Broken a tooth? Call 845-336-5855
By appointment, Tuesday to Thursday, 8 am to 5 pm. Tell us which tooth, how it broke and whether it hurts, and we’ll offer the earliest time we can.
How serious is a chipped or broken tooth?
Find the line that matches your tooth. Dr. Ibrahim Sayeed confirms the repair after an exam and X-ray.
| What you see | How urgent | Likely repair |
|---|---|---|
| A rough edge or tiny chip, no pain | Book a normal appointment | Smoothing and polishing, or bonding |
| A bigger chip on a front tooth | Within a few days | Bonding, or a veneer if more is missing |
| A large piece broken off a back tooth | Call today | A crown, made by a dental lab over two visits |
| A crack that hurts when you bite or let go | Call today | Bonding or a crown, and a root canal if the nerve is affected |
| A pink or red spot, or bleeding, in the broken surface | Call now | The nerve is exposed: a root canal, then a crown |
| The tooth has split, or broke off below the gum | Call now | Often an extraction, then an implant, bridge or denture |
What to do before your appointment
These steps protect the tooth and ease the pain until we can see you.
Can a chipped tooth heal on its own?
No. Tooth enamel has no living cells, so it can’t grow back. A small, smooth chip may never need treatment, but a crack can spread over time, so have any break checked.
Do
- Rinse your mouth gently with warm water.
- Keep any broken pieces in a little milk or water and bring them. A clean fragment can sometimes be bonded back on.
- Hold a cold compress to your cheek for swelling.
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever as the packet directs.
- Cover a sharp edge with dental wax or sugar-free gum so it doesn’t cut your tongue.
Avoid
- Chewing on that side.
- Very hot, cold or hard food.
- Putting aspirin on the gum: it burns the tissue.
If a whole adult tooth has been knocked out, minutes matter: follow the knocked-out tooth steps and call us straight away.
How we repair a chipped or broken tooth
Dr. Sayeed keeps as much of your natural tooth as he can and explains each option before anything starts.
Bonding
Tooth-colored resin is shaped over the chip and hardened with a light. It’s the usual fix for small and medium chips on front teeth, done in one visit, and usually lasts 3 to 10 years.
Veneer
A thin porcelain shell covers the front of the tooth when a chip is too large to bond well or the tooth is also discolored. Porcelain veneers usually last 10 to 20 years.
Crown
A cap covers the whole tooth when a large part has broken or a crack runs through it. We scan the tooth, fit a temporary crown, and a local lab makes the final one. Crowns often last 10 to 15 years or more.
Root canal
If the break reaches the nerve, or the nerve becomes infected, a root canal removes it and saves the tooth. A crown then protects what’s left.
Removing the tooth
If a tooth has split down the root, it can’t be saved. Dr. Sayeed removes it gently and talks you through replacing it with an implant, a bridge or a denture.
Smoothing
A tiny chip with no sharp edge or sensitivity can simply be polished smooth. It takes a few minutes and needs no numbing.
What happens at your visit
- Tell us what happened. When you call, say which tooth broke, when, and whether it hurts.
- Exam and X-ray. Dr. Sayeed checks the break and takes a digital X-ray to see whether the nerve or root is involved, or a 3D scan if he suspects a crack in the root.
- Your options and costs. You see what he found and get the cost in writing before any treatment.
- The repair. Bonding and smoothing are usually done at the same visit. A crown takes two visits, with a temporary crown in between.
Numbing is used whenever the repair goes near the nerve, so most repairs don’t hurt.
What does fixing a broken tooth cost?
- It depends on the repair: polishing a chip costs far less than a root canal and a crown, so the exam comes first.
- Insurance: most plans pay part of a repair that isn’t purely cosmetic. We work with most PPO plans, including CSEA and Kingston Trust Fund.
- Spreading the cost: CareCredit and Cherry let approved patients pay monthly.
- No surprises: you get the cost in writing before treatment starts.
Chipped and broken tooth questions
Patients come to us from Kingston, Port Ewen, Lake Katrine, Hurley, Saugerties and across Ulster County.
Is a chipped tooth an emergency?
A small chip with no pain isn’t, but book an appointment within a few days. Call that day if the tooth hurts, has a crack, or shows a pink or red spot, which means the nerve is exposed.
How do you fix a chipped front tooth?
Most chipped front teeth are repaired with bonding in one visit. A larger chip may need a veneer or a crown.
My tooth broke in half. Can it be saved?
Often, yes, if the break is above the gum. It usually needs a root canal and a crown. If the tooth has split down the root, it has to come out and can be replaced with an implant.
Can a cracked tooth be fixed?
A crack in the outer enamel can be bonded or crowned. A crack that reaches the root can’t be repaired, so early treatment matters.
Does fixing a broken tooth hurt?
Usually not. Smoothing and most bonding need no numbing, and a local anesthetic is used for anything near the nerve.
Can I walk in with a broken tooth?
No. Kingston Smiles NY sees patients by appointment only. Call 845-336-5855 and we’ll offer the earliest time we can.
