Your teeth can chip due to trauma like a blow to your mouth or a fall. Also, it can occur after you bite down on a hard item. If you have tooth decay, a chip may happen; however, this can also occur to healthy teeth. A chipped tooth that causes pain and exposes your tooth’s inner layer should be treated as a dental emergency. Your dentist will recommend a specific kind of treatment for a chipped tooth based on the seriousness of the damage and the specifics of your condition. The following are common treatment options for a chipped tooth:
Bonding or Filling
If the chip occurs in a small piece of your tooth enamel, a filling can be used for repairing it. If the chip occurs on your front tooth, a tooth-colored filling with a composite resin material can be used for restoring the tooth. Your dentist will apply the resin directly to your tooth after they roughen the surface and apply adhesive material. Then, the material is molded to your tooth’s proper shape and hardened with UV light.
Tooth Reattachment
If you can save the chipped part of the tooth and visit a dentist immediately, the broken fragment may be cemented back in place. But this is possible only when the tooth fragment’s cells are still alive. You can protect the cells by keeping them moist inside your mouth. You can also put the fragment in a glass of milk. However, the fragment cells won’t stay alive for a long time, so you should see a dentist as soon as possible.
Dental Crowns
If a big part of your tooth has chipped or is too seriously decayed, a dental crown may repair the damage. A dental crown is made of durable materials like porcelain, resin, or metal. To ensure your dental crown fits, your dentist will take impressions of your teeth. It often takes two weeks for the crown to be made at a laboratory. However, in some practice, you may be able to get same-day crowns.
Root Canal Therapy
You may need to undergo a root canal procedure if the chip is big enough to expose the tooth’s pulp to the air. In this case, bacteria can infiltrate the nerves and blood vessels, causing an infection. During a root canal procedure, your dentist will clean out the tooth’s root, get rid of the damaged pulp, and seal the tooth.
