Your teeth are called on to do a lot every day, including grinding, chewing, and biting. They’re not indestructible, unfortunately, and sometimes accidents or injuries happen. You might wonder, what’s the process of treating a chipped tooth? Can anything be done?
Treating a chipped tooth falls into the category of cosmetic dentistry services. Each case is a little different, of course, but cosmetic dentistry has the techniques in hand to fix your chipped or broken tooth in no time. It likely won’t even be noticeable.
Why Do Teeth Break?
It’s fair to say that many of us take our teeth for granted. We eat the wrong things, use our teeth to open bottles, play risky sports, and take other actions that can put our mouth at risk. But teeth can also break through no fault of our own. Some of the most common reasons include:
- Eating hard candy, ice, or nuts
- Playing sports such as hockey or football without a mouthguard
- Tooth decay and cavities
- Teeth grinding that wears down enamel
- Diet of sugary or acidic foods that compromise enamel
- Excessive alcohol use
Age is also a crucial factor that leads to many requests for treating a chipped tooth. Studies show that the enamel around your teeth begins to decline if you’re over the age of fifty. As the enamel declines, your teeth become more susceptible to injury. According to a paper in the Journal of Endodontics, more than sixty percent of cases of chipped teeth were in people over the age of fifty.
Treating a Chipped Tooth
Treating a chipped tooth is among the most common procedures in dentistry, according to the American Association of Endodontists. Even on such a small surface as your teeth, specialists can fix the injury by either returning the broken enamel to its place or by securing a filling or crown in place.
Probably the most important advice is not waiting for the perfect moment for treating a chipped tooth. The longer you wait, the deeper the damage, and the less likely it is that endodontists or dentists can assist you. If there is a delay in getting treatment, make sure you concentrate on soft foods.
The steps required in treating a chipped tooth for you may be minor. If the chip is small, then your dentist may be able to smooth and polish the chipped tooth and return your bite and your smile to normal.
What to Do if You Have a Chipped Tooth
You can help in preparation for treating a chipped tooth. Save the chip, if you can! According to the Harvard Medical School, it might be sizeable enough that your dentist can apply adhesive to put it back into place.
If the chip is bigger, then your best option might a crown — a manufactured tooth that fits over the one that got chipped. This will take a little bit of time, as it involves the dentist forming a mold of the tooth and fitting it in the space available.
If the injury goes even deeper and exposes some of the interiors of the tooth, you’re potentially at risk of infection. This might delay the treatment for a few weeks so the dentist can see the extent of the damage. For more severe injuries, you might require a root canal.
Dentistry has developed advanced techniques for treating a chipped tooth. If you have suffered an injury, contact us today.
Let Splendid Dental Atascocita Help Your Chipped Tooth
When accidents happen, Splendid Dental Atascocita has the team to help with treating a chipped tooth. Our professionals are skilled in emergency dentistry to handle chipped or broken teeth, supplemented by our cosmetic dentistry expertise in techniques such as dental bonding. We’ll put your smile back together. We also provide a full suite of general dentistry services, including professional teeth cleaning, fillings and sealants, dental crowns and bridges. Regular visits to the dentists can lower the risk of problems later in life. Contact us at 713-244-7790 for an appointment today.