Having a perfect smile is always a desirable thing, so chipped teeth have to be dealt with! Beyond just aesthetics, if someone just happens to lose a piece of their teeth, it has to be taken care of immediately.
A chipped tooth is usually caused by falling, receiving a hit or biting too hard on something. In the case of this happening, the pain might not happen right away, depending on the severity. As there are nerves inside the tooth, chances are that they are exposed, so the discomfort will be great, mostly coming from the change of temperature.
If you have a chipped tooth, you might notice a sharp pain that comes and goes often. Our Los Algodones dentists recommend not biting, chewing or applying any kind of pressure for the time being.
What to do in case of a chipped tooth?
First and foremost, you should visit a dentist as soon as possible, as you cannot deal with this at home. We advise you not to wait until you start feeling the pain, as it is easy for the situation to go downhill if left untreated. One of the cues you can look out for is the tooth sensitivity that you will be feeling, apart from the broken part.
Once you get to the office, the dentist will be able to perform an exam of your mouth, the impacted area, the teeth, the surrounding area and the like. This is to make sure that there are no places left untreated. In case of having a nerve damaged, a root canal treatment might be needed in order to deal with the issue.
Possible treatments and procedures
Bonding
In case the chipped tooth is small and not threatening, then your dentist might suggest bonding. Bonding is a simple procedure where a composite material is used to mold and attach to the healthy tooth, correcting its shape and form. For this it is necessary to roughen up the enamel of the affected tooth and then shape the composite. After this is done, the composite is then hardened with a special blue light. Bonding usually lasts up to 10 years.
Veneers
Veneers are good in case your chipped tooth leans more towards a cosmetic and aesthetic issue. Simply put, veneers are a thin shell glued to the front of the teeth, which makes them whole and work naturally. Does not matter if there is one or more affected teeth, veneers are made with the same shade. They usually last between 10 to 20 years, so they are rather efficient at that.
Crowns
As veneers are attached to the front of the tooth, crowns cover them entirely. They are usually made of porcelain and are also called caps. This shields the entire tooth and not only do they look natural, they retain functionality as well. You might want a crown if the loss of the chipped or cracked tooth is big.
Dental implants
If the damage is too big that the need to remove the tooth is needed, then you need a dental implant. For this, the tooth is extracted and the area allowed to heal. After this, a metal implant is installed in the gumline, which works as a real tooth. As this requires healing, the procedure might take quite some time.
Remember that all problems you may have right now can be entirely fixed! Here in Los Algodones, Mexico we want you to have a full, nice smile. We encourage you to keep healthy habits, and if you need a procedure, you are free to check our prices!