Accidentally chipping a tooth can seem like a nuisance, but many people are inclined to ignore a chipped tooth since it doesn't seem like an emergency. If you've recently chipped a tooth and are tempted to do just that, you might want to reconsider. Leaving your tooth unrepaired could cause problems for you down the line. Here's why you should consider getting your tooth fixed ASAP.
Why It Doesn't Hurt
One of the reasons why people tend to ignore chipped teeth is because they often don't hurt. This is because a lot of chipped teeth don't impact the part of the tooth that actually contains nerves, which is located deep down in the center of the tooth. So if it's a superficial chipping, it might not feel like anything, but that doesn't mean that you're not at risk.
Why It's Still a Risk
Teeth that are chipped are still vulnerable to damage. For starters, they've lost their enamel layer on the edge of the tooth, which is the part of the tooth that's used the most. This means that the tooth will become more susceptible to further chipping and potentially even breaking.
Furthermore, just because the part of the tooth that contains nerves isn't exposed doesn't mean that softer, more vulnerable parts aren't exposed. In fact, chances are the dentin of your tooth has been exposed to the surface which is very vulnerable to bacteria and the development of plaque. With this part of your tooth exposed your tooth could become infected, and the entire tooth could die just because of a simple chip.
What You Can Expect of Treatment
Treatment for chipped teeth is extremely easy. All you need to do is go to the dentist's office.
Your dentist will examine your teeth and take a look at the damage to your chipped tooth. From there, they'll clean your teeth and then they'll be ready to repair the damage.
Chipped teeth are typically repaired with the same filling material that's used to fill cavities. It's applied to the edge of the tooth to seal it, and then more filling is applied on top of that to rebuild the missing structure of the tooth. The filling is then shaped and filed to match the surrounding teeth so that it looks and feels normal. That's it! The entire process is complete without any anesthesia.
Getting a chipped tooth repaired is one of the easiest things you can have done in a dentist's office, and yet going without it can leave your teeth susceptible to serious problems. Don't go down that road. Call a dentist, like Liberty Dental Center, for help and get the repair you need done ASAP.
Every time you take a bite of food, you should be grateful for your healthy teeth! A tooth can lose its health and structure quickly once decay sets in. Luckily, if you visit your dentist for regular appointments, the decay should not get too serious before your dentist notices it and can do something about it. That "something" is applying a filling. On the other hand, if the decay progresses too long before it is caught, you may need a crown or even an extraction.
We want to keep our teeth, and we know you want to keep yours. That's why we created this website to teach you more about dentists and dental care. Enjoy!