Chipped tooth beyond repair? Don’t despair!

If you or your loved ones are always putting yourselves in risky situations like the people in the above video, you might not always be aware of the dangers in which you are placing your teeth.

But what happens when you chip a tooth? Well, a chipped tooth doesn’t only affect the appearance of your smile, it can also cause other dental problems – which is why it should be dealt with as soon as possible.

Why is it important to see a dentist immediately?

If you chipped your tooth outside for example, you need to ensure that you’re up to date with your injections such as the tetanus shot, before going to see a dental professional. Ideally you need to do this straight away, within 12 hours or so before any long-term negative damage can occur. You should try and keep all the tooth fragments if possible as these can be reattached to the crown of the tooth using bonding materials.

A chipped tooth will need to be looked at by a dentist, who will be able to evaluate how to fix it and the reason it chipped, of which there are many reasons, including dental disease, grinding, decay, etc.

All chipped teeth demand immediate attention from the dentist, so don’t be afraid to make an appointment, especially if you are experiencing any pain, sensitivity or the chipped tooth is sharp to the touch.

How can a chipped tooth be fixed?

Depending on the severity of the chip will depend on the kind of treatment you need to undertake. For example, if it’s just a small chip, this can usually be smoothed over or fixed with a small filling.

If a quarter of the tooth has been chipped, a filling, or an inlay or onlay is required. However if more than half the tooth has chipped, a filling or a crown is needed to fix the problem.

To ensure the affected tooth doesn’t get any worse in the meantime, book a dental appointment asap and try to keep the area clean. To avoid chipping your teeth in the future, it’s wise to wear a mouth guard when playing sports to avoid any physical contact and to protect your teeth if you grind them at night, by wearing a night guard.

For more information about chipped teeth or to book an emergency appointment, please call us on 0118 984 3108 where our friendly team will be more than happy to help you.