What is a Chipped Tooth?

A chipped tooth is a common dental problem that can happen to anyone at any time. It’s not just about the pain, but it also affects your appearance and self-esteem.

Enamel is one of the toughest substances in your body. But it does have its limits – a forceful blow or excessive wear and tear can cause teeth to chip. The result? A jagged tooth surface that has a sharp edge, tender, and disfiguring!

You might not even notice the damage until your tooth starts to hurt and becomes sensitive to hot or cold foods. And if left untreated, the chip could worsen and lead to more serious dental problems like cavities or gum disease.

Effects/Consequences of Chipped Tooth

  • The tooth pulp may be exposed due to a chip, leaving it vulnerable to oral bacteria. A heightened sensitivity will result from this. You may need a root canal if the tooth becomes infected. However, we can easily fill this cavity if we catch it early on before an infection.
  • Usually, if a crack is only present in a tooth’s crown, it can be preserved and treated with a root canal and a crown. A crack won’t spread if this is done. When the crack already extends beneath the gum line, the tooth has to be extracted.
  • A cracked tooth that goes untreated may lead to this condition. The tooth splits into several sections, which are independent of one another. For proper treatment, a split tooth must also be extracted.

Why Choose Narre Warren Dental Care for treating Chipped Tooth

If you have a chipped tooth, it is important to get it treated as soon as possible.

When you come to our clinic, we will do everything we can to ensure that the chip gets fixed quickly and efficiently. Our dentists are highly trained and experienced professionals who know how to fix any problem that comes their way. They’ll be able to tell if other issues are going on with your mouth too, which means they’ll be able to give you the best treatment plan for all of your oral health needs!

Call us today at (03) 9754-0088 to book an appointment.

Frequently asked questions

Do you have questions about our dental services? We’re here to help! Check out the
answers to some of our most frequently asked questions or browse through below for more information.
Don’t delay or skip your appointment with the dentist! If you do, not only will that broken tooth become infected and irreversible damage may occur- but then it can cause other consequences like muscle strain in the jaw.

A chipped tooth can be caused by:

  • Cavities: Cavities that weaken your teeth and make you more prone to chipped teeth
  • Bite:-Bites made from hard objects are called “bad bites,” like hard candy, ice cube, or bone.
  • Poor Hygiene: Poor oral care can increase your risk of a chipped tooth, especially if your tooth enamel is already damaged or thinning.
  • Hard Hit:-The injury of hitting the face or mouth since the trauma occurred, such as the ball hitting the face during a game
  • Bruxism: Excessive teeth grinding can result in chipped or cracked teeth.

We want to make sure you’re aware of the multiple ways our dentists can fix your chipped tooth so that no matter what happens, we have a solution for you:-

CORRECTING THE CHIP WITH DENTAL BONDING

Dental bonding is a process where your dentist will use tooth-coloured resin to restore the chipped tooth. This effective way of repairing small chips can be done quickly and easily without having surgery or expensive procedures.

COVER THE CHIP WITH A DENTAL VENEER

This is a more involved process than dental bonding and requires us to take an impression of your tooth to craft the perfect fit. This will probably be much easier with you’re feeling relaxed, but it’s up to you what type of pain relief option you want.

DENTAL CROWN

A dental crown will make you feel better. If your tooth is in pain, it might be time to consult with a dentist about getting a new one placed over the problematic area of the mouth. This way, all of your teeth can stay happy and healthy!

This broken tooth is a ticking time bomb. Without professional treatment, it will only worsen over time and lead to an infection that can cause other health problems in the neck or head area. A chipped tooth may not be life-threatening, but you are putting yourself at risk for more serious issues down the line if left untreated.

As soon as your chipped or cracked tooth starts hurting, there are some things you can do right away at home that will help speed the healing process while waiting for professional dental treatment:-

  • Warm Water:-
    A soothing warm rinse is a great way to ease pain and cool down an irritated tooth. To avoid swallowing blood, it’s best to spit out any that comes from the mouth during this process. A salt water rinse helps with inflammation of tissues by drawing out excess fluids in cells.
  • Eat Medicine:-
    When your tooth is hurting, the best thing you can do is to take an over-the-counter pain reliever. Dentists will probably advise taking something simple like Panadol or Nurofen at first. If after about three days of consistent use with no improvement in symptoms, see either a doctor or dentist ASAP so they may help find out where the problem lies!
  • Use Gauze:-
    In case of bleeding in the mouth due to a chipped tooth, apply gentle pressure to the affected area using a gauze pad. A good way is by pressing on it with your fingers or holding some damp paper towel against it for 10-15 minutes until proper treatment can be given.
  • Carefully Eat foods:-
    A chipped tooth is more fragile than a whole one, and so it requires extra care. The best course of action is to eat soft food like soups, smoothies, applesauce for your child – anything that doesn’t require much chewing or biting.

Chipped tooth repair can be variable, and dentists usually put it in the small fix or the big fix.

A SMALL PART OF THE TOOTH HAS BEEN CHIPPED.

One of the many things that we routinely do at our practice is fixing chips in teeth. For a minor chipped tooth with an unfavourable bite, a small, quick solution may be to place a white filling on it. This will temporarily cover up any gaps between your teeth. At the same time, you wait for the full restoration treatment to take effect. The cost of fixing a small part of the chipped tooth is around $200, depending upon what materials are used.

MOST OF THE TOOTH IS CHIPPED

An alternative to a restoration of the larger chip is to have the tooth crowned. The crown will cover up your entire broken or cracked tooth and can be made from porcelain to resemble a natural tooth closely. Crowns range in price depending on how much work needs to be done but usually cost anywhere between $1000-$2000