Emergency Dentist Has 5 Affordable Fixes for Chipped Tooth

So, you’ve chipped a tooth. Not to panic, a chipped tooth can happen for a variety of reasons. Seeking treatment as soon as possible is one of the best things you can do for your smile. Just use a dentist near me search to pull up an emergency dentist in your area. From there you can make an appointment where your dentist is able to use a filling or bonding to remedy your chipped tooth. A filling or bonding is a quick way to treat a chipped tooth, and it’s possible to have done in just one visit to your emergency dentist. Your emergency dentist will also have other treatment options available to you, should your chipped tooth require a more complex solution.

What is a Chipped Tooth?

Whether your tooth is broken, chipped, or fractured, you’ll need to see a professional dentist to make sure your dental situation doesn’t worsen. Even the most careful people can end up with a chipped tooth. After all, accidents can happen at any time. A chipped tooth is generally minor, involving a small piece of the tooth’s enamel that has come off. A fractured tooth is when can happen on the point of your tooth (the cusp) or on the tooth as a whole. When this happens, the fracture can expose the root of your tooth. If you’ve fractured a tooth, you’re likely to experience pain and sensitivity as the nerve endings on the root of your tooth is exposed. A broken or cracked tooth involves a break on the entire tooth. Depending on how the crack has spread on your tooth will determine the type of treatment that will be used.

What Caused My Chipped Tooth?

There are various reasons why you might have chipped a tooth. Even the healthiest of teeth can become damaged from time to time. Below are some reasons why you might have chipped a tooth:

• Injury. Any trauma to the mouth can result in a chipped tooth. This includes a sports accident, car accident, or even a fall. If your tooth has been hit, you may be left with a piece of it missing. You may want to seek medical attention to make sure you aren’t suffering any other injuries.
• Tooth Decay. Having tooth decay can increase your chances for chipping a tooth. Tooth decay wears at the enamel of your teeth, weakening them over time. If your tooth enamel is easily broken, tooth decay can sometimes be the culprit.
• Abscessed tooth. An abscessed or infected tooth is similar to tooth decay, in that the tooth’s enamel is very weak. If the chip or fracture is due to an abscessed tooth, you’ll want to see an emergency dentist immediately.
• Biting on hard foods. While the enamel on our teeth are strong and seem like they can handle just about anything, there are certain foods that can leave you with a chipped tooth. Think of things like chewing on ice, hard candy, or bone. Sometimes biting the wrong way can leave you with a chipped tooth.

Is My Chipped Tooth an Emergency?

Under no circumstances should a chipped tooth be left untreated. However, seeing an emergency dentist straight away will depend on how badly you’ve chipped your tooth. If it’s a small cosmetic chip, you can sometimes get away with seeing your dentist until you have time to schedule an appointment. However, if the chipped tooth is caused by tooth decay, an abscessed tooth, or an injury, you should see your dentist sooner rather than later. When it comes to tooth decay or infection, you’ll want your dentist to treat the infection before it spreads to other teeth or the rest of your body. For an injury, you’ll want to make sure the impact hasn’t damaged the nerves or structure of any other teeth. Use your best judgement when it comes to your teeth. If you feel that it can’t wait, it probably shouldn’t. Perform a dentist near me search and you will see several Castle Dental offices near you. With emergency dentists on call, they’ll be ready to handle whatever tooth comes their way.

What should you do before you see an emergency dentist for a chipped tooth?

If you’re waiting to see an emergency dentist, there are several things you can do while you wait.

• Rinse your mouth with salt water. This can help reduce infection and swelling.
• Take an over the counter pain reliever if you are experiencing pain.
• Use an ice pack to reduce swelling.
• Stop bleeding with gauze and apply pressure.
• Use dental wax to cover any jagged edges that could cut your gums or cheeks.
• Try not to eat hard food or foods that would damage your tooth further

What are affordable fixes for a chipped tooth?

1. Recontouring

If you’re lucky, your emergency dentist might be able to fix the tooth by using a tool to smooth over the tooth’s enamel. This works if your chip is very small and hasn’t caused damage to the remainder of the tooth.

2. Filling or bonding

When your tooth has a small chip, your dentist can use a composite filling, or bonding, to fix the affected tooth. During this process, your dentist will clean the chipped tooth before applying a filling material such as resin to the tooth. Using an ultraviolet light, they will harden the material and shape it once it’s hardened. The filling material is often made to be the same color as your tooth, so it won’t look unnatural. The cost of a filling or bonding is fairly affordable, and is most likely covered by your dental insurance. Castle Dental accepts most dental insurance plans, and your emergency dentist will be able to advise you on your most affordable treatment option.

3. Dental crown

When a tooth is broken or severely fractured, your dentist may want to use a dental crown to repair the tooth. This is especially true if the fracture was caused by tooth decay. Your dentist will work to remove any tooth decay and file the tooth down to a point where the fracture has stopped. They will then create a crown to go over the entire tooth. Your dental crown can be made from resin, porcelain, or metal. Metal is the sturdiest option, and generally the most cost-friendly. However, some patients prefer a more discreet appearance with their dental crown and opt for a porcelain crown.

If the tooth has completely broken, but the root remains, your dentist can send you to an oral surgeon to repair the tooth. Your oral surgeon will most likely place a pin into the root of the tooth to support a crown. Cost of a dental crown will depend on how much damage has been done to the tooth, and which type of crown will be used to repair it.

4. Veneer

A porcelain veneer is an option for patients looking to repair a chipped tooth in the front of their mouth. Veneers are generally done to help fix the tooth, while providing some cosmetic touches. The veneer is a thin composite that is placed over the front of the tooth, so your dentist will smooth out the tooth in order to place the veneer over it. As veneers are seen more as a cosmetic treatment, your dental insurance may not cover the procedure. However, Castle Dental has affordable payment plans that can help you should you prefer veneers over other treatment options.

5. Root canal

If a tooth has been fractured due to tooth decay or an infected tooth, your dentist will sometimes recommend a root canal. During this process, your dentist will remove your tooth’s pulp, essentially hollowing out your tooth. Once this is done, they will seal the tooth, keeping it free from bacteria. From there, a dental crown or filling is used to restructure the tooth. Root canals can be quite expensive, however, most dental insurance plans will cover part of the cost.

Your Emergency Dental Appointment

Scheduling an emergency dental appointment is easy. If you’ve got a chipped tooth, just use a dentist near me search to locate the closest Castle Dental office. With a team made up of professional emergency dentists, general dentists, and oral surgeons, your chipped tooth will be fixed in no time. You can make an appointment by visiting us online, or calling us at 1.844.700.7645. However it happened, our dentists are ready to fixed whatever chipped tooth comes their way.