Broken Tooth, Edinburgh: Chipped, Cracked or Broken a Tooth?

Q: Does a chipped tooth need treating if it doesn't hurt?

Usually, yes, and the sooner the better. A chip leaves softer dentine exposed, which wears and decays more quickly, and each bite can spread a crack. Fixing it early costs far less than a crown or root canal later.

Q: Why does my broken tooth hurt with cold?

Breaking the tooth has uncovered dentine, which passes sensation through to the nerve. Covering it with bonding or a filling usually calms it down. If the pain lasts for minutes, throbs without a trigger or wakes you at night, that points to an inflamed nerve, and the tooth will need root canal treatment.

Q: Can you save a tooth that's broken at the gum?

It depends. Some can be rebuilt and crowned, others can't, and an X-ray tells us whether enough healthy root remains above the bone. If the tooth can't be kept, we take it out gently and discuss your replacement options: an implant, a bridge or a denture.

Q: I've knocked a tooth out. What should I do?

Pick it up by the crown, never the root. Give it a quick rinse in milk, then press it back into its socket if possible, or keep it in milk. Phone us and aim to be seen within an hour: the faster it goes back in, the more likely it is to survive. Don't put a baby tooth back.

We can usually repair a broken tooth at Comely Bank Dental the day you come in, and nearly every one can be saved if it's seen promptly. Hold on to any pieces, try not to worry, and phone us.

Call 0131 332 3971Book a same-day appointment WhatsApp

An emergency appointment is £75 for registered patients, £99 for everyone else, and free on a dental plan. When we're closed, NHS 24 can help on 111.²

What to Do Now

Until we can see you.

Keep the Pieces

Bring any fragment, kept in milk or a little saliva. A cleanly broken front tooth can sometimes be bonded back in place.

Rinse and Cover the Edge

Rinse your mouth with warm water. To stop a sharp edge cutting your tongue or cheek, press sugar-free chewing gum or orthodontic wax over it.

Manage the Pain

Take ordinary painkillers as the packet directs. If the tooth is sensitive, keep away from very hot, cold or sweet things and chew on the opposite side.

Call Us

We see broken teeth on the day, Monday to Friday, whether you're registered or not. A tooth knocked out completely needs help within the hour; read our emergencies page.

How We Fix It

The right repair depends on how much tooth has gone and whether the nerve is affected, and an X-ray lets us show you.

Small Chip on a Front Tooth

Built back up and shaped in composite on the day, with minimal drilling or none: composite bonding, priced from £300.

Broken Corner or Filling

We'd use a white filling (from £170) or, where more has gone, a build-up (£350).

Cracked Back Tooth

Fitting a ceramic onlay or crown braces the tooth before the crack can spread. Onlays £800; crowns start at £760.

Nerve Exposed or Painful

The pain is settled with root canal treatment (from £450), then a crown.

Broken Below the Gum

Occasionally a tooth is beyond saving. We remove it gently and plan what replaces it, from an immediate denture through to an implant.

Chipped Veneer or Crown

We repair or remake it and check your bite to prevent a repeat, adding a night guard if grinding is to blame.

Go to A&E or Call 999 If

You were knocked unconscious, or you've hurt your head

Your mouth is still bleeding after 20 minutes of firm pressure

Swelling makes it hard to breathe or swallow, or affects your eye

Your jaw may be broken: your teeth won't meet the way they normally do

Call Us the Same Day If

You have a knocked-out, loose or displaced tooth

The broken tooth hurts, bleeds from its centre or shows a pink spot

A big piece has come off one of your back teeth

A sharp edge keeps cutting your tongue or cheek

Your crown, veneer or bridge has come away; keep it and bring it in

Fees

You pay one fee for the emergency visit; the lasting repair is quoted in writing before work starts. Prices checked October 2026.²

Emergency visit, registered patient	£75
Emergency visit, if you're not registered	£99
Temporary filling	£60
White filling	from £170
Composite bonding (each tooth)	£300
Onlay, in ceramic	£800
Back-tooth crown, ceramic	from £760
Re-cementing a crown	£80
Root canal treatment	from £450

See every fee

Questions

Can it be saved, what it costs, and the options if not.

Can a broken tooth be fixed the same day?–

Often, yes. A chip can usually be bonded on the day; a larger break gets a build-up or filling, or a temporary while your crown is made. An emergency appointment is £75, and you'll get a written quote for the permanent repair beforehand.

Does a chipped tooth need treating if it doesn't hurt?+

Why does my broken tooth hurt with cold?+

Can you save a tooth that's broken at the gum?+

I've knocked a tooth out. What should I do?+

Guides

Guides for a Broken Tooth

All general dentistry guides

General dentistry · 9 minute read

Composite Bonding Cost

Broken a Tooth? Call Us

We can see you on the day, Monday to Friday, registered or not. When we're closed, call NHS 24 on 111.

Call 0131 332 3971Book a same-day appointment

Google★★★★★5.0from 30 reviews"My initial meeting was to discuss a treatment plan and was very well explained" Paul M., Google reviewRead reviews