What to Do If You Lose a Tooth: Costs, Success Rates & Options

When a patient loses an adult tooth, the overall picture is this: a timer started ticking the moment that they lost the tooth.

That timer, and how long it runs for until they are able to receive emergency dental care is what determines both their treatment options and the final costs they're facing.

The stakes for delaying seeking emergency dental care for a knocked out tooth are higher than most people realize. Clinical research shows that tooth reimplantation success drops from 90% in the first 30 minutes, to dramatically reduced outcomes within hours, but if that window is missed, the replacement options are much more expensive.

At this point, we'd like to say that if you've just lost a tooth: call 0113 868 3185 to speak to our skilled emergency team. Emergency appointments at UrgentCare Dental are only £20, and include free x-rays and free follow-ups. We'll take great care of you.

The choice made by a patient in the first 30 minutes after losing a tooth can mean the difference between a successful reimplantation (if the dentist determines this is possible for the patient), and a comparatively expensive replacement.

Replacements for knocked out teeth are usually a dental bridge, or at the highest cost end, a dental implant. These are quite disparate in how much they cost, from a £500+ for a dental bridge to £2,500+ for a private implant, and these prices too vary across different UK regions.

It's a complex situation for a patient to find themselves in. Fortunately, there is an extensive amount of research available about patient outcomes for tooth loss treatment. To better help patients understand the decisions laid out before them, we've conducted our own research to bring the realities of what happens in these situations into the public eye.

In our research, we've analyzed the UK data for the real costs, success rates, and options available when adult tooth loss happens, and we've brought these insights together for our readers who want to learn about the state of the dental market in the UK today for tooth loss treatment.

Emergency Tooth Losses Are Mostly Sports Injuries and Accidents

When people search for "what to do if you lose a tooth," they're typically dealing with sudden trauma - sports injuries, accidents, or impacts that have knocked out an adult tooth completely.

London trauma clinic data tracking 1,769 patients shows that sports injuries account for 7.46% of all dental trauma cases, with contact sports showing 11.38% dental trauma prevalence compared to 5.24% in non-contact sports. This type of sudden tooth loss creates a genuine time-sensitive emergency.

The critical factor is timing. German clinical studies tracking 49 reimplanted teeth showed 65.3% overall survival, but only 26.5% achieved functional healing. The difference between immediate and delayed treatment can be the difference between a patient keeping their natural tooth and facing the need for a pricey replacement.

Emergency Reimplantation: Success Rates and Timing

The most important thing that is seen across our data about tooth reimplantation is that time is absolutely critical. The success rates follow a steep decline pattern that makes every minute count.

Within the first 30 minutes, reimplantation success rates reach 90% according to foundational research by Andreasen. This makes immediate replantation at the trauma site optimal - if you can do it safely and the tooth goes back in easily, this gives you the best possible outcome.

The problem is that this success rate drops significantly within just one hour. Clinical guidelines from the International Association of Dental Traumatology set 60 minutes as the critical threshold because periodontal ligament cells become irreversibly damaged after 30-60 minutes of dry storage time.

After 6 hours, success becomes increasingly variable. Documented cases are seen of successful reimplantation up to 6 hours with proper storage media, though significantly reduced from optimal timeframes. The key factor here is how the tooth has been stored - research shows that milk and saline solution preserve tooth viability much better than water.

After 24+ hours, successful cases are still seen in the medical literature, but long-term complications including ankylosis and root resorption become common. Case reports document successful replantation after 24-30 hours, but these are exceptions rather than the rule.

The practical reality is clear from the research: immediate treatment within 30 minutes offers the highest success rates, while delays beyond hours typically lead to variable outcomes requiring expensive replacement procedures. Clinical guidelines from the International Association of Dental Traumatology identify proper storage media as critical factors, with milk and saline solution preserving tooth viability much better than water.

UK Emergency Dental Costs: Private Care Only is the Current Reality

The practical reality of emergency dental care in the UK is that you're almost certainly looking at private treatment costs. Current data shows that 91% of NHS practices cannot accept new adult patients, making NHS emergency care impossible to access for most people.

Private emergency consultation fees range from £20-£196 across the UK, with significant regional variations. In London, emergency consultations typically cost £58-£99, which is actually more competitive than many expect.

Out-of-hours fees add another £50-£150 premium on top of consultation costs, and that's before any actual treatment begins.

The scale of the NHS access problem is severe: NHS 111 dental calls increased nearly six-fold to over 120,000 in Q1 2024, showing massive unmet demand. 21% of NHS general dentist positions remain vacant, creating nearly half a million days of lost NHS dental activity.

For emergency tooth reimplantation, private dental services provide the accessible option. The consultation costs may be 3-7x higher than theoretical NHS rates, but immediate access within the critical 30-minute window often makes this the only realistic choice.

For patients in Northern England, UrgentCare Dental offers emergency appointments at £20 including free x-rays and free follow up visits. Their low appointment costs and transparent pricing make them one of the most competitively priced emergency dental services in the UK.

Private Replacement Costs (When Reimplantation Isn't Possible)

When the tooth can't be saved - whether it's too damaged, lost completely, or reimplantation fails - patients are looking at private replacement options.

Private replacement costs vary dramatically by region and treatment type. Dental implants are considered to be the gold standard replacement, the prices range wildly from one UK region to the next, as you can see:

• London practices: £1,800-£4,500 per implant

• Leeds and Birmingham: £1,700-£2,500. Northern England generally has the most competitive rates nationally for dental implants.

