Although your teeth are very strong due to the enamel, they can chip if subjected to a sudden, strong force. This can happen from a direct blow to the mouth or face, from biting something hard, like a popcorn kernel, or from a fall. A chipped tooth is very painful and can bleed, although the severity depends on the impact. However, it is an emergency dental issue that should be addressed promptly to prevent further damage and additional dental problems. Understanding when to call an emergency dentist is important to protect your natural tooth, your adjacent teeth, and your oral and general health.
First Aid Care for a Chipped Tooth
A chipped tooth can cause stress and anxiety, especially if a significant portion of the tooth is missing. Even a minor chip can cause panic, especially if you are in pain or are bleeding. The first recommendation by an emergency dentist is to remain calm. This way, you can make rational decisions to save your tooth, prevent further damage, and manage the severe symptoms (bleeding and pain). Fortunately, you can call an emergency dentist immediately after chipping your tooth to receive first-aid instructions that could help the situation.
The most important step at that moment is to rinse your mouth gently with warm, salty water. This action will clean out any debris and small fragments that could make it difficult for you to assess the damage to your chipped tooth. You also want to check for damage in other areas of the mouth, including the gum tissue. Cleaning out excess blood gives you proper visibility for effective decision-making. Using salty water also cleans out harmful bacteria. However, this must be done gently by swishing the water in the mouth. This prevents further damage to your teeth and gums.
If the broken or chipped part of the tooth comes out and you can find it, save it. Saving the fragments of a chipped tooth allows your dentist to reattach it during emergency treatment. It is the easiest and cheapest way to treat your chipped tooth. Thus, if you can find the fragments, save them in a container of saliva or milk. This keeps the fragments moist and alive, protecting their delicate cells from drying out. Milk contains vital sugars, proteins, and balanced calcium levels that mimic the environment in your mouth.
Depending on the kind of blow you experienced or the severity of the impact, you could be in pain, and there could be swelling. If this is the case, you need to manage these symptoms before going to the dentist’s office. Dentists recommend applying a cold press to numb the pain and manage swelling. Wrap an ice pack in a towel and apply it to the cheek for at least 15 minutes. This should be done every 15 minutes. Taking a break before reapplying the ice pack prevents nerve and tissue damage.
Remember that a chipped tooth is an emergency dental issue. This means that you need to contact your dentist immediately if it happens. Managing the severe symptoms at home does not eliminate the need for emergency dental treatment. Remember that a chipped tooth can worsen over time or that symptoms can escalate, leading to complications. You also want to protect yourself against oral infections, which can affect your oral and overall health. Once you contact your dentist, explain the situation to them and book an appointment immediately. Once at the dentist’s office, they will examine the damage and recommend the best course of treatment.
Reasons to Call a Dentist After Chipping a Tooth
A chipped tooth puts you at risk of more problems than cosmetic issues. It not only changes the appearance and functionality of your tooth but also puts you at risk of cavities, gum disease, and oral infections. It could be the start of a major problem in your mouth. That is why you should not ignore it. Fortunately, dentists have a wide range of treatment options for chipped teeth. If you bring the broken fragments to an emergency dentist, they can reattach them to your tooth to restore its look, strength, and functionality. If the fragments are lost, dentists have other treatment options, such as bonding.
A chip weakens your tooth. Remember that natural teeth are generally very strong because of the enamel. While the enamel is hard and difficult to break, it becomes vulnerable to further damage when a breakage or chip compromises its structure. If left untreated, a chipped tooth becomes an easy target for harmful cavity-causing bacteria. The bacteria will continue to weaken the tooth by eating through its structure. You could eventually lose your natural tooth. That is why you should seek immediate treatment for a chipped tooth.
Additionally, it is difficult to know the extent of damage to your tooth by looking at it through a mirror. The damage could be more severe than you think, and only a skilled dentist can determine this. They can use more diagnostic tools, like X-rays, to determine the extent and severity of the damage to your tooth. This allows for a better treatment approach, ensuring you will not experience any complications in the future.
Thus, it is advisable to act quickly whenever you experience a dental problem. Waiting at home can turn a minor chip into a painful, major, and expensive dental issue.
Determining Whether Your Chipped Tooth is a Dental Emergency
In most cases, chipped teeth are treated as dental emergencies. This is because it is difficult to tell the extent of damage to your tooth by looking at it. An emergency dentist can thoroughly examine the tooth to determine the extent of damage and recommend the appropriate treatment.
However, you can decide to call your dentist immediately after the accident or wait for a few hours or days to visit your dentist’s office after chipping your tooth. This mainly depends on the severity of symptoms you are experiencing after the accident. Remember that you could have a minor or major chip, depending on the severity of the impact on your tooth. A tiny chip on your tooth is not as urgent as a fracture that extends below the gumline. Some fractures leave your nerves and other underlying tissues exposed. These require immediate treatment, as they can escalate rapidly.
