What Can You Do For A Chipped Tooth?

A chipped tooth can be extremely painful. The good news is that a broken tooth is a common dental issue that does not cause any serious damage. However, you must take tooth repair measures immediately to prevent more damage.

Well, a chipped tooth can consist of minor enamel damage to a major fracture, whereby the damage extends to the deeper layers of the tooth. Also, among chipped tooth treatments are veneers, crowns, dental fillings, root canal therapy, and bonding. Only make sure to consult your dentist early on for timely treatment.

Chipped Tooth: Common Causes

Among some causes of a broken tooth are:

• Chewing candies, ice, nuts, and other hard foods
• Sports injuries falls, and accidents can cause trauma, leading to a chipped tooth
• Many people get a broken tooth because of habitual grinding of teeth, particularly when they sleep
• Poor oral hygiene can weaken the teeth while causing the chipping of teeth
• Teeth exposure to sudden temperature changes can cause thermal stress and chips; this includes when you eat hot food and then drink cold beverages.
• If you use your teeth to cut thread or open packages, your teeth can chip off.

Ensure you seek prompt dental care for tooth repair to prevent your condition from getting worse.

Chipped Tooth V/s Cracked Tooth

Both chipped teeth and cracked teeth warrant a visit to your dentist. In the case of a chipped tooth, some part of your enamel breaks off.

In contrast, you can get a fractured tooth because of a crack within.

Schedule an appointment with your dentist for tooth repair and to learn more about your tooth condition.

Chipped Tooth: Self-Care Measures

Immediate care for a broken tooth is crucial to prevent further damage, whereby you can:

• Rinse your mouth with warm water to keep the area clean and free of debris
• You can reduce the pain and swelling of a chipped tooth by applying a cold compress
• Avoid hard foods and drinks; consume only soft foods from the other side of the mouth
• If your broken tooth has sharp edges, use wax paraffin or sugar-free gum to prevent cuts on your cheeks or tongue
• Seek prompt, professional dental treatment for your tooth repair.

Chipped Tooth: Medical Treatments

The sooner you visit your dentist for tooth repair when your tooth chips, the better. There are a variety of dental procedures for fixing a chipped tooth, including:

1) Dental Glue: If only your tooth has chipped off, your dentist can apply glue to restore the chipped-off tooth fragment

2) Bonding: As part of the bonding treatment for a broken tooth, the use of plastic resin to fill the crack for tooth restoration is common

3) Veneers: Veneers can help cover imperfections in your front teeth. When a minor tooth chip occurs, your dentist may use veneers for greater coverage than bonding.

4) Polishing: Small tooth chips are treatable by polishing the teeth to blend with your surrounding teeth

5) Crowns: Tooth caps or crowns can help protect weak or severely damaged teeth. Your dentist may use dental crowns in cases of large-sized tooth chips.

6) Fillings: If your back tooth has chipped off, you may need fillings to replace the missing parts. Materials such as glass and metal are some types of fillings.

7) Root Canal: Root canals are effective in treating infections in the inner portion of the tooth. This treatment is administered when there is a danger of the nerves within the teeth getting damaged. Your healthcare provider may also install a crown to protect the treatment site from infections or injuries.

Chipped Tooth: Prevention Measures

Although you cannot prevent a tooth from chipping, you can take some steps to reduce tooth injuries. These include:

• Using a mouthguard during sports activities
• Wearing a night guard to prevent grinding of the teeth
• Making flossing and brushing as part of your oral hygiene routine
• Avoiding hard foods when you have weak teeth
• Take GERD treatment measures if you suffer from it
• Refrain from sugar-rich and acidic foodstuff

WRAPPING UP

Getting all panicky during tooth injuries cannot be avoided. Nonetheless, if it is only a chipped or cracked tooth, you need not worry much. There are a host of tooth repair procedures that can provide you with much-needed relief. Also, in case of a minor tooth chip, a simple polish can help to restore your appearance along with your beautiful smile.