Broken tooth repair in Miami depends on one question: how deep does the damage go? At Prana Dental in Edgewater, Dr. Aakash Rana, DDS looks at the break, tests the nerve and explains every option, from a quick smoothing to bonding, a crown or a root canal. Same-day appointments are available Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm; call or text (786) 579-0521 first.
A tooth has three main layers: hard enamel on the outside, softer dentin under it, and the pulp in the center, where the nerve and blood vessels live. The deeper a break reaches, the more likely it is to hurt and the more involved the repair. Dentists usually sort breaks into a few types:
| Type | What it usually looks or feels like | Repairs often considered |
|---|---|---|
| Craze lines | Fine surface lines in the enamel, common in adults, and they usually don't hurt | Often nothing, or polishing if they bother you |
| Chipped enamel | A small piece missing from an edge, sometimes a rough spot your tongue keeps finding | Smoothing or bonding |
| Chip into the dentin | A larger piece missing, a yellowish area showing, sensitivity to cold or sweets | Bonding, a veneer, an onlay or a crown |
| Fractured cusp | A corner of a back tooth breaks off, often around a large old filling | An onlay or a crown |
| Cracked tooth | Sharp pain when biting or releasing, pain with cold, the crack may be hard to see | A crown, sometimes with root canal treatment first |
| Break that exposes the nerve | A pink or red spot in the center, often sharp pain or bleeding | Usually root canal treatment and a crown |
| Split tooth or a crack below the gum | The tooth moves in two parts or the crack runs under the gum line | Sometimes partial saving; often extraction and replacement |
| Vertical root fracture | A crack in the root, often found after a root canal, with gum swelling or a tender tooth | Usually extraction and replacement |
You can't always tell which type you have by looking in a mirror. A crack can run under the gum or through the tooth in a direction you can't see, which is why pain without a visible chip still deserves an exam. For a quick guide on how urgent your break is, see our post on cracked or chipped teeth.
Stay calm and look after the person first, then the tooth. Our emergency dentist page has a full first-hour checklist. In short:
If you can find the piece of tooth, keep it. For a front tooth in particular, a clean break can sometimes be bonded back on, which can look very natural because it is your own enamel. Whether that works depends on the size of the piece, how cleanly it broke and whether the nerve is involved, so there is no promise, but bringing it gives you one more option.
Pick the piece up without scrubbing it, rinse off any dirt, and keep it in a small container of milk or water so it doesn't dry out. A tooth fragment that dries out can lose some of its color and become harder to bond. Bring it to your visit along with the container.
If a whole adult tooth was knocked out, root and all, that is a different and more time-sensitive emergency. Follow our guide to the first 30 minutes after a knocked-out tooth and get to a dentist right away.
A broken tooth on its own is a dental problem. Go to the ER now, or call 911, if the break came with any of the following:
Once you have been checked at the ER, we can take care of the teeth.
We keep same-day appointments for broken and cracked teeth, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm, and we are closed on Sunday. Please call or text first, even if you are nearby, so we can have time ready. A break with pain, bleeding, a loose piece or an exposed nerve should be seen the same day if possible. A small chip that doesn't hurt can usually wait a few days, and we can find a time that suits you.
When you contact us, tell us how it happened, which tooth, whether it hurts to bite or with cold, and whether you saved the piece. A clear photo sent by text or WhatsApp can help us plan.
Dr. Rana starts by checking the soft tissue and your bite, then the tooth itself. He may test the nerve with cold, ask you to bite on a small instrument to find a crack, and take X-rays to see the root and the bone. Our digital 3D scan records the shape of the tooth and your bite, and it gives the in-house lab what it needs if you end up needing a crown or onlay.
You then hear what type of break you have, which repairs make sense, how long each is likely to last, and what each costs, in writing, before any treatment. Many small repairs can be done the same visit. Larger ones may start with a temporary cover to protect the tooth while the final piece is made. Local anesthetic numbs the area, and oral sedation is available for suitable patients who feel anxious.
Dentists try to keep as much of your natural tooth as they can. Here are the main repairs, roughly in order of how much tooth they involve:
A tiny chip at the edge can often be rounded off and polished in a few minutes. No numbing is usually needed, and the tooth looks and feels smooth again.
For a chip into the enamel or a small part of the dentin, tooth-colored composite resin is shaped onto the tooth, hardened with a light and polished. Dental bonding is usually done in one visit, and it is often a good choice for front teeth. It can stain and chip over time, so it may need touch-ups. If you are weighing it against a veneer, see bonding vs veneers.
When a front tooth has a larger chip, or you want it to match neighbors that you are also improving, a porcelain veneer covers the front surface. It takes more than one visit and removes a thin layer of enamel, so it isn't the first answer for every chip.
A back tooth that has lost a cusp or has a crack usually needs more strength than bonding can give. An onlay covers part of the chewing surface; a crown covers the whole tooth and helps hold a cracked tooth together. Our in-house lab designs and makes them from your 3D scan, which can mean fewer outside steps and a closer match to your other teeth.