Here are some of the signs that should prompt you to call an emergency dentist after chipping your tooth:
Severe and Persistent Pain
If the impact on your tooth is minor, you will likely experience mild pain, which you can manage at home using pain medicine. However, if you experience severe pain after chipping your tooth, it could mean that the damage to your tooth is more extensive than you can see through a mirror. This should prompt you to contact an emergency dentist immediately after the accident.
In some cases, you could experience a throbbing ache that does not reduce even after taking pain medication. This may indicate more severe damage that extends deep into the tooth’s pulp, where sensitive nerves, blood vessels, and tissues are located. The damage can escalate very quickly if you fail to seek treatment right away.
Uncontrolled Bleeding
Minor tooth chips and breakages do not always cause bleeding. Thus, bleeding is an indication that the impact was severe and your tooth could be more damaged than you can see or imagine. When damage to a tooth reaches its pulp, where the blood vessels are, you will likely experience uncontrolled bleeding. Try managing it at home with cotton gauze. However, this can only work for a few minutes before reaching the dentist’s office.
Signs of an Infection
Do not ignore a chipped tooth if it causes some signs of an infection, like swollen gums, a foul taste in the mouth, or a sudden chill or fever. If left untreated, an infection can quickly spread to the tooth’s pulp and to the other parts of the body through the blood vessels.
A Significant Piece of the Tooth is Missing
Remember that some tooth damage is more severe than others. If you experience a severe tooth chipping, where a substantial part of your tooth goes missing, you need emergency dental care. When a significant part of your tooth goes missing, you could be left with a highly sensitive or sharp surface. Additionally, the remaining tooth could be too weak to function properly. Immediate treatment ensures that the tooth is restored in time for restored strength, functionality, and aesthetics.
The right thing to do immediately after chipping your tooth is to contact an emergency dentist. You can rinse your mouth and save the broken piece for reattachment (if it can be found). However, only a skilled dentist can advise on whether to come in for emergency treatment or to book an appointment for a later date.
Treatment Options for Chipped Teeth
Once at the dentist’s office, they will examine the chipped tooth to determine the right treatment approach for you. Skilled dentists always recommend a long-lasting treatment solution to restore the appearance, strength, and structure of your damaged tooth. They will assess the size, location, and extent of the damage to recommend the most suitable approach to restoring the tooth's appearance and functionality. Fortunately, there are several treatment options today, including cosmetic fixes that can restore your chipped tooth to your satisfaction. They include the following:
Polishing and Contouring
This is the best treatment for a tiny, superficial chip that leaves most of the tooth intact. Your dentist can gently smooth the tooth and polish its sharp edges to ensure a natural blend and protect your tongue and other soft tissues in your mouth from damage. This can be done at any time after chipping and is not necessary as an emergency treatment.
Dental Bonding
This is a very common and the most affordable way to repair a chipped tooth when part of the tooth is missing. You can benefit from dental bonding if you have a minor or moderate chip on your tooth. The treatment process entails rebuilding the missing part of the tooth to restore its structure and appearance. Dentists use a composite resin material because it has the natural color of teeth. They apply the material to the chipped part of the tooth, then harden it with a special light. Once it is fully cured, the dentist smooths and polishes it to feel like a natural tooth.
Porcelain Veneers
This is an excellent solution for chipped front teeth. Dentists use thin, customized porcelain shells to cover minor imperfections in teeth, including chips. The veneer is bonded directly over the tooth to hide the chip and give it a flawless appearance.
Dental Crowns
These are recommended for severe chips and tooth breakages. If the tooth’s structure becomes severely damaged, the dentist can recommend a dental crown to restore its structure, strength, aesthetics, and functionality. Dental crowns are usually fitted at the top of the damaged tooth to protect the remaining tooth and restore its structure.
Root Canal Therapy
This is recommended if the chip is severe and deep enough to expose the tooth’s pulp. The exposed pulp can be easily attacked by harmful bacteria, necessitating immediate removal to prevent an oral infection. This can be done before a dental crown is placed.
Find an Experienced Dentist Near Me
A chipped tooth is a minor or major issue, depending on its severity and extent. Dentists recommend seeking immediate dental care to ensure that you receive adequate treatment before the damage worsens. A skilled dentist can quickly assess the damage through a physical examination and use diagnostic tools like X-rays to recommend the best treatment.
At Northridge Advanced Dentistry, we offer emergency dental care services for chipped teeth. You can contact us immediately if you chip your tooth in Northridge, so we can guide you on how best to care for your tooth before you get to a dentist’s office. We also offer a wide range of treatments for chipped teeth according to your needs, preferences, and budget. Call us at 818-701-3010 to learn more about your needs and our services.
