Regardless of their strength, your teeth can still chip. If you do suspect a chip in your tooth, don’t panic because the good news is that your dentist has a wide array of repair techniques. Hence, reach out to your dentist without sparing a thought. Otherwise, an infection can occur over time, causing you to lose your tooth completely.
What To Know About Your Chipped Tooth?
Although unpredictable, a chipped tooth can cause a variety of issues, ranging from your oral health to your appearance. You can experience pain while chewing, sensitivity to hot or cold, and even cuts on your tongue by the sharp corners of the chipped tooth.
How Is Chipped Tooth Repaired?
Unlike the other tissues of your body, teeth cannot repair themselves. Depending on how severe your chip is, you will be given the treatment accordingly by your dentist. Here are a few techniques your dentist will implement to repair your chipped tooth.
Bonding
If you need to repair a small piece of a chipped tooth, your dentist will recommend a procedure called bonding. In this repair, the affected tooth doesn’t require numbing as it is pain-free. Firstly, your dentist will prepare your tooth by roughening its surface with a liquid for effective sticking. The bonding material is applied, followed by a resin composite that mimics the color of your natural teeth. Your dentist will harden the composite on your chipped tooth by curing it with the help of ultraviolet light.
Crown
A dental crown is a robust tooth-shaped cap used to repair your chipped tooth when the bonding method is not possible. When does this scenario happen? Sometimes, a bigger chip requires a larger bonding filling which tends to be too heavy for your remaining tooth to support. Therefore, the dental crown is preferred. Before placing the crown over your tooth, the area will be cleaned by your dentist to prevent any tooth decay or infection. Crowns are excellent in protecting against further damage to your chipped tooth.
Root Canal
If the chip is significantly large and has extended to the pulp of your tooth, a root canal may be necessary. Comparatively, it’s more painful as the pulp contains the nerves. To repair and reduce further damage, your dentist will carefully remove the pulp with a root canal to avoid tooth decay. Next, a dental crown is placed over your affected tooth. In this way, you will not lose your tooth and still be able to improve the appearance of your teeth.
How Can You Avoid Chipping a Tooth?
Here are some tips:
- Avoid chewing hard foods and nail-biting
- Wear a mouthguard when playing sports
- Use scissors instead of your teeth to cut anything
- Visit the dentist regularly
Conclusion:
It turns out that a chipped tooth is quite repairable; all you need is to show up at your dentist’s office as soon as possible. Give Brookshire Smile Dental a visit for good treatment. Furthermore, you can call us at (281) 934-1010 to learn more about our services.