If you’ve ever experienced a chipped or cracked tooth, you understand how startling and worrisome it can be, especially if it’s causing significant pain or on a front, visible tooth. While a chipped or broken tooth can negatively impact our self-esteem, it can also be a dental emergency. However, not all chipped teeth are an immediate cause for concern.
So what do you do if you ever find yourself with a chipped or broken tooth? Is it an emergency, or can it wait until your next already scheduled dental exam? Continue reading to learn all about what to do if you have a chipped tooth and when it’s an emergency.
What is a Chipped Tooth and What Causes It?
Teeth are strong, and it takes a lot to chip or break them. However, they can break, especially if you experience trauma to your mouth or if you bite something hard. Did you know that tooth enamel is actually harder than bone? It’s mostly made of minerals and protects the innermost layers of the tooth. While it’s the body’s hardest substance, it wears down over time, causing weakened enamel and increasing your risk of cavities, fractures, and chips.
A chipped tooth occurs when a piece of the tooth’s outer layer (enamel) breaks off. Though it’s harder than bone, enamel can dissolve over time from exposure to acidic drinks and sugary foods, which cause demineralization. Unfortunately, the body doesn’t regenerate enamel once it’s worn down, but you can strengthen it by using fluoride toothpaste, reducing acidic and sugary foods and drinks, and maintaining excellent oral hygiene.
Chipped Tooth: What to Do at First
No two chipped teeth are the same, and it can be overwhelming to know what to do if it ever happens. Whether you chipped your tooth from an injury or chewing something hard, panic starts to set in when you realize a tooth is chipped. The first thing you should do if you ever experience a chipped tooth is to determine whether the chip is minor or severe.
If your chip is more cosmetic than painful, you’ll want to contact your family dentist and let them know about the chipped tooth. However, if it’s a severe chip with pain or swelling, it’s likely an emergency requiring immediate dental care and an emergency dental appointment. Minor chips can be smoothed and their appearance restored, while emergencies require more invasive procedures.
Chipped Tooth: What to Do When it’s an Emergency
So how do you decide whether your chipped tooth is an emergency? The first step to determining whether your chipped tooth is an emergency is to seek prompt dental care. Many dental offices hold some appointments to accommodate emergencies promptly. Schedule an appointment right away to determine the severity of your chipped tooth.
A deeply chipped tooth may expose the inner pulp, increasing the risk of infection and making more advanced treatment necessary. In many cases, a dentist may recommend a root canal to remove damaged or infected tissue while preserving the remaining tooth structure. If the tooth is treated with a root canal, it’ll likely be sealed and restored with a dental crown that helps strengthen the weakened tooth and protect it from further damage.
Sometimes a chipped tooth is too severely damaged to be repaired, requiring extraction. In this situation, a dentist may recommend replacing the tooth with a dental implant, a custom restoration that looks, feels, and functions much like a regular tooth. A dental implant will restore both your smile and oral health.
How Rhoades Family Dentistry Can Help with a Chipped Tooth
If you have a chipped tooth, minor or severe, contact Rhoades Family Dentistry right away. Only a dental professional can determine whether a chipped tooth is an emergency that requires immediate intervention. Depending on the severity of the chipped tooth, our dental care team can determine the next steps. We’ll start by examining your teeth, taking a closer look at the intensity and extent. Our emergency dentistry is here for you and monitored 24/7 by a doctor on call.
After examining your chipped tooth, we’ll recommend the best service or treatment to restore your smile. Whether you need a root canal, dental crown, or dental implant, our team of professionals includes dentists and hygienists with extensive education and training, including Dr. Hahn and Dr. Driscoll. They’re members of the American Dental Association, the Academy of General Dentistry, and the International Association of Orthodontics, among many other organizations. They can examine your teeth and help restore your chipped tooth.
Rhoades Family Dentistry offers dental care for the entire family, including routine cleanings, preventive maintenance, fillings, and more. Dr. Hahn and Dr. Driscoll care about your family’s oral health and are here to recommend the best oral hygiene practices for your entire family, including Invisalign and braces, cosmetic dentistry, dental implants, whitening, and more.
Book an appointment today by scrolling up and clicking “BOOK AN APPOINTMENT” on the top left of your screen or by calling (913) 782-8900. We look forward to serving you with excellent dental care and helping your family achieve healthy smiles!
