You bit into something hard. Or you took a fall. Maybe you just woke up and felt something sharp with your tongue.
However it happened, you've chipped a tooth, and now you're wondering what it'll cost to fix it.
The price depends entirely on how severe the chip is and which treatment you need. A minor enamel chip fixed with composite bonding costs £95-£250. A severely broken tooth requiring a crown and root canal can reach £2,500.
Let's break down exactly what you're looking at.
How Severe Is Your Chip?
The cost and urgency of treatment depend on how deep the damage goes.
Minor enamel chips affect only the hard outer layer of the tooth. The entire tooth remains white, there's no sensitivity, and it's purely cosmetic. This isn't urgent. You can book a standard appointment and have it smoothed or bonded within the week. Cost: £30-£250.
Moderate chips expose the dentin layer beneath the enamel. You'll see two colors—white enamel and a darker yellow or brown underneath. This causes sensitivity to cold and pressure when chewing. You should see a dentist within a few days. Cost: £175-£600.
Severe breaks that expose the pulp (the nerve and blood vessel chamber at the tooth's centre) constitute a dental emergency. You'll know this is the case because the pain is significant, the tooth feels loose, and you might see pink or red tissue in the broken area. You need same-day treatment. Cost: £500-£2,500.
Treatment Options and Their Costs
The repair method your dentist recommends depends on how much tooth structure remains intact.
Tooth Contouring (£30-£100)
For the smallest chips, dentists simply smooth and polish the rough edges. This takes minutes, requires no anaesthetic, and works when the chip is barely noticeable. It's the cheapest option because there's no restoration involved—just reshaping what's left.
Composite Bonding (£95-£400)
This is the most common treatment for small to moderate chips. The dentist applies tooth-colored resin directly to the chipped area, shapes it to match your natural tooth, and hardens it with UV light.
The process takes about an hour and usually requires no anaesthetic. Bonding lasts 5-10 years with proper care and costs significantly less than veneers or crowns.
Most private dentists in the UK charge £150-£250 per tooth for composite bonding. Some emergency dental practices advertise from £95 for minor repairs.
Porcelain Veneers (£350-£850)
Veneers work well for front teeth with visible chips. A thin shell of porcelain covers the front surface of the tooth, hiding the damage.
The process requires two appointments. At the first, your dentist files down a small amount of enamel, takes impressions, and fits a temporary veneer. At the second appointment (usually 2-3 weeks later), the permanent veneer is bonded in place.
Composite veneers cost £150-£350 per tooth. Porcelain veneers cost £500-£850 per tooth but last longer (10-15 years versus 5-7 years for composite) and resist staining better.
Dental Crowns (£250-£1,180)
When a large piece of tooth breaks off or the tooth is severely weakened, a crown provides full coverage protection.
The dentist shapes the remaining tooth structure, takes impressions, and fits a temporary crown. The permanent crown arrives from the lab in 2-3 weeks. This typically requires two appointments.
Crown materials affect the cost. Metal crowns (including gold) cost less but are more visible. Porcelain-fused-to-metal offers a balance. All-ceramic or zirconia crowns look most natural and cost £650-£1,180 privately.
Root Canal Treatment (£499-£599)
If the chip exposes the tooth's pulp or causes infection, root canal treatment becomes necessary before placing a crown.
The dentist removes the infected nerve tissue, cleans the root canal system, and fills it. This prevents the infection from spreading and saves the tooth from extraction.
Root canal costs vary by tooth location. Front teeth (single root) cost £499. Premolars cost £549. Molars (multiple roots) cost £599. These figures are for private treatment—add the cost of the crown on top.
Dental Implants (£1,500-£2,600)
When a tooth is cracked below the gum line or too damaged to save, extraction and replacement become necessary. A dental implant involves surgically placing a titanium post in the jawbone, allowing it to integrate over 3-6 months, then attaching an abutment and crown.
The complete process costs £1,500-£2,000 at minimum for a single tooth. Complex cases requiring bone grafting increase costs significantly.
When Does a Chipped Tooth Count as an Emergency?
Not every chip requires same-day treatment, but several situations do warrant immediate attention.
Seek emergency dental care if you experience severe pain that doesn't respond to over-the-counter painkillers, if bleeding persists after applying pressure for 10 minutes, if a large piece of tooth has broken off, or if the tooth feels loose.
Sharp edges that cut your tongue or cheek also require prompt treatment, even if the chip itself is small. A dentist can smooth these edges quickly to prevent soft tissue damage.
For chips that don't hurt and only involve the enamel, you can wait a few days for a standard appointment. But don't wait weeks—even minor chips allow bacteria to enter and cause decay or infection over time.
What Happens If You Ignore a Chipped Tooth
Leaving a chipped tooth untreated leads to predictable problems. The exposed edges continue wearing down unevenly. Cracks develop and spread deeper into the tooth structure. Bacteria enter through the chip and cause decay in areas that were previously protected by intact enamel.
Within months, a simple bonding repair becomes a crown. Within a year, you might need root canal treatment. Eventually, the tooth may crack so severely that extraction becomes the only option.
The cost difference is substantial. A £175 bonding procedure ignored for two years can become a £2,000 implant. The discomfort, time commitment, and expense all increase exponentially the longer you wait.
Immediate Steps After Chipping a Tooth
If you've just chipped a tooth, rinse your mouth gently with warm water. If you can find the broken fragment, place it in milk or saliva—dentists can sometimes reattach it.
Apply gentle pressure with gauze if there's bleeding. Use a cold compress on your cheek to reduce swelling. Take paracetamol or ibuprofen for pain, but avoid aspirin as it can increase bleeding.
If the chip has created a sharp edge, cover it temporarily with sugar-free chewing gum or dental wax from the pharmacy to protect your tongue and cheeks until you see a dentist.
Eat only soft foods and chew on the opposite side of your mouth. Avoid extremely hot or cold foods if the tooth is sensitive.
Getting Same-Day Treatment
Most private dental practices offer same-day emergency appointments for chipped teeth. Some emergency dental services guarantee appointments within 2 hours of calling.
Emergency examination fees typically cost £45-£75. The treatment cost is added on top. Many practices provide transparent pricing before starting work, so you'll know the total cost upfront.
If you're in the Enfield area and need urgent treatment for a chipped tooth, emergency dental services can assess the damage quickly and provide same-day repair for most chips using composite bonding.
Making Chipped Tooth Repair Affordable
Many dental practices offer payment plans for treatments costing £250 or more. These typically spread the cost over 6-36 months with 0% interest on shorter terms.
Dental insurance rarely covers cosmetic repairs, but will usually cover treatment when the chip affects tooth function or causes pain. Check your policy details before proceeding.
For patients without insurance, comparing quotes from multiple practices makes sense for expensive treatments like crowns or veneers. Prices vary significantly by location—central London practices typically charge 20-30% more than suburban or regional practices.
Prevention Makes More Sense Than Repair
Once you've dealt with a chipped tooth, preventing future chips becomes priority. If you grind your teeth at night, a custom night guard protects against the gradual wear that weakens enamel and makes chips more likely.
Avoid chewing ice, hard sweets, or pen caps. Be careful with hard foods like nuts or crusty bread. If you play contact sports, wear a properly fitted mouth guard.
Regular dental check-ups catch small areas of weakness before they become chips. Your dentist can identify teeth with existing cracks or weakened enamel and take preventive measures.
The Bottom Line
Most chipped teeth can be repaired quickly and affordably with composite bonding. The key is acting promptly—within days for minor chips, immediately for severe breaks.
The cost ranges from £95 for simple repairs to £2,500 for complex cases requiring root canal treatment and crowns. Every week you delay, the likelihood of needing more expensive treatment increases.
If you've chipped a tooth, don't wait to see if it "gets better." It won't. Teeth don't heal themselves. But caught early, repairs are straightforward, relatively inexpensive, and highly effective at preventing bigger problems down the line.