A chipped tooth can happen to anyone, especially if you frequently use metal straws, experienced a dental injury, or have a history of oral health problems. Dr. William Huckin is an experienced cosmetic dentist in Dallas, TX who helps patients deal with complex dental concerns like a chipped tooth. Here is what you can do for a chipped tooth at home and what your treatment options are once you get to the dentist.
What to Do for a Chipped Tooth
If you find yourself with a chipped, broken or fractured tooth, it’s important to visit Dr. Huckin or your local dentist as soon as possible. If you wait, your chipped tooth could become even more damaged and require much more extensive treatment. Worse yet, the damaged tooth could become infected, resulting in serious health risks and possible tooth loss.
5 Ways to Fix a Chipped Tooth at Home
Until you are able to see a dentist, you can try the following self-care measures at home:
- Manage the pain by taking acetaminophen, ibuprofen or another type of over-the-counter pain reliever.
- Rinse your mouth out with salt water to reduce the risk of infection.
- If the chipped tooth has a jagged or sharp edge, cover it with a piece of sugarless chewing gum or wax paraffin to protect your tongue and cheek.
- Eat only softer foods and do not bite down on the damaged tooth until it has been treated by a dentist.
- Treat the tooth with Dentemp or a similar product, which are available at most drugstores and pharmacies. These are designed to temporarily cover a chipped tooth until you can consult with a dentist.
How Your Dentist Will Fix Your Chipped Tooth?
The treatment for a chipped or broken tooth depends largely on the severity of the damage. If only a small piece of the enamel has chipped off, Dr. Huckin will most likely be able to repair the tooth in a single office visit. However, a badly broken or damaged tooth may require more complicated procedures, which may require more than one office visit. You might also consider using a chipped tooth as an opportunity to solve multiple cosmetic concerns at once, such as gaps, misalignments, or discoloration.
- Filling or Bonding: If you’ve chipped away a small piece of enamel, your dentist may be able to repair the damage with a filling like they use to repair cavities. If the chip occurred to a front tooth, your dentist may use tooth-colored composite resin to repair the damage.
- Dental Veneers: Veneers are a thin shell of tooth-colored resin composite material or porcelain that are created and customized in a lab to cover your damaged teeth. Your dentist will then be adhered to the surface of your existing teeth using special cement.
- Dental Cap or Crown: If you have lost a substantial portion of the damaged tooth, Dr. Huckin may file away part of the remaining tooth and cap it with a crown, designed to protect the tooth, preserve function and restore its appearance. If the pulp is exposed by the damage, your tooth may develop an infection. When this occurs, your dentist may have to remove the infected pulp through root canal therapy and then cap the treated tooth with a crown.
Repairing a Chipped Tooth in Dallas, TX
Remember, do not wait to fix your chipped or damaged tooth. If you live in the Dallas, TX area and have a chipped tooth or any other dental issue, trust Dr. Huckin to restore the health and appearance of your smile. Call 214.216.6577 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.