Chipped teeth are not fun, and knowing the options for treating a chipped tooth is important for keeping your smile intact. There are a few things you should know about the risks that can lead to a chipped tooth, along with understanding whether you’re dealing with an emergency dental situation or not. Treating a chipped tooth might seem stressful at first, but you’ll be able to maintain a great smile with assistance.
What Causes Tooth Chips and Cracks
Teeth undergo a lot of stress daily, and they’re expected to hold up to this for decades. It makes sense that they wear down over time and become weaker as you get older. Good dental hygiene helps a lot with keeping your smile healthy over the years, but your lifestyle, genetics, and medical status also play a role in the resiliency of your teeth. Some conditions result in weaker teeth or may have an effect that reaches the teeth.
Weak teeth may chip or crack under stress, which opens up the vulnerable inner layers to the air. Bacteria will capitalize on this weakness to gain a foothold in your teeth, especially if food debris ends up stuck in your teeth. Bacteria, particularly like sugar, so sugary drinks can cause a lot of problems. They’re also highly acidic, which will wear down the enamel over time as well.
Acute injury also causes tooth damage. You might have a hard fall, or something could smash into your mouth. Even perfectly healthy teeth would have an issue in this situation, especially if the impact is forceful enough.
Symptoms of a Chipped Tooth
The symptoms of a chipped tooth are not always obvious, and you may not even know that you have a chipped tooth at first. That’s one reason why it’s important to get routine dental cleanings every six months, as the dentist can identify overlooked problems before they become more of an issue.
You can often physically see the crack or chip for self-diagnosable hipped teeth when you look in your mouth. It might be a tiny break, or it could have an entire part of a tooth involved. Widespread damage will generally be more painful because you’re dealing with your dentin and pulp layers getting exposed to the air. It’s not a pleasant sensation, and you can become sensitive to hot and cold substances.
When To Get Help through Treating a Chipped Tooth
Treating a chipped tooth is not always a pressing matter, although it’s important to get checked out by your dentist when you suspect any problems. That way, you’re catching minor issues before they end up requiring oral surgery or other intensive procedures.
Minor chipping can be addressed at a routine dental appointment, and your dentist will let you know whether you need additional treatment. If you have many bacteria infecting the tooth due to the crack, you’ll likely go on antibiotics before any further procedures. The antibiotics reduce the bad bacteria in the tooth, bring down swelling, and reduces your pain levels.
Major chips and breaks may necessitate emergency dental care, especially if you have massive pulp exposure, extreme pain, or bleeding that continues even when the gauze is placed in the affected area. Fillings may be used to repair the cracks, or a crown could be placed on top of the tooth. For extremely bad teeth, a root canal or implant may be the only treatment a chipped tooth option.
Dentists may recommend:
- Bridges or crowns
- Dental implants
- Tooth fillings
- Root canals
Getting Your Tooth Fixed at Lovett Dental Piney Point
A chipped tooth is nothing to ignore. Even if it is not an immediate threat, it is still important to get the help you need as soon as possible. In addition to fixing chipped teeth, we also provide services like:
Treating a chipped tooth is an important part of keeping your smile bright and inviting. Contact us at 832-242-2030 if you suspect a chipped tooth is causing an issue in your mouth.
