Dental injuries can happen to anyone, but it’s important to know what to do if a dental emergency like a chipped tooth occurs. If you chip your tooth while eating hard food or as the result of dental trauma, contact an emergency dentist immediately.
Any dental emergency or injury to the mouth should be treated by a dentist as soon as possible. Your dentist at Huangshan Dental can help you understand how to fix a chipped tooth and recommend a treatment plan to restore your smile.
How to Fix a Chipped Tooth?
A tooth can be chipped in several ways, such as from a blow to the face to tooth grinding. While a small chip may not require more than a consultation with your emergency dentist, a more serious chip that exposes the dentin or pulp should be thoroughly checked.
If you have chipped a tooth and are unable to get to your emergency dentist right away, here are some steps on how to fix a chipped tooth at home:
- Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to remove debris or blood from your mouth and prevent infection and bacterial growth.
- If there is bleeding, apply pressure by placing gauze between your teeth and carefully biting down.
- Apply a cold compress to your face over the affected tooth to reduce swelling, numb the site to ease discomfort, and slow any bleeding.
- Place dental wax or sugar-free gum over the rough edges of the chip. This will protect the tongue and the inside of the cheeks from abrasions.
Treating a Chipped Tooth
If you have a chipped tooth causing severe discomfort, it is likely a dental emergency, and you should contact your dentist immediately. Your dentist will examine your teeth and may perform X-rays or scans to determine if the damage is more severe than a surface-level chip. There are several treatment options available to restore a chipped tooth.
Dental bonding
For a minor chip, your dentist may prescribe dental bonding. After applying a local anaesthetic, your dentist shapes the chip to remove debris and rough edges. Then, they apply a chemical roughening agent to enable the composite to adhere more securely. Your dentist applies thin layers of tooth-coloured composite resin to the chip, curing each layer with a specialised light. They then shape and polish the tooth to ensure it looks natural.
Root canal therapy
If the assessment shows deeper trauma that has affected the pulp, you may need a root canal to save your tooth from extraction. A root canal involves opening the tooth’s crown, removing the damaged pulp, including the nerves and blood vessels, disinfecting the pulp chamber, and sealing it with gutta-percha. The tooth is restored using a filling or a dental crown.
Dental veneers
Veneers are tooth-coloured shells placed over the front of the tooth to disguise cosmetic flaws. They are suitable for teeth with multiple shallow chips or teeth that are discoloured due to dental trauma.
After removing approximately 0.5mm of enamel, your dentist takes impressions to send to an off-site lab where your veneers are fabricated. At a second appointment, your dentist cements the customised veneers in place.
Preventing a Dental Emergency
While learning how to fix a chipped tooth at home is important during a dental emergency, preventing chips is a better way to protect your oral health. Avoiding every accident is impossible, but precautions can mean the difference between minor and major damage.
A fitted mouthguard made for you by your dentist helps spread and absorb impact from a blow to the face during high-risk activities, such as biking, climbing, or sports.
Don’t use your teeth as tools for opening things. Doing this can cause dental trauma like chips, cracks, or even broken teeth.
If you’re looking for high-quality, cost-effective dental implant care abroad, Huangshan International Dental Hospital offers efficient same-day implant solutions through its in-house AI-powered dental lab, with strict quality control throughout the treatment process. For further information, consultations are available upon request.
References
Dental trauma
https://www.teeth.org.au/dental-trauma
Cracked teeth
https://www.teeth.org.au/cracked-teeth
What to Do If You Chip or Break a Tooth
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-fix-a-chipped-tooth
Dental injury
https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/dental-injury
