A chip is a minor fracture in the tooth enamel or dentin. Chips can be caused by biting on something hard, grinding your teeth, a fall, or an accident. If the chip extends into the pulp, it becomes a dental emergency and requires immediate attention from an emergency dentist.
Emergency dentists know how to fix a chipped tooth using various dental restorations so that you can smile with confidence. The restoration method depends on the chip’s extent and the tooth’s location in your mouth.
Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency?
If you have chipped a tooth, but there is no pain, and the chip is small, you probably don’t have a dental emergency and don’t need to see an emergency dentist. However, if the chip is significant or has caused your tooth to become painful, you should see an emergency dentist as soon as possible.
A large chip can cause your tooth to become weak and more susceptible to further damage. Dental pain should be taken seriously as it can be a sign of an underlying problem like tooth decay.
If you’re unsure whether your chipped tooth is a dental emergency, it’s always best to be cautious and contact an emergency dentist.
How to Fix a Chipped Tooth: Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a non-invasive procedure often used by an emergency dentist to repair minor chips in teeth. Dentists can also use dental bonding during a dental emergency, such as when a blow to the face impacts one or more teeth.
Dental bonding improves the appearance of teeth that are stained or have small gaps between them, which is why it is sometimes called cosmetic bonding.
The procedure involves having an emergency dentist etch the area for repair and using a dental adhesive to bond tooth-coloured composite resin material to the tooth. Bonding is completed in a single dental emergency visit, and the results can last several years.
How to Fix a Chipped Tooth: Dental Fillings
Dental fillings are a common restorative treatment and can repair a tooth that has been chipped to prevent further damage, especially those with larger chips or towards the back of your mouth where the chewing force is greater.
Your emergency dentist will apply a numbing gel to the gum around the affected tooth and administer anaesthesia to ensure your comfort throughout the dental emergency. They remove any damaged tooth structure before restoring the chipped tooth with composite resin.
The filling material will match your existing tooth structure for a natural-looking smile.
How to Fix a Chipped Tooth: Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are thin shells of porcelain custom-made to fit over the front of a tooth. They cover up chips, cracks, and other minor imperfections on the tooth surface. Veneers can also change the colour or shape of a tooth, which is why some patients elect to get veneers on their social six to eight teeth.
Once your tooth has been prepped, an impression is taken so your custom veneer can be fabricated. You are fitted with a temporary veneer to protect your tooth, and once your permanent veneer is ready, it is cemented in place.
Veneers can disguise several dental flaws simultaneously but are an irreversible cosmetic restoration because 0.5 -1mm of tooth enamel is removed to accommodate the veneer.
Restore Your Smile at Total Care Dental Studio
At Total Care Dental Studio, we understand that a chipped tooth can be a dental emergency. Our emergency dentists offer a range of restoration services to repair your smile. Contact our practice at (07) 3186 8517 to book your emergency appointment.
Note: Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
References
Teeth Bonding
https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dental-bonding
Dental injuries – Knocked out, chipped or cracked teeth
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/dental-injuries-tooth-loss
