A visible chipped or broken tooth can destroy your smile and make you feel self-conscious. A chipped or cracked tooth can be caused by a variety of factors. Cavities, biting on hard objects like ice cubes or hard sweets, facial or mouth injuries, poor dental hygiene resulting in weakening tooth enamel, and teeth grinding can all result in chipped or fractured teeth.
Keep reading to learn what you should do if you chip or break a tooth. Contact California Dental Group at 800-407-0161 for help from a California dentist.
It’s critical to notify your dentist right away if you chip or break a tooth
If your tooth is not properly cared for, it might become further damaged or infected, and you could lose it. You may want to investigate some self-care solutions before seeing your dentist.
If you’re in pain, over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or an ice pack can help lessen the discomfort and reduce inflammation. To relieve the discomfort and eradicate bacteria from the region, rinse your mouth with salt water. To protect the sharp or jagged edges from injuring the inside of your cheeks or tongue, wrap a piece of wax paraffin or sugarless chewing gum around them.
The sort of therapy your dentist will prescribe for your chipped or broken tooth will be determined by the severity of the chipped or broken tooth. A severely damaged tooth will have more invasive operations, but a little chip will just necessitate minor adjustments.
Chips that are small to moderate in size
Small to moderate chips are rarely a dental emergency unless they are accompanied by severe pain. Simple polishing using dental equipment can be used to eliminate the rough edges from extremely small or microscopic chips on the margins of teeth. Dental bonding is frequently used to repair minor to major chips. The bonding substance, however, can chip or become damaged over time and will need to be replaced. Porcelain veneers are a more permanent alternative to dental bonding and might be an option.
Chips of a large size
If a considerable portion of a tooth has been chipped away, the tooth should be salvaged. Your dentist will most likely be able to repair it using dental bonding. The tooth can be repaired with a complete crown if the roots are not impacted. A root canal and a dental crown are frequently necessary in situations when the nerves, blood arteries, and connective tissues in the pulp part of the tooth are disrupted, and this sort of injury requires immediate care.
A missing tooth
A shattered tooth with acute pain and bleeding is a dangerous ailment that needs immediate medical treatment. The shattered tooth must be rescued and sent to the dentist’s office as soon as possible. A root canal and dental bonding or crown surgery can be performed to fix a tooth that has broken above the gum line. If the tooth is shattered beyond the gum line, it may be necessary to remove it.
Allowing a chipped or broken tooth to spoil your smile is not a good idea. Call California Dental Group right away at 800-407-0161 to learn how we can assist you.
