Help! I Chipped a Tooth. What Are My Options

Whether you’re dealing with a dental disease or had an accident, a chipped tooth makes life more difficult. Here’s what you can do after you chip a tooth.

Your teeth help you eat and speak. Despite being covered in the toughest substance in the body, they can become damaged. Therefore, you need to keep your teeth healthy.

Chipping is a common type of tooth damage. If you chip a tooth, you need to know how to manage it until you get medical help.

If you live in the Richmond Hill, Georgia, area and you’ve chipped a tooth, Dr. Nils Anderson and our experienced staff at Village Dental can help.

Reasons for a chipped tooth

Dental injuries are often the result of physical trauma, including falls, accidents, and sports-related activities. However, a chipped tooth can also happen because of dental diseases like tooth decay and gum disease.

Lip and tongue piercings, cavities, and tooth misalignments can also increase the risk of chipped teeth.

Sometimes, chipped teeth are painless. Other times, symptoms include toothache, discoloration, mouth pain, or a change in bite.

Homecare options

Some basic options for managing chipped teeth at home include flushing your mouth with warm water, applying a cold compress to alleviate any swelling, and even applying clove oil to the area. This oil helps with inflammation and also has a numbing agent if there is any pain near the tooth.

Over-the-counter anti-inflammatories and pain relievers can provide relief until you get to our office.

Many pharmacies also carry dental wax to cover the edge of a chipped tooth to prevent sharp edges from cutting the inside of your mouth. If the chip is large, dental wax may not be the best solution, so follow the other steps until you can get help.

Treatment options

In office solutions for dealing with a chipped tooth are varied depending on the extent of the damage. These are the options:

Temporary crown: this is a quick solution used to prevent unnecessary pressure on the damaged tooth

Crown: if the damage is severe, a crown can be placed over the existing tooth to restore function and avoid further damage

Filling: if the chip exposes the inside of the tooth, a dental filling can protect the biting surface

Veneers: this option is placed over the damaged tooth to restore its appearance
Root canal: the chip may be accompanied by a crack that extends to the root of the tooth

If you have a chipped tooth, we have the tools to treat it. Make an appointment with Dr. Anderson and Village Dental today to find the best solution for your chipped tooth.