Learn More About
Chipped or Broken Teeth
You may have sustained an injury to your teeth that has left them looking less than perfect. A chipped or broken tooth can be a major source of embarrassment and discomfort. It’s also likely that you won’t feel comfortable smiling or laughing in public until the damage is improved.
But it’s not just about how your teeth look; it’s also about how they function. The teeth chipping can affect the way you chew or bite, and sometimes the breakage is much more extensive, which can be incredibly uncomfortable due to increased sensitivity. It’s important to remember that even if the pain goes away, the damage may still be there, and ignoring it can lead to further problems such as infection or damage to the nerves.
Hills Family Dental Centre offers comprehensive restoration for chipped and broken teeth. We have the latest technology and techniques to restore their function and renown your smile. We will determine the extent of the damage and apply a holistic approach in developing a treatment plan. Schedule an appointment today and see how we can help you.
Common Causes of
Chipped / Broken Teeth
Biting hard foods
Chewing ice and eating hard candies, bread, or other types of foods can put pressure on your teeth and can cause breaking them.
Misuse of the teeth
If you have a bad nail-biting habit, you're more likely to experience the chipping of teeth. The same if you use your teeth to open packages.
Extensive root canal or dental fillings
Large fillings or root canals may have a chance of weakening the tooth.
Mouth injury
In many cases, the force of the impact will cause the tooth to break or chip.
Acid reflux
The continual presence of stomach acid in the mouth can lead to the breakdown of the hard outer layer of the teeth (enamel), causing them to become chipped and broken.
Ages
As people age, the tooth enamel naturally wears down. This makes the teeth more susceptible to chips and breaks.
Eating disorders
Some eating disorders may trigger frequent vomits, producing a harmful acid that can eat away tooth enamel.
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Dental Services that Can
Address Chipped or Broken Teeth
In minor chips or breakage, a simple filling may be all that is needed to restore the tooth.
A dental crown is a cap fitted over an entire tooth; they are often used for restoration and when there isn’t enough natural tooth remaining for a veneer.
Dental veneers are thin layers of porcelain or composite resin materials that go over the front surface of teeth.
Any chip that goes deeper than the surface may require more extensive dental work, such as root canal treatment.
In this treatment, the dentist will apply an adhesive material, followed by a tooth-colored resin which will be molded and shaped to fill the defect in the tooth.
The materials used to customise them can match the color of the natural teeth.
They are an ideal choice when you still have a good amount of natural teeth for improving your smile, covering imperfections, and a bit of protection from bacteria entering the cracks of a tooth.
This procedure preserves the tooth’s integrity by removing only the damaged portion inside and then filling and protecting it with a crown.
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Frequently Asked Questions
About Chipped or Broken Teeth
What are the signs I have chipped or broken teeth?
Not in all cases a cracked or broken tooth will cause symptoms. But when it does, you may experience some of the following:
- Pain when you bite down
- Discomfort when your tooth is exposed to temperature and air.
- Dull and constant ache coming from the affected tooth.
- Pain that may come and go.
- Swollen gums around the tooth.
- Depending on the severity and location, you may see a visible line on your tooth.
What should I not do if I chipped or broke a tooth?
The answer may depend on the severity of the case. Minor fractures may seem not to cause any discomfort and don’t interrupt you from doing anything. However, extensive damage can bring pain and affect your activities.
You may want to avoid chewing on the side of the broken tooth, limit your food intake, and opt for soft or foods that don’t require much chewing. Otherwise, putting too much pressure on the chipped tooth can worsen the damage.
How do I prevent chipping or breaking my tooth in the future?
The following are some essential tips to prevent tooth damage:
- Stop using your teeth as a tool to open things.
- Have a balanced diet and lessen food with high sugar.
- Avoid chewing and biting on hard foods.
- Proper dental hygiene and regular dental checkups to see the health of your teeth.
- Wear a mouthguard whenever engaging in sports or if you grind your teeth at night.
How will my dentist address chips or broken teeth?
The dentist’s approach may vary since many possible reasons have caused a chipped tooth, and generally, the treatment depends on those factors and how complicated the damage is.
For instance, the dentist may apply dental fillings to reshape the tooth or may require you to undergo root canal therapy if determined that the damage has reached the deeper layers of the tooth. Other cases may only need cosmetic services to cover the cracks.
Overall, it’s best to have your tooth checked by a dental professional to know the procedure you need.
