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Are You Looking to Fix a Chipped Tooth?

Chipped teeth can happen at anytime without warning and can really put a damper on the rest of your day. Although it won’t always lead to immediate pain, more severe cases can result in a toothache, cuts on your cheek and gums, or even infections if not taken care of in a timely manner.

Whether you chipped your tooth from playing hockey, chewing on a piece of ice, or accidentally walking into a wall or door (we’ve all been there), a chipped tooth is something that needs dental care right away. Chipped teeth can even occur due to grinding your teeth at night or tooth decay from neglecting dental hygiene.

Chipped Teeth Lead to Numerous Issues

It doesn’t matter if the chip is small or large, ignoring it can prove to be very costly down the road as more dental work will be needed. Chipped teeth are also more prone to being chipped again, multiplying your concerns.

Let’s take a look at what you could be risking by not calling a dentist right away:

• Sensitivity to hot and cold food or beverages
• Discomfort in the form of a toothache
• If the chip is deep enough, it can lead to tooth decay
• If the chip is deep enough, it can lead to infections
• Major dental work could be needed if the chip becomes a bigger problem (root canal, extraction) -- opposed to just a filling
• Depending on how it chips, itcould be sharp enough to cut your cheek and gums -- leading to a bigger risk of infections and canker sores

Our mouths get used consistently throughout the day, whether we are having a conversation, eating, singing, chewing gum, etc. A chipped tooth can make these everyday things unbearable and uncomfortable.

What Are Your Options?

There will be several different procedures that your dentist will ponder when finding the best solution for your chipped tooth. Their decision will depend on the severity of the chip. An immediate trip to the dentist can help prevent the problem from getting worse.

For minor chips, you will likely only need a filling -- which is a quick and easy procedure that’ll give you the look and function back immediately. They might also choose to just file down the edges if it’s a very small chip.

For larger chips, the dentist may need to place a crown or cap onto the tooth in order to avoid infections in the future. This procedure will be done if the chip didn’t result in damage to the root or pulp.

If your dentist concludes that there is damage to the root or pulp, a root canal will likely be the solution. This is a major dental surgery that can take more than an hour.

If you have recently chipped your tooth and fear that it will only get worse, you can give us a call today to figure out the best course of action. We are always ready to help get your smile back to how you like it.