A chipped tooth can occur from accidental trauma, such as a bad fall, sports injury or biting down on something too hard. A chip or crack may develop from a teeth grinding habit, when the tooth was gradually weakened over time.
While chipping a tooth is never planned and repairing it may seem inconvenient, it is important for patients to realize that the appearance, health and comfort of their smile can be compromised if it is ignored.
Why You Need to Repair Your Cracked Teeth
- Smile Aesthetics – if the chip occurs at the front of your smile, you will inevitably suffer some cosmetic threats. A single tooth chip can quickly ruin an attractive smile, regardless of your age.
- Tooth Health – the appearance of your smile is not the only thing in danger when you chip a tooth. In fact, the most serious risk involves the health of the tooth. When the outer enamel of a tooth is damaged, the tooth is more vulnerable to decay and infection. Seeking treatment in a timely manner can help you avoid more invasive repairs!
- Oral Comfort – while not all tooth chips hurt immediately, many cause notable discomfort. This may simply be irritation on your tongue or cheek from the jagged edges of a chipped tooth or it may be substantial pain and sensitivity on the actual tooth from exposed tooth nerves.
Options for Cracked Tooth Repair in Sioux City, IA
A clipped tooth or broken tooth can be unsightly, can feel uncomfortably sharp to the tongue, and some can cause pain if nerves are affected. There are many things we can do to help in these different situations. What is needed to fix a chipped tooth depends on the location and size of the chip.
Some small chips limited to the enamel can simply be smoothed so no sharp edges remain and they no longer bother the tongue.
Other chips may require a tooth colored “filling” or bonding to replace the missing tooth structure and restore the appearance and integrity of the tooth. These “fillings” can never be as strong as the enamel that was originally on the tooth, but are a good substitute.
Larger chips such as broken cusps on molar teeth may require a “build-up” to replace the broken cusp and a crown to cover and protect the tooth. Although the sensitivity caused by most chipped teeth will go away after replacing the missing tooth structure, some larger chips or cracks extend into the pulp (nerve and blood supply) of a tooth. If that is the case a “root canal” may be necessary to eliminate any pain or infection prior to restoring the broken tooth.
If you notice a chipped or broken tooth, give us a call for an evaluation as soon as possible to prevent sensitivity, infection or further loss of tooth structure. At Whispering Creek Dental, we provide several options for cracked tooth repair in Sioux City IA so you can have a beautiful and healthy smile.
