Treatment Options for Chipped Tooth
Accidents happen. And some accidents result in a chipped tooth. No matter where the chipped tooth is located, it must be evaluated by a dentist. A chipped tooth where the nerves get exposed can lead to infection and a lot of pain if not fixed. Most people are not able to evaluate the severity of the tooth damage as a result of chipping on their own. As a result, a proper analysis by a dentist with x-rays is critical. Chipped tooth is a dental emergency and you should treat it as such even if the chipped tooth is not causing you any pain at the moment.
What are the Options for Chipped Tooth Repair?
There are 4 different options available for chipped tooth repair. Which option is optimal for you depends on the severity of the tooth damage. The four options are:
If the chip is minor, it can be easily fixed by a filling or bonding. Your dentist will use a tooth-colored filling or a composite resin bonding to repair your chipped tooth. The tooth will be shaped to appear like a natural tooth. Now a days there are so many different shades of these materials that the repair is not even noticeable.
Dental Veneers
Veneers are ultra-thin composite or porcelain shells that cover the front of the teeth and make it appear as if the chip had never happened. Veneers are an excellent cosmetic option. Typically a Veneer is placed in two appointments. In the first appointment, the doctor removes a thin layer of enamel from your tooth. And takes an impression of the tooth for fabricating a veneer. In the next appointment, the front surface of the tooth is etched with a liquid solution and the veneer is placed using dental cement. The cement is hardened with a special curing light.
If the damage to the tooth is so much that the nerves are exposed, it can lead to tooth infection and severe pain. The only option to save the tooth in this case is to perform a root canal treatment. Further, the tooth needs to be covered by a dental crown to fortify the broken tooth.
When a large portion of your tooth is broken or chipped, the only option to prevent it from further damage is to put a dental crown on it. Dental crowns require two appointments. In the first appointment the dentist will take an impression of you teeth to fabricate a dental crown. The dentist will also shape the chipped teeth so that a crown can fit on it. In the second appointment, the dentist will place the crown on the shaped tooth with a dental cement and harden it with a special curing light. The crown is made to match your teeth and generally so good that it is almost unnoticeable.
