how to fix a chipped tooth

What to Do if You Chip Your Tooth

Chipping, cracking, or breaking a tooth can be painful. Damage from chipping a tooth can also be minor or extensive, depending on your dental health and the type of injury.

Unless the damage is a slight chip, there is no permanent way to fix it without visiting a dentist. The best thing you can do before visiting a professional is to address the pain and protect your teeth and mouth to avoid additional injury.

chipped tooth

How to Protect Your Tooth Until You See a Dentist

Dentists do not advise home treatment to fix a broken tooth. However, there are some practices you can make to protect your teeth and mouth:

Temporary Chipped Tooth Repair at Home

If you chip or crack a tooth, you must first rinse your mouth with warm salt water. Washing your mouth right away with salt water will help clean the tooth and the injury.
Next, apply pressure to stop any bleeding. Set a cold compress on the area to reduce any swelling and pain.
If you have the piece of broken tooth, place and wrap it in wet gauze. Take it with you to the dentist.

Home Remedies for Chipped Tooth Pain Relief

Before visiting the dentist, you can practice several home remedies for pain relief from chipping a tooth.

Over-the-counter pain relievers and anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen can help reduce pain, but never take more than the recommended dosage. You can also use clove oil on the injured area to help lessen the pain. Clove oil contains eugenol, a numbing ingredient with anti-inflammatory features.

If your tooth has a tiny chip and a jagged edge, you can set dental wax over the edge. Dental wax prevents any sharpness from slicing your tongue or damaging your mouth. Many drugstores sell over-the-counter temporary fix kits with dental wax.

However, this home remedy is not recommended if you have a big chip or a section of a tooth that is missing. If you use dental wax, avoid chewing on the side with the damaged tooth. Try flossing around the tooth to reduce irritation and pressure.

There are different types of temporary tooth repair kits available in drugstores and online. While these kits should not replace professional oral care and treatment, they can be helpful while waiting to visit a dentist.

These tooth replacement kits are temporary and do not address the more significant issues that could lead to infection, tooth loss, or other oral health complications. Some kits include dental wax, while others provide material that can mold into the shape of a tooth to fill any gaps on chipped or broken teeth.

SUMMARY

If you chip a tooth, make an appointment with your general dentist ASAP. Before your appointment, rinse your mouth with warm salt water, apply pressure to stop the bleeding, and use a cold compress to reduce pain. You can also take OTC pain relievers and apply clove oil to numb the area and reduce any inflammation.

When Does a Tooth Chip Require Treatment?

You will likely need to visit a dentist for any breakage but the smallest cracks or chips. This is because it is challenging to see how severe the damage might be. If you are unsure, make an appointment immediately to prevent a chipped tooth from becoming a dental emergency.

There are no effective DIY home remedies to prevent more injury to your teeth and mouth, and the jagged and sharp edges of a cracked tooth could slice your soft tissues. This would cause more pain, infection, and potentially more expensive treatment. In some circumstances, untreated tooth damage could lead to a root canal, tooth loss, or other problