A chipped tooth can chip away at your confidence (pun intended). It hampers your ability to talk, eat and even smile because of the discomfort and attention it draws from random people. Fixing a chipped tooth when it happens is the only way to alleviate the problems that come with it.
There are several options available, and the best choice will depend on the scope of breakage you are dealing with.
Small Chips
Small chips can easily be rectified by either polishing the areas where the chip has occurred or with dental bonding. These types of chips are often to be found at the edge of the teeth. Both treatments can be carried out with just one visit to the dentist.
Average Chips
Dental veneers are an option for average chipping. Although they are more expensive than polishing or bonding, they are more permanent. A dental veneer is a thin shell, made from tooth colored resin composite material or porcelain, which covers the front end of the tooth. It also has a thicker part that covers the broken section of the tooth.
Larger Chips
In cases where there is a considerable portion of the tooth missing, save the chipped portion and carry it to the dentist with you. Dentists can restore such chips if the roots are still intact and then place a full crown or an onlay on it.
In cases where the chipping has affected the nerves, connective tissues and blood vessels found in the tooth pulp, a root canal becomes the next best option. During the root canal, the damaged tooth pulp is removed using instruments that can fit into a small hole that the dentist bores into the tooth.
After the removal, the cavity is disinfected and filled before a crown is placed on it to give it functionality and the realness of a natural tooth.
What to Expect In the Procedures
Dental Bonding
This is a simple procedure that requires no numbing of the tooth. The dentist will apply a gel to the tooth surface to roughen it, allowing the bonding material to stick. An adhesive is applied to the tooth, to which the tooth colored resin is attached. The bonding material is shaped to the shape of a tooth, and an ultra violet light is used to harden the material.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are also relatively pain free, except in cases of hypersensitivity. About 0.2 -1.2 millimeters of enamel is removed from the tooth surface, and an impression is made of the tooth, from which a veneer is then made. The surface of the tooth is roughened in order to allow the veneer to adhere. Special cement is placed onto the veneer surface which is attached to your tooth. A special light is used to harden the cement quickly.
Dental Crowns
Dental crowns need at least two visits to the dentist. The dentist takes an x-ray to check the condition of the connective tissues, blood vessels and nerves. Room is created for the crown.
Using putty material, the cosmetic dentist will make an impression of both the pertinent tooth and its opposing one. When the crown is ready, it is installed and cemented in place. The latest technology can allow you to receive the crown on the very same day.
Root Canals
This is the best course of treatment should the pulp from your tooth be exposed. The dentist/endodontist will numb the tooth and surrounding gums, and then they will make a small hole in the tooth to access to the tooth's pulp. Using tiny instruments he/she will clean out the damaged pulp, leaving a clean cavity. The cavity is filled to form a tooth before a crown is placed on top.
Share2 November 2017
Do you have a different doctor from your spouse? Does your child see a pediatrician? Most families have different medical health providers for different members of the family. This makes sense in most cases, but did you know that you can find a dentist who will treat every person in the family from a baby to a senior? I'm a manager or a family dentist, and in this blog you will learn why a family dentist is a great idea. I will tell you the many advantages of taking every family member to the same dentist, and I will give you tips of finding the right dental office for your family.