You can chip a tooth in a variety of ways, including from chewing on a hard food or falling from a bicycle. Whether in gymnastics of in soccer, your teenager may be in need of an emergency dentist. Here is what you must do when you chip a tooth to save it from an extraction. With the proper care after chipping a tooth, you can continue to have an attractive smile.
Find a Dental Clinic
If you don’t have a dentist, then you should find an emergency dental clinic that offers fast care at any time of the day or night. Inform the receptionist that you need an emergency tooth repair so that you don’t need to sit in the waiting room. With fast treatment to a chipped tooth, you are less likely to develop a secondary infection from the bacteria that are in your mouth.
Protecting Your Tooth
If your chipped tooth has a broken edge that is cutting your lips or other soft oral tissues, then place a handkerchief or a gauze pad over the tooth. Avoid rubbing at the tooth’s damaged area because it can lead to additional problems such as introducing more bacteria into the pulp. When your facial tissue is beginning to swell, you can place an ice pack over your mouth, but you should avoid touching the damaged tooth.
Remain Calm While Visiting Your Dentist
After chipping a tooth, remain calm as you collect the piece of tooth to place it in a damp cloth. Contact your family dentist immediately so that you can rush in to the dental office for a repair. Your routine dentist will have X-rays of your mouth along with your oral health history in order to begin working on the tooth. You also won’t need to worry about completing any forms for insurance because the office employees will already have this information in the filing system.
Prepare for a Dental Procedure
When you have a tiny chip in a tooth, your dentist is able to repair the damage with a bonding substance that will match the color of the tooth’s dental enamel. After this liquid substance is applied, it will dry, and the dentist will polish it until it looks natural in your mouth. Your dentist can replace the bonding material if it is worn when you have an examination every six months.
Will You Need a Root Canal?
If a tooth has a large chip that leaves the tooth’s pulp exposed, then you will likely require a root canal. This is a procedure that requires anesthesia as the dentist drills into the tooth to remove its interior structures. The tooth is filled with a durable substance, and the dentist will place a customized dental crown over it.
Chipping a tooth can be painful, expensive, and emotionally draining. Your health is worth the cost. Some dentists provide payment plans and financial assistance options. Make sure you go with a friend or family member so they can do most of the talking and you can focus on your tooth. While one is never prepared for such an accident, it’s always best to have a specific game plan in your phone in case this happens to you or your child.
