What to Do if Your Child Chips a Tooth — A Gilbert Parent’s Guide

Kids chip teeth. It happens at recess at Gilbert Elementary, at soccer practice at Crossroads Park, at a birthday party, on a concrete pool deck. The first call most parents make is to their pediatrician — but chipped teeth are dental, not medical, and the first hour after the injury often determines whether the fix is simple or extensive. Here’s exactly what to do, based on thousands of pediatric dental emergencies our Gilbert practice has treated over the years.

Step 1: triage the injury in 30 seconds

Before you call anyone, look in your child’s mouth and assess:

• Is the tooth chipped or knocked out entirely? If knocked out, that’s a different emergency entirely — see our knocked-out tooth page. A knocked-out baby tooth typically isn’t reimplanted (it’s supposed to fall out eventually), but a knocked-out permanent tooth in a child over 6 has a 30-60 minute reimplantation window.
• Is the tooth a baby tooth or a permanent tooth? The child’s two front upper teeth usually erupt around 7-8 and are the ones most commonly chipped in sports injuries. If your child is 8+, the chipped front tooth is likely a permanent tooth. Consequences of a chipped permanent tooth are longer-lasting.
• Is there bleeding? Gums, lips, and tongue may be cut in the same injury. Bleeding usually stops with 10-15 minutes of firm pressure using clean gauze or a clean washcloth. Persistent bleeding past 20 minutes of continuous pressure — call us or head to an ER.
• Is your child in severe pain? Sharp, throbbing, or increasing pain suggests the chip extended into the tooth’s inner dentin or pulp. Mild discomfort from the rough edge or lip laceration is expected and manageable.
• Is the pink pulp visible at the fracture site? A chip that exposes the pulp (you’ll see a tiny pink dot in the middle of the fracture) is a true emergency — pulp exposure requires protective dressing within hours to avoid losing the nerve.

Step 2: immediate first-aid

Rinse your child’s mouth gently with warm water to clear debris and see the injury clearly. Save any broken fragments — rinse them, put them in a small container with milk or saliva, bring them to the appointment. We can sometimes bond the original fragment back in place, which produces a better cosmetic result than rebuilding from composite alone.

Cold compress on the outside of the face (20 minutes on, 20 off) reduces swelling. Children’s ibuprofen dosed appropriately for weight handles most chip-related discomfort. Soft foods for 24 hours. No chewing on the affected side.

If there’s a sharp edge cutting your child’s tongue or cheek, orthodontic wax or even a small piece of sugarless gum can smooth it temporarily. Do not attempt any DIY repair with superglue (cytotoxic and damages the pulp) or over-the-counter temporary filling material (not designed for permanent teeth in children).

Step 3: when to come in

Same-day, non-negotiable:

• Pulp exposure visible at the fracture (pink dot in the center of the break)
• Severe or throbbing pain
• Bleeding that won’t stop with 20+ minutes of pressure
• Large fracture involving significant tooth structure
• Tooth that feels loose or displaced
• Any trauma with concurrent facial or head injury

Next business day:

• Minor enamel chip with no pain or exposed dentin
• Cosmetic chip on a baby tooth where the child is comfortable
• Lip or gum laceration that’s stopped bleeding on its own

Go to an ER instead:

• Loss of consciousness or altered mental state after the injury
• Suspected jaw fracture (inability to close teeth together properly, crepitus when moving jaw, significant facial asymmetry)
• Severe facial swelling or obvious deformity
• Injuries involving multiple teeth and significant bleeding
• Any concern about head or neck injury

What treatment looks like for a chipped permanent tooth

Most pediatric chip repairs at our Gilbert office are straightforward. For a minor enamel chip, composite bonding in a single 30-45 minute visit restores the tooth. Cost: $200-$400 per tooth, often covered 50-80% by dental insurance when the tooth is structurally affected.

For a larger chip extending into dentin, we may place a larger bonded composite restoration or, if the chip is substantial, a porcelain veneer or crown. Veneers and crowns are typically deferred until the child’s teeth have finished erupting and the gums have stabilized (usually around age 17-18) — interim composites get them through the growing years without committing to a permanent restoration on a still-developing jaw.

For a chip with pulp exposure, the nerve needs protective dressing immediately. Sometimes a pulp cap (a medicated liner over the exposed pulp) is enough if the exposure is small and fresh. Larger exposures or delayed treatment may require a pulpotomy (partial removal of the pulp) or full root canal. We explain the options based on what we see clinically.

For baby teeth specifically

Chipped baby teeth are usually less of a structural emergency than chipped permanent teeth. Options range from smoothing the rough edge (for cosmetic chips with no sensitivity) to a small composite restoration (for chips that affect eating or have exposed dentin). Aggressive treatment on baby teeth is usually unnecessary — they’ll exfoliate on their own in a few years.

The exception is when a baby tooth is severely damaged or the injury might have affected the permanent tooth bud beneath. X-rays evaluate the developing permanent tooth. If the underlying permanent tooth is damaged, you’ll want monitoring over the following months to years.

Prevention — what actually works for active kids

Custom mouthguards for sports — not the boil-and-bite versions — cut dental injury rates substantially. Cost at Glisten Dental Studio: $150-$300 for a custom fitted mouthguard. We make these for Gilbert youth soccer players, Little League, football, hockey, and martial arts students regularly. For kids involved in multiple contact activities, the mouthguard pays for itself the first time it prevents a chip.

Helmets with face cages for high-impact sports. Adult supervision at pool decks and playgrounds where falls onto hard surfaces happen. Not chewing on pens, pencils, ice, or hard candy.

What to expect when you call us

Call 480-331-4955. We’ll triage over the phone — describe what happened, what you see, and how your child is doing. We’ll tell you whether we can see you that same afternoon, whether to come in first thing tomorrow, or whether to go to an ER instead. First-time patients are welcome — bring ID, insurance card, and the broken fragment if you have it.

Your child’s chipped tooth is fixable. The fix is easier when it’s addressed promptly, and we’re here to help you get there.