Accidents and knocks
Falls, sport and biting on something unexpectedly hard, most often affecting front teeth.
Chipped, cracked or broken
Chipped or Broken Tooth Treatment in Dubai
How a broken tooth is repaired depends on how deep the break goes. A small chip may need only smoothing; a fracture that reaches the nerve needs more.
- Diagnosis before any repair
- Microscope-assisted root canal
- Crowns made in our own lab
Contact us during opening hours, 10:00–20:00 every day. Bring any broken piece with you.
Quick answer
How is a chipped or broken tooth fixed?
It depends on the depth of the break. A small enamel chip is usually smoothed or repaired with composite bonding in one visit. A larger break is restored with a veneer or crown. If the fracture reaches the nerve, root canal treatment and a crown are usually needed, and extraction is only for teeth that cannot be restored. At Creative Arts in Dubai the tooth is examined and X-rayed before any option is chosen.
27 yearsIn-house dental laboratory in the same building
Written planItemised treatment plan before you commit
Open daily10:00–20:00, seven days a week
Jumeirah 3614 Jumeira St, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
Broken a tooth just now? First aid
Rinse gently with warm water. Keep any broken piece in a clean container with milk or saliva. Use a cold compress on the cheek for swelling and over-the-counter pain relief as directed on the pack. Cover a sharp edge with sugar-free gum or dental wax, and avoid chewing on that side. Contact us during opening hours; our emergency dental care page explains what to do next. Facial swelling with difficulty breathing or swallowing needs a hospital emergency department immediately.
Causes
Why teeth chip, crack and break
Knowing the cause matters, because a repair that ignores it tends to break again.
Large old fillings
A tooth that is mostly filling has thin walls left around it, and those walls can split off under normal chewing.
Grinding and clenching
Night-time grinding wears edges thin and can cause fine cracks that spread over time.
Decay
Decay undermines enamel from the inside, so a tooth can break without any obvious knock.
Root-canal-treated teeth
Back teeth that have had a root canal but no crown are more prone to fracture.
How urgent is it?
When a broken tooth needs prompt care, and when it can wait a few days
Any break should be examined, but not every chip is an emergency.
Contact us as soon as possible
- Pain that is constant, throbbing or wakes you at night
- A pink or red spot in the break, which can mean the nerve is exposed
- A large piece missing, or the tooth moves or has been pushed out of position
- Swelling of the gum or face
- A knocked-out adult tooth
Can usually wait for a planned appointment
- A small chip on the edge with no pain
- Brief sensitivity to cold that settles quickly
- A rough edge catching the tongue, covered with wax meanwhile
- A small piece of an old filling lost, with no pain
Treatment options
Chipped and broken tooth treatment options, simplest first
The option depends on how much tooth is lost, whether the nerve is involved, and which tooth it is.
| Option | When it fits | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Polishing and smoothing | Very small enamel chip with no sensitivity | Nothing added; only suitable where the change in shape is barely visible |
| Composite bonding | Small to moderate chips, especially on front teeth | Usually one visit and little or no drilling; can stain and chip, but is repairable |
| Filling | Broken back tooth or lost filling with enough tooth remaining | Quick and conservative; not enough on its own if the remaining walls are thin |
| Veneer | Larger chip on a front tooth with healthy enamel, where appearance matters | Very natural and stain-resistant; some enamel is usually removed |
| Crown | Large break, cracked tooth, or a back tooth with a big filling | Holds a weakened tooth together; more preparation than a veneer or bonding |
| Root canal treatment and crown | The break reaches the nerve, or the nerve is inflamed or infected | Saves the tooth; usually one to two visits for the root canal, then the crown |
| Extraction and replacement | Crack runs down the root, or too little tooth remains to restore | Removes the problem tooth; the gap is then filled with an implant or bridge |
A crack running down into the root usually cannot be repaired; the examination and X-rays decide whether the tooth can be saved.
At the appointment
What happens when you come in with a broken tooth
Look and test
The dentist checks the break, the bite and the nerve's response, often under magnification, to see how deep the fracture goes.
ExaminationX-ray
Shows whether the break reaches the nerve or root and whether there is decay or infection.
ImagingStabilise the tooth
Sharp edges are smoothed and a temporary filling protects the tooth until the definitive repair.
If neededOptions in writing
Each suitable repair is explained, with how long it typically lasts and how much tooth it affects.
Before treatment
Who treats you
Dentists who repair chipped and broken teeth
Conservative repairs, root canal and crown work, and cosmetic front-tooth repairs.
Patient questions
Frequently asked questions
Can a chipped tooth be fixed in one visit?
A small chip usually can: polishing or composite bonding is typically done in a single appointment. Veneers and crowns need a design and laboratory stage, so they take more than one visit, with a temporary protecting the tooth in between. We do not make same-visit crowns or veneers.
Does a chipped tooth always need a crown?
No. Most small and moderate chips are repaired with bonding or a filling. A crown is usually recommended when a large part of the tooth is lost, when the tooth is cracked, or when a back tooth has a big filling or has had a root canal and needs protecting from further fracture.
My broken tooth does not hurt. Do I still need to see a dentist?
Yes, though it is usually not urgent. A break can expose dentine, which lets decay progress faster, and a crack can spread. Examining it early usually means a simpler repair.
Is a crack the same as a chip?
No. A chip is a visible piece missing from the tooth. A crack can be invisible and still cause sharp pain when you bite or release. Hairline cracks, cracked cusps and split teeth are explained on our cracked tooth page, including when a cracked tooth can be saved.
Can the broken piece be glued back on?
Sometimes. A clean fragment from a front tooth can occasionally be bonded back, which is why it is worth keeping it moist in milk or saliva and bringing it with you. Whether it is suitable depends on the fit and on whether the nerve is involved.
What if a child breaks a tooth?
Contact us during opening hours and keep any fragment. Baby teeth and permanent teeth are handled differently, and a young permanent tooth has a still-developing root. Our children's dentistry team can advise on what the tooth needs.
Can a broken tooth be saved?
Usually, yes. Small chips are smoothed or bonded; larger breaks need a filling or crown; if the nerve is exposed, root canal treatment and a crown can still keep the tooth. A break that runs below the gum or splits the root may mean extraction, followed by an implant or bridge.
Keep exploring
Related treatments
UrgentEmergency dentistWhat to do for pain, swelling or a knocked-out tooth.RepairComposite bondingRepairing chips in tooth-coloured resin, usually in one visit.RestorationDental crownsWhen a crown is the right way to protect a weakened tooth.Root canalRoot canal treatmentSaving a tooth when the nerve is damaged or infected.ConditionToothacheWhat different kinds of tooth pain usually mean.ConditionCracked toothPain on biting with no visible break.
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Request a consultation
Tell us what you would like to change. The clinic replies within working hours with an appointment time.
- Address614 Jumeira St, Jumeirah 3, Umm Suqeim 1, Dubai
- Opening hoursClinic open daily, 10:00–20:00
- Phone+971 4 342 4444 · WhatsApp +971 56 677 7537
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A consultation ends with a diagnosis and a written, itemised plan — not a sales pitch. Book online, message us on WhatsApp, or call the clinic.