Over the course of your lifetime, you may encounter damage to your teeth. Something strikes you in the face and chips your tooth, for example. Treating a chipped tooth is important, but it is a task best left to the professionals. At Lovett Dental Heights, we can help you with this every step of the way. We’ll restore your smile.
Perhaps you’ve had a chipped tooth for some time. It doesn’t hurt or interfere with your eating or drinking but you want to restore your smile. Lovett Dental Heights offers cosmetic procedures that can make your smile as good as new and look completely natural as though there was never an issue.
Often, individuals look to treating a chipped tooth because of some trauma or emergency situation. Fortunately, Lovett Dental Heights has the emergency dental services you’ll need whenever an issue arises whether during the work week or on the weekends.
How Do Chipped Teeth Happen?
It is not uncommon to need help treating a chipped tooth. Even though teeth are very strong and durable surfaces, they can be broken like any other structure. Some of the most common causes of chips include:
- Biting into hard substances such as ice or candy
- Playing contact sports without the use of a mouthguard
- Falls
- Car accidents
- Grinding your teeth at night
- Tooth decay
You may be more likely to have chipped teeth if you do not have good oral hygiene or have not had routine teeth cleaning done to minimize the buildup of plaque and dental decay. Also, eating foods with acids in them, such as coffee, fruit juices, or citrus, can weaken the outer portion of the teeth, making damage more common. The buildup of bacteria can also influence this heightened risk. Bacteria can become out of control, for example, when you consume a lot of sugar and do not get routine appointments and cleanings.
Steps for Treating a Chipped Tooth
When a chipped tooth occurs, your first step is to protect the chipped piece if possible. At the very least, place it in a plastic bag to bring in with you. When possible, store it in a glass of milk to help preserve it. Then, schedule emergency dental services.
When it comes to treating a chipped tooth, we have several solutions that may work depending on the location of the chip and the severity of it. Here are some options we may be able to use:
- Reattaching the chip to the tooth using a cement or bonding agent
- Using dental bonding procedures with composite resin to create a smoother edge
- Using porcelain to create a smooth surface or edge
- Adding a porcelain veneer to the area to smooth some of the edges
- Applying a dental on-lay to the tooth for more extensive concerns
In every situation, we will take a closer look at what happened to the tooth. Then, we want to do whatever we can to create the most aesthetic appearance. Most of the time, reattachment is an option, or dental bonding works well.
In some cases, more extensive damage is present. If you have severe tooth decay, you may need to have a tooth extraction procedure to remove the damaged tooth. Later, you may be able to have a dental implant inserted to replace the missing tooth or a bridge added.
Call Our Team at Lovett Dental Heights for Immediate Help
If you need help creating a chipped tooth, don’t put off calling our professionals. At Lovett Dental Heights, we understand the importance of improving your smile and ensuring your oral health. To get help, call 832-767-2210 to schedule an emergency appointment with our team.