What Should I Do About My Chipped Tooth?
If you notice you have a chipped tooth, either right after an accident or at some random time when you are looking at your smile, it can be scary! Be assured though, that there are many things you and your dentist can do for a chipped tooth.
When the tooth chips, if you know that it chipped, it is important to act immediately by placing ice, wrapped in a cloth, near the tooth. Do not put the ice directly on the tooth, however, the outside of the cheek is best. The ice will help reduce swelling and lessen pain, if any. If there is pain and it is really intense, you can use an over the counter painkiller such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
It is important to make an appointment with your dentist as early as you can, though it is generally not an emergency unless you have severe pain. While you are waiting for the appointment, it can be useful to use some remedies that can prevent any sharp edges on the chipped tooth from scratching the lips and tongue. At the pharmacy, paraffin or wax kits are available to be applied to the tooth to round off the edges of the chip and avoid this problem.
The dentist, possibly in collaboration with the orthodontist, can easily solve a case of chipped tooth in a short time and with excellent results. There are many remedies available, and they depend on the severity of the trauma. In the case of superficial breaks, the chipped tooth reconstruction can take place in a single session. If, on the other hand, the damage is extensive, the chipped tooth will need to be reconstructed from scratch and the procedure will be more complex.
In case of minimal or superficial damage, which does not affect the tooth enamel, you can proceed with rounding or filing. Special burs are passed over the surface of the tooth to smooth out its shape and thus obtain a uniform result. This remedy is particularly used in cases where the incisors are involved, on which there is enough leeway to file.
Bonding is another popular procedure for treating a chipped tooth. The technique involves applying a resin directly to the tooth. The resin adheres to the tooth through the application of ultraviolet light, thus making the damage practically invisible.
Additionally, ceramic veneers can be used when the damage is more extensive. These are particularly used when it is the incisors that break. A dental crown is the ideal solution when it is necessary to reconstruct a large part of the tooth, especially in the case of molars and premolars.
Finally, the reconstruction of the chipped tooth can also include more invasive interventions, when the pulp of the tooth is involved. In this case, to avoid extraction, it is preferable to devitalize the tooth with a root canal and then cover it with a crown.
How much does it cost to fix a chipped tooth?
The cost will depend on the intervention used. Generally, the less intensive the solution is, the less expensive it will be. Bonding is certainly a much faster and simpler procedure than root canal treatment with encapsulation!
The best thing to do, therefore, is to have the damage assessed by the dentist, who will be able to determine the seriousness of the situation and suggest the most suitable intervention. However, it is important not to let too much time pass from the accident to the dental visit, as the chipped tooth could hide cracks that can break.