A Damaged Tooth Is Stressful, but the First Hour Makes a Real Difference
It can happen in a second: a bite of something hard, a fall, a collision at the gym, or a tooth that was cracked for weeks and finally gave way. You’re looking in the mirror, your mouth hurts or feels strange, and you’re trying to figure out what to do before you can reach a dentist.
What you do in the first few minutes matters, and it depends on whether the tooth is chipped, cracked, or knocked out. A knocked-out tooth in particular is a race against the clock. Most chips and cracks aren’t as urgent, but none heal on their own, and a crack you can’t see can keep getting worse.
At Dr. Sam A. Lavi’s offices in Studio City and downtown Los Angeles, Dr. Lavi has spent more than 28 years treating damaged teeth for patients from Sherman Oaks, Encino, Burbank, and across the city. For emergency dental care in Studio City and Los Angeles, call the office closest to you.
Call (213) 623-2212 (Los Angeles) or (818) 980-8472 (Studio City) to learn more.
What to Do Right Now
1. Knocked-Out Adult Tooth (Avulsion) — Act Immediately
- Handle with Care: Pick up the tooth only by the crown (the chewing surface). Never touch the tissue-covered root.
- Rinse Gently: If dirty, rinse for 1–2 seconds with cold milk, saline, or clean water. Do not scrub, use soap, or remove attached tissue fragments.
- Reinsert if Possible: Gently push the tooth back into its socket and bite down softly on a clean cloth or gauze. Never force it.
- Keep it Moist: If reinsertion isn’t possible, store the tooth in Save-A-Tooth (Hank’s Balanced Salt Solution), cold milk, or inside your cheek to keep it viable. Never store it in tap water or wrap it in dry tissue.
- Get to Us Fast: Head directly to our office—teeth re-implanted within 30 to 60 minutes have the highest success rate.
2. Cracked or Fractured Tooth
- Rinse: Flush your mouth with warm water to clear debris.
- Reduce Swelling: Apply a cold compress or ice pack wrapped in a cloth to the outside of your cheek.
- Protect the Area: Avoid chewing on that side. Call us for a same-day evaluation, especially if biting causes sharp pain.
3. Chipped Tooth
- Save Fragments: Find any broken pieces and store them in a small container with milk or saline.
- Cover Sharp Edges: If the remaining edge is sharp against your cheek or tongue, cover it with temporary dental wax or sugar-free chewing gum.
- Schedule Care: Small chips are rarely painful emergencies, but they require repair to prevent deeper fractures and decay.
When to Go Straight to the Emergency Room (ER)
Dental offices handle tooth repairs, but head and neck trauma requires a hospital ER. Seek emergency medical care immediately if you experience:
- Loss of consciousness, confusion, or signs of a head injury
- A suspected broken or dislocated jaw
- Uncontrolled severe oral bleeding
- Swelling that spreads into your throat, neck, or under your eye, causing difficulty breathing or swallowing
Which Kind of Damage Do You Have?
A Chipped Tooth
Chips range from tiny enamel flakes to larger pieces that expose the sensitive inside of the tooth. A small chip with no pain is usually not urgent, but it won’t heal itself, and the rough edge can wear against your tongue and make the tooth more likely to break again.
A Cracked Tooth
Cracks come in many forms. Hairline cracks in the enamel are often harmless, but a crack that reaches deeper into the tooth can cause sharp pain when you bite or release, or sensitivity to hot and cold. You often can’t tell how deep a crack goes just by looking, which is why it’s worth having it checked.
A Knocked-Out Tooth
When an entire adult tooth comes out, getting it back into place quickly gives it the best chance of surviving. Baby teeth are different: don’t try to put a baby tooth back in. Just call us.
What Causes Chipped and Cracked Teeth?
Most damage comes from a handful of causes:
- Biting something hard, like ice, a pit, a popcorn kernel, or a hard candy
- Accidents and sports, including falls and hits to the face
- Grinding or clenching, which stresses teeth over time
- Large or old fillings, which can weaken the tooth around them
- Wear and age, since teeth become more brittle over the years
What to Do Until You Can Be Seen
Manage Pain and Swelling
Hold a cold compress against your cheek, over the sore area, for short periods. If you take an over-the-counter pain reliever, follow the label directions and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you’re unsure, especially if you take other medications. Don’t place aspirin directly on the gum or tooth.
Protect the Tooth
Stick to soft foods, chew on the other side, and avoid very hot, very cold, or sugary foods and drinks. Don’t bite on the damaged tooth or test the crack with your tongue or fingers.
Don’t Use Glue
Don’t try to glue a chipped or broken piece back on with household glue. It isn’t safe for your mouth and can make treatment harder. Bring the fragment with you in a clean container.
Your Visit, Step by Step
Every case is different, and we’ll walk you through yours. In general:
- Call the Office Closest to You: Tell us what happened and how you’re feeling so we can tell you how fast to come in.
- Same-Day Scheduling: Same-day appointments are often available for urgent cases, so call as early as you can.
- Exam and X-ray: We check the tooth, the roots, and the surrounding gums and bone to see how deep the damage goes.
- Diagnosis: We explain what we found in plain language.
- Your Options: We go over the treatment choices, including how to save the tooth when that’s possible.
- Treatment or Relief: We repair the tooth or relieve your pain and plan any follow-up.
- Follow-Up: Our team checks in to see how you’re doing.
How Can a Damaged Tooth Be Repaired?
Depending on the damage, Dr. Lavi may recommend:
- Dental bonding to repair a small chip with tooth-colored material
- Porcelain veneers when a front tooth needs a more refined cosmetic repair
- A same-day crown to cover and protect a cracked or heavily chipped tooth
- Root canal therapy when the damage has reached the nerve
- An extraction when a tooth can’t be saved, with a plan to replace it using a dental implant or bridge
How Fast Do You Need to Be Seen?
- Knocked-out adult tooth: Immediately. Call as you’re heading in.
- Cracked or broken tooth, or any tooth with pain: Call the same day.
- Small chip with no pain and no sharp edge: Call to schedule a visit soon. It usually isn’t an emergency, but it won’t repair itself.
Our Studio City office is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Call (213) 623-2212 for Los Angeles office hours. If you reach us after hours, leave a message, and if you have any of the warning signs listed above, go to the nearest ER.
Does Insurance Cover Damaged Teeth?
Yes, as long as the treatment is medically necessary to restore structure or function, or relieve pain, rather than purely cosmetic.
Coverage Breakdown by Procedure
- Emergency Exams & X-Rays (80%–100% Covered): Most plans cover diagnostic care and palliative pain relief immediately.
- Basic Restorative (70%–80% Covered): Minor chips and cracks fixed with composite fillings or dental bonding fall under basic benefits after your deductible.
- Major Restorative (50% Covered): Severe fractures requiring root canals, dental crowns, or extractions are covered up to half the cost, subject to annual maximums.
Call us with questions about cost, and check our special offers for new patients.
Mistakes to Avoid With a Damaged Tooth
- Waiting to see if a cracked tooth “settles down” on its own
- Handling a knocked-out tooth by the root or scrubbing it clean
- Storing a knocked-out tooth in tap water or tissue
- Using household glue on a broken piece
- Chewing on the damaged side
- Ignoring a head injury or spreading swelling because the tooth seems like the bigger problem
Don’t Wait on a Damaged Tooth
If you’ve chipped, cracked, or knocked out a tooth, don’t put it off. Dr. Sam Lavi and his team will help you figure out the next step and get you comfortable. Call (213) 623-2212 for our Los Angeles dental office or (818) 980-8472 for our Studio City dental office to learn more, or contact us online.
We proudly serve patients from Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Burbank, downtown Los Angeles, and surrounding communities.
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