Tooth damage happens to a lot of people. Maybe it has happened to you recently. There’s no need to panic or worry because help is available. Restoration of chipped, cracked or shattered teeth is possible when you choose the right dentist.
Whether from a fall, sports injury, eating hard foods, chewing ice or because a tooth has past restorations or decay and has failed, when you hear that snap or notice loose tooth fragments in your mouth, you know you have damage to deal with. You’re not alone, and San Diego Dentist Association members are experienced in repairing teeth no matter what has happened to them.
Additionally, there are actions you can take at home to deal with any pain, discomfort or inconvenience you’re experiencing because of your chipped, cracked or shattered tooth. There are even things you can do to prevent other incidents in the future.
Your first step in dealing with a damaged tooth is to consider whether you have other injuries. If you have been in a fall or accident, you may have facial trauma or an injury to your neck or head, and these usually need to be treated first. In these cases, your first stop should be an emergency room or urgent care clinic. Dental concerns always come after medical concerns, especially trauma to the head, neck and brain. If you see bleeding from your ear, experience dizziness or memory problems or are disoriented after an accident, you must visit an emergency room right away.
If you go to a hospital for treatment, there may be an oral surgeon on staff to help with dental emergencies. This emergency dentist can help with things like tooth extractions, a broken jaw and teeth that are knocked out of place. If you aren’t seen by an oral surgeon at the hospital or don’t have to go to the hospital, reach out to a San Diego Dentist Association member for emergency dental treatment instead.
Tooth enamel is among the body’s hardest materials, but it can be damaged or destroyed. Once a tooth is damaged, it is likely to experience further damage, so restoration or repair is necessary to get things back on track.
Home Care For A Cracked Or Chipped Tooth
Immediately following an injury, cold therapy can help with pain and swelling. Consider placing a cold compress on your face near the injury as soon as possible.
Additionally, you can do the following things at home to reduce discomfort while awaiting treatment for a shattered, cracked or chipped tooth:
- Take Tylenol or a similar over-the-counter pain reliever if necessary.
- Rinse with warm salt water to help prevent infection and soothe pain.
- Use sugarless gum or paraffin to temporarily cover sharp tooth edges to prevent injuring your cheek or tongue.
- Eat only soft foods like mashed potatoes and smoothies.
Dental Treatment Of A Damaged Tooth
Your dentist may offer a range of solutions for your damaged tooth depending on the nature of the damage. Some repairs can be done in a single visit while others may take several visits for complete restoration.
Available treatments may include:
Enamel sculpting. Dental sculpting or shaping is the least expensive and quickest fix for a chipped or damaged tooth, but it isn’t always possible and may not give satisfactory results. It is sometimes done alongside bonding to add new material to the tooth as well. With sculpting, your damaged, rough or jagged enamel is ground away and what remains is contoured for proper function and appearance. For small imperfections, this approach may work fine.
Bonding or filling. When a tooth’s enamel is damaged, a filling is inexpensive and may resolve the problem. For a highly visible front tooth, however, bonding may look and work better. Sometimes done without the need for numbing, bonding adheres a tooth-colored resin onto the tooth to repair a damaged area. After it is applied and shaped carefully, bonding material can look like real enamel. The tooth can be used almost immediately because the bonding material is hardened using a special light.
Veneer. Used for cosmetic improvement of a dental imperfection or damaged tooth, a veneer is a wafer-thin layer of porcelain adhered to the front of one or more teeth. Veneers can cover natural imperfections as well as new or past repair work that doesn’t have an acceptable appearance on its own.
Crown. Also called a cap, a crown replaces the part of a tooth above the gumline. The dentist starts by grinding away some of the remaining tooth so a crown can be placed on what remains. The cover looks like a natural tooth and protects what’s still there. Crowns can be made from zirconia, metal, porcelain-covered metal and other materials. Each crown is custom-made. A pin may need to be inserted into the remaining tooth and more structure built up around it, depending on how much of the natural tooth remains.
Preventing Shattered, Chipped, And Broken Teeth
To reduce the likelihood that you will suffer a chipped tooth, broken tooth, or shattered tooth, consider taking these actions:
- When playing sports, wear an appropriate mouthguard.
- If you have TMD or experience clenching or grinding, speak with a dentist about a nightguard.
- Don’t chew on non-foods like pencils or pens.
- Avoid eating hard or sticky foods.
- Don’t use your teeth for prying, opening bottles or similar activities.
If you’re careful, it’s possible to prevent many situations that lead to inconvenient and costly dental repair. If you damage a tooth, however, there’s no reason to panic or even worry. An SDDA dentist can help. No matter the situation, it can be resolved for a healthier mouth and teeth and a lifetime of beautiful smiles. Reach out now for assistance.
Call (619) 745-6870 for a free consultation