• Scotland: Higher than one might expect, at £2,300-£5,000 for single implants

• National average range: £1,795-£4,500 for a single implant including abutment and crown

• All-on-4 systems (for multiple teeth): From £15,000 per arch

Aside from implants, private bridges, cost anywhere between £300-£1,200 per unit, while private dentures range from £400-£1,050+. Both of these solutions offer extensive material and aesthetic options that do impact the quite significantly price if a patient decides to go for the most aesthetically refined choices available in modern dentistry.

Aside from aesthetics, there's a significant hidden cost in non-implant options when you consider longevity: dental implants show 95-98% overall success rates, with 96.4% ten-year survival rates and 75.8% success even at 20 years. Bridges average 5-15 year lifespans, while dentures typically last 5-10 years with regular adjustments.

Approximately 30% of implant patients require bone grafting, which costs anywhere from £450-£1,500 from basic procedures to complex reconstructions. When reimplantation fails, bone loss begins within weeks, potentially requiring the patient to have these expensive procedures if treatment is delayed by weeks or months.

The True Cost of Delaying Treatment

The difference between immediate successful reimplantation by a dental professional and delayed treatment is, across medical literature, seen to be an extremely time-sensitive matter.

Immediate reimplantation within 30 minutes:

• Private emergency consultation: £20-£196 plus treatment costs

• Total emergency reimplantation: Typically £200-£500 including follow-up

• Success rate: 90% based on clinical studies

Treatment after 6+ hours:

• Reimplantation success drops dramatically with variable outcomes

• German clinical research showed only 26.5% achieved functional healing even when the tooth survived

• Storage in proper media (milk/saline) becomes critical for any chance of success

Complete treatment failure requiring replacement:

• Private replacement options: £1,795-£4,500 for implants

• This represents a 9-22x higher cost than immediate successful treatment

• Additional bone grafting often required, adding another £450-£1,500

The hidden costs extend beyond immediate replacement. Bone loss begins within weeks, potentially requiring expensive grafting for future implants. Adjacent teeth may shift or develop problems, and bite alignment changes can require orthodontic correction costing thousands more.

Clinical evidence consistently shows that immediate professional emergency treatment provides better outcomes and dramatically lower long-term costs compared to delayed treatment leading to tooth loss and replacement procedures.

Emergency Consultation Costs Vary Across the UK

The location where you lose a tooth significantly affects both a patient's access to emergency care and their costs. The regional variations are substantial enough to make geography a major factor in a patient's treatment options.

The NHS access crisis affects different regions differently. The South West shows only 32% of adults seeing dentists in 24 months, compared to 44% in North East and North West regions. East Midlands, South West, North West, and Yorkshire all show 97-98% of practices unavailable for new patients.

Emergency consultation costs vary significantly by region:

• London: £58-£99 (competitive given the location)

• UK-wide private average: £80-£196

• More affordable options: Dundee at £47.50, some Northern England services at £20-£80, with UrgentCare Dental at the lowest end

The government recognizes these disparities. The new 700,000 urgent appointments initiative for 2025/2026 specifically target areas like Norfolk and Waveney (31 NHS dentists per 100,000 people) compared to the national average. But until these initiatives take effect, these locations remain reliant upon private dental care.

The Private Care Reality of Emergency Dental Services

The practical reality is that private emergency dental services have become the primary option for most people facing dental trauma in the UK.

The scale of NHS unavailability creates a predominantly private market. Beyond the 91% of practices not accepting new patients, structural issues include 21% of NHS positions remaining vacant and only 10,539 full-time equivalent NHS dentists serving England despite 25,367 dentists performing some NHS work.

Private emergency services offer immediate access with same-day availability, evening and weekend options, and no requirement to be a registered patient. The cost is typically 3-7x higher than theoretical NHS rates, but immediate access within the critical 30-minute window often makes this the only realistic option.

Most private practices offer transparent pricing, though some use "from £X" pricing that can multiply once treatment begins. Emergency-focused services like UrgentCare Dental in Northern England provide fixed-rate emergency appointments at £20, demonstrating that competitive pricing is possible in the private market.

The key advantage of private emergency services becomes apparent during genuine emergencies, when the 30-minute window for optimal reimplantation success requires immediate professional access rather than waiting for limited NHS appointments that may not be available for days or weeks.

Final Roundup of Our Research

The harsh reality of adult tooth loss in the UK comes down to timing and access. Patients essentially have a 30-minute window where immediate reimplantation is seen at a 90% success rate in the medical literature, but after that, patients are looking at dramatically reduced outcomes and expensive replacement procedures.

With 91% of NHS practices refusing new patients, patients are almost certain to be facing paying private rates whether they planned to or not. Emergency consultations range from £20-£196 across the UK, but that's still fraction of what a patient will pay if reimplantation fails and they opt for an an implant costing £1,795-£4,500.

The geographical lottery is real. Northern England offers the most competitive emergency pricing, while Scotland unexpectedly shows some of the highest implant costs nationally. London sits somewhere in the middle, despite what you might expect from the capital.

The key takeaway is that immediate professional treatment by a dentist within that critical 30-minute window can save a patient thousands in long-term costs. Every hour of delay increases the likelihood a patient will be facing replacement procedures that cost 9-22 times more than successful emergency reimplantation.

For most people in the UK today, private emergency dental services provide the only realistic access to time-sensitive treatment. The cost premium over theoretical NHS rates becomes irrelevant when a patient is racing against that 30-minute success window that determines whether they have a chance at keeping their natural tooth, or face a new set of decisions about which is the best tooth replacement procedure for them.