If the break or crack has reached the pulp, or the nerve has become inflamed or infected, a root canal cleans and seals the inside of the tooth. A crown then protects what is left. Many teeth treated this way can last for years, though it depends on how much tooth remains and on your bite.
A tooth that is split down the middle, or cracked well below the gum or into the root, often can't be saved. In that case a tooth extraction is the honest answer. The space can later be filled with a bridge, a partial denture or a dental implant, and we talk through which suits your bone, health and budget.
Basketball, soccer, baseball, skateboarding, martial arts and cycling are common sources of broken front teeth, for adults and kids alike. After a sports hit, check for a head injury first. Any sign of a concussion, a possible broken jaw or heavy bleeding means the ER before the dentist.
Once the head and jaw are cleared, bring the person and any broken pieces to us. Front teeth that have been hit hard can look fine and still be bruised inside, so we often recheck the nerve over the following weeks and months, even after the chip is repaired. A properly fitted mouthguard lowers the risk of the next injury. We make custom sports guards from a 3D scan in our in-house lab; see our page on night guards and sports guards.
Kids fall, collide and chew on things they shouldn't, so chipped teeth are common in childhood. How we treat them depends on whether the tooth is a baby tooth or an adult tooth.
Baby teeth: a small chip is often just smoothed and watched. A badly broken or infected baby tooth may need treatment or removal, because an infection can affect the adult tooth forming underneath. Never try to put a knocked-out baby tooth back in.
Young adult teeth: new front teeth in children have roots that are still growing, so we try hard to keep the nerve healthy. A chip is often bonded the same day, and the tooth is checked again over time.
We are a family practice and see kids and teens, though Dr. Rana isn't a pediatric dentist. For very young children or complex injuries, we may refer to a pediatric dentist. More on our kids dentistry page.
Dr. Rana is a general dentist and handles most broken and cracked teeth himself, including bonding, crowns, many root canals and routine extractions. When a case needs more focused care, we say so. A crack in a tooth with curved or blocked canals may go to an endodontist. A tooth broken below the bone, or a difficult surgical extraction, may go to an oral surgeon. A suspected jaw fracture goes to the ER first.
The cost depends mostly on which repair you need. Smoothing a chip is a small visit; bonding, a veneer, a crown, a root canal with a crown, or an extraction followed by an implant are each very different in time, materials and lab work. Which tooth it is, whether X-rays are needed and whether you choose sedation also play a part. After the exam, you get the options and the exact price in writing before any treatment begins.
We accept most major dental insurance. Plans vary, but many cover bonding and extractions as basic services, and crowns, bridges and implants, if covered at all, as major services, subject to deductibles, waiting periods and annual maximums. Cosmetic-only repairs may not be covered. We check your benefits for you. For costs insurance doesn't cover, 0% financing is available on approved credit through CareCredit, Cherry and LendingClub.
After numbing, wait until the feeling comes back before you eat. A repaired tooth can feel a little sensitive to cold for a few days; that usually settles. If your bite feels high or uneven, call us, because a small adjustment can prevent soreness and further damage.
We are at 3050 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 703, on Biscayne Blvd at NE 30th St in Edgewater, with building parking, street parking and rideshare drop-off at the building. Midtown, Wynwood and the Design District are often 5 to 10 minutes away, and Downtown and Brickell often 10 to 20 minutes, depending on traffic.
Dr. Aakash Rana, DDS is a general dentist trained at NYU College of Dentistry, with more than $100,000 in continuing education. He plans and treats each case at Prana Dental himself, works with our in-house lab, and refers to a specialist when a case needs one.
Most broken teeth can be repaired. Small chips are usually smoothed or bonded, larger breaks often need a crown, and breaks that reach the nerve may need a root canal first. A tooth split down the middle or cracked into the root often can't be saved and is replaced instead.
A small chip with no pain and no sharp edge can usually wait a few days to a couple of weeks. A chip that hurts, is sensitive to cold, bleeds or shows a pink spot should be seen the same day if possible. Waiting too long can let a crack spread or bacteria reach the nerve.
No. Unlike a broken bone, a crack in a tooth doesn't knit back together, and chewing can make it grow. Treating it early, often with a crown, gives the tooth a better chance of being saved.
It depends on the size and location of the chip. Bonding suits small and medium chips, especially on front teeth, and is usually done in one visit. A crown is usually stronger for back teeth, large breaks or cracked teeth. Dr. Rana explains the trade-offs for your tooth.
Small repairs like smoothing or bonding often need little or no numbing. For larger repairs, local anesthetic numbs the area, so most people feel pressure rather than pain during treatment. Mild tenderness for a few days afterward is common, and oral sedation is available for suitable patients who are anxious.
Often, yes, if the break is above the gum and the root is healthy. Depending on whether the nerve is exposed, the repair may be a bonded fragment, bonding, a crown, or a root canal and a crown. Bring the broken piece in milk or water, and come in as soon as you can.
Many plans pay toward repairs such as bonding, crowns and root canals, usually after deductibles and up to your annual maximum, and some have waiting periods. Purely cosmetic repairs may not be covered. Most major dental insurance is accepted here, and we check your benefits for you.
Call or text (786) 579-0521 and send a photo. Same-day appointments, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm.