Whether you bit down on an unexpected olive pit, suffered a sports injury, or had an older filling finally give way, a chipped or broken tooth demands prompt, expert attention. At BB Dental Care in Burbank, Dr. Bryanna Hubbard provides same-day evaluation and gentle repair to eliminate sharp edges, stop pain, and restore your tooth's natural beauty.

Ignoring a broken tooth—even one that does not immediately hurt—can allow oral bacteria to rapidly invade the inner pulp chamber, leading to severe nerve infections or complete tooth loss. We offer fast appointments, including Saturdays, to stabilize and restore your smile right away.

What to Do Right Now if Your Tooth Broke:

  1. Rinse Gently: Swish with warm salt water to clean away debris and soothe surrounding gum tissue.
  2. Save Any Broken Pieces: If a clean fragment broke off, rinse it in cold water and bring it with you in a small container of milk or saline.
  3. Protect Your Cheeks & Tongue: If the jagged edge is sharp, cover it temporarily with clean sugar-free gum, dental wax, or a moist gauze pad.
  4. Manage Swelling & Discomfort: Apply a cold compress to the outside of your cheek in 10-minute intervals. Avoid aspirin directly on the gums.
  5. Call Us Immediately: Reach out to BB Dental Care at (818) 256-3060 for a same-day urgent visit.

How We Repair Broken & Chipped Teeth

Cosmetic Composite Bonding

Ideal for minor chips or jagged enamel on front teeth. Dr. Hubbard color-matches high-density resin to your natural tooth, sculpting and curing it in a single 30-to-45-minute appointment with zero anesthesia needed in most cases.

Custom Porcelain Veneers

For more substantial fractures across the visible front smile zone. Master-crafted ceramic veneers cover the entire front face of the tooth, providing optimal translucency, lifelike beauty, and superior durability against re-chipping.

Ceramic Inlays & Onlays

If a chewing cusp of a back molar broke off around an old filling, an onlay ("partial crown") preserves healthy natural enamel while rebuilding structural chewing strength out of solid lab-milled porcelain.

Full Ceramic Crowns

When a large portion of the tooth has fractured away, a custom ceramic crown covers the entire remaining tooth like a protective helmet, sealing it against bacteria and preventing vertical splits.

What if the Break Reaches the Nerve?

If your cracked tooth causes sharp, pulsing pain to cold air or when releasing bite pressure, the fracture line may have exposed the internal dental nerve (pulp). In these cases, Dr. Hubbard performs a gentle root canal procedure to remove the inflamed nerve tissue before sealing and crowning the tooth, saving your natural root and eliminating pain permanently.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a broken tooth heal on its own?

No. Unlike bones or skin, dental enamel contains no living cells and cannot regenerate or heal itself. Left untreated, a fracture line will inevitably deepen under chewing pressure until the tooth splits completely or develops an abscess.

How quickly can I get an appointment for a broken tooth in Burbank?

We reserve daily emergency appointment slots specifically for broken teeth and acute dental injuries. Call our Burbank office at (818) 256-3060 as early in the day as possible for same-day evaluation. We are also open every Saturday from 8 AM to 5 PM.

Does fixing a broken tooth hurt?

No. Minor chips smoothed with composite bonding typically require no numbing at all. For deeper breaks, Dr. Hubbard uses profound, gentle local anesthesia so you feel zero discomfort during treatment.

Does dental insurance cover broken tooth repair?

Yes. Most PPO dental plans cover emergency exams, digital x-rays, and restorative procedures like fillings, bonding, and crowns required to repair a damaged or fractured tooth.