A full team of dentists. Our emergency page says this means urgent cases can usually be accommodated.
We speak your language. I speak English, Korean and Mandarin, and our team also speaks Korean and Vietnamese.
Downtown, on Davie Street. The clinic is at 1631 Davie Street, close to the West End, Yaletown and Coal Harbour.
Frequently asked questions
Is a chipped tooth a dental emergency?
Sometimes. It is an emergency when it hurts, bleeds, shows a pink or red spot in the break, leaves a sharp edge, or a large piece is missing. A small chip with no pain, no sensitivity and no sharp edge can usually wait a few days for an appointment. Either way, only a dentist can tell how deep the break goes, so book a visit this week.
How long can a chipped tooth go untreated?
A few days if it is small and comfortable. Cleveland Clinic says a chip that is not causing pain can wait until your dentist can see you, but also that you should schedule an appointment as soon as possible. Leaving a chip can cause other problems if the damage goes beyond the enamel. No source gives a safe number of weeks, so do not wait for one.
Can the ER do anything for a chipped tooth?
For the pain and infection, yes. For the tooth, no. Cleveland Clinic notes that emergency room providers can give pain relievers or antibiotics but do not do fillings or crowns, so you still need your dentist afterwards. Go to the ER for a head or jaw injury, trouble breathing or swallowing, spreading swelling, or bleeding that will not stop.
What should I do if I chip a tooth on a Sunday?
Rinse with warm water, keep any piece in milk, and cover a sharp edge with dental wax or sugar-free gum. If the chip is small and comfortable, call us on Monday morning. We are open Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, and closed Sunday. If it keeps bleeding, or you have trouble breathing or swallowing, go to the ER. Call 8-1-1 if you are unsure.
Should I keep the piece of a chipped tooth?
Yes, if you can find it. Put it in a little milk and bring it to your appointment, because a dentist may be able to reattach it. If you cannot find it, do not worry: Harvard Health notes that dentists can rebuild the tooth with white resin without it. A knocked-out whole tooth is different: keep it in milk and get to a dentist or the ER right away.
Is a chipped tooth covered by insurance?
Coverage depends on your plan, and your insurer makes the decision, so I cannot answer yes or no for you. Ask your insurer what your plan includes before any treatment is planned, and have your plan details to hand when you call. Our fee guide page says many insurers use the BC dental fee guide to set coverage amounts.
Will a chipped tooth heal on its own?
No. Enamel is, in Harvard Health's description, a lifeless matrix of calcium and phosphorus, and a broken piece does not grow back. A rough edge may feel smoother with time, but that tells you nothing about what lies beneath the break. A dentist can polish, bond or cover the tooth, and a small chip may need no treatment at all.
Book a chipped tooth visit in downtown Vancouver
A chip you can feel with your tongue deserves a look this week. A chip that hurts deserves one today.
If it hurts, call. If it is small and comfortable, book online. We are rated 4.9 on Google from 179 reviews at the time of writing, and we are open Monday to Saturday.
Lux Dental, 1631 Davie Street, Vancouver. Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm. Closed Sunday.
Sources: Merck Manual Consumer Version (Canadian edition), Fractured, Loosened, or Knocked-Out Teeth (full review August 2026); Cleveland Clinic, Chipped Tooth (last updated 30 April 2024), Cracked Tooth (Fractured Tooth) (last updated 29 April 2024), What Is a Dental Emergency and Where To Go for Care (last updated 15 September 2022) and Dental Crowns (last updated 14 April 2023); Canadian Dental Association, Bonding & Veneers and Root Canal Treatment (read 7 October 2026); American Dental Association, MouthHealthy, Dental Emergencies (read 7 October 2026); Harvard Health Publishing, When teeth get damaged (2014); Government of Canada, Concussion: Symptoms and treatment (read 7 October 2026); Government of British Columbia, 8-1-1 Services, HelpStartsHere (read 7 October 2026); Lux Dental emergency, MINISH and fee guide pages (read 7 October 2026). Google rating and review count checked 7 October 2026.
Dr. Gloria Jung, DDS, BSc, Lux Dental
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