Are Chipped Teeth Common?
A chipped tooth is a much more common problem than one might think: more than 20% of the adult population has had a broken tooth at least once in their life. Yet not everyone knows what needs to be done when such a situation arises. There are those who, in total panic, don't know what to do, and those who instead, underestimating the situation, rely on home remedies of dubious effectiveness, if not harmful. This is why it is important to know what to do in the event of dental trauma, which is obviously sudden and unexpected and can also cause concern, such as in the case of a broken tooth.
The common causes of chipped teeth
Accidents can happen to anyone. Every day the hospitals are filled with sprained ankles, bruises, and minor wounds. The same accidents, however, can also involve our teeth. Furthermore, dental trauma can also occur independently of accidents involving the rest of the body. Sometimes a slightly harder food is enough to chip a tooth. Just think of taffy or chewy candy, which are the tooth-breakers par excellence, and also various types of dried fruit or nuts.
As we have said, a broken tooth mainly originates from a dental trauma, which can consist in chewing very hard foods or in falls or accidents. In some cases, however, much less is enough for a tooth to break: let's think, for example, of children and the elderly. For the former, even nibbling on a toy can be enough to cause it to break, while the latter still have a very fragile structure that can easily meet accidents. Over the years, in fact, it is very easy for cracks to form which, if neglected, can cause breakage.
Even adults, however, can suffer from problems of this type, perhaps by playing sports such as football, hockey, or boxing. In short, we are all more or less at risk. This is why it is important to know how to deal with the situation.
The consequences
It must be considered that, although it is generally not a very serious damage, a broken tooth often causes embarrassment and shame in social relationships. Sometimes you even stop smiling! The trauma suffered, together with the vision of one's smile modified, can generate a real collapse of self-esteem. In addition to the aesthetic factor, the functional factor must also be taken into account: a chipped tooth is significantly more exposed to infections; the cut can create wounds to the tongue and lips and can increase dental sensitivity.
The solutions
Much depends on the extent of the damage: we go from the tooth in which a small corner may be missing, sometimes almost invisible, to a real broken tooth in which perhaps the nerve is also involved. There are several layers of common treatments that are not invasive or terribly expensive. Because this is a common problem, there are some pretty easy solutions, such an bonding that can be used if the damage in minor. If there is a larger chip, your dentist may need to consider and use a more intensive solution, such as a crown or ceramic veneers.