The majority of patients go to their dentist once they experience dental pain. Often, they ignore dental problems that don’t cause pain, such as a chipped tooth. But when not treated promptly, a chipped tooth can become another dental issue. If you want to prevent this from happening, you should consider Richmond, VA cosmetic surgery or treatment from a trusted dentist.
How Can You Chip a Tooth?
The enamel of your tooth can handle a 70-pound biting force every time you chew. But your teeth may still break or chip because of injury, trauma, or poor oral hygiene. A chipped tooth can result from a bad bite, tooth decay, trauma, teeth grinding, and tooth enamel thinning because of poor oral hygiene.
What Happens When You Ignore a Chipped Tooth
Although a chipped tooth may not cause pain, ignoring it can result in the following issues:
- Tooth sensitivity. A chipped tooth can become more sensitive to cold and hot temperatures. This occurs when the damage has penetrated the dentin or your tooth’s inner layer.
- Tooth decay and infection. Tooth damage because of a chip can crate small space pockets where bacteria can thrive. If dental plaque forms on your chipped tooth, it allows bacteria to attack the dentin of your tooth, causing pain and infection.
- Mouth cuts. When you chip a tooth due to a bad bite or trauma, the tooth can have sharp edges. Such edges can cut your mouth’s soft tissues whenever you chew or speak. When these cuts become infected, you deal with another dental issue.
- Problem chewing. If you chip a tooth, you may have difficulty biting your food. Meanwhile, a chipped molar can make it hard for you to grind food properly. Also, the food residue will stick to the molar’s chipped portion, making chewing uncomfortable.
How Your Dentist Can Treat a Chipped Tooth
By getting treatment for a chipped tooth, you avoid dealing with expensive dental treatments. The type of treatment you need depends on the depth and size of the damage. Generally, treatments include dental bonding, dental filling, dental crowns, and root canal therapy. Your dentist can treat your chipped tooth to restore its original shape. This means that you go out of your office with a restored smile. Dentists often advise patients to address any dental issue while they are still small by scheduling a dental appointment as soon as possible. This can save you money and stress down the road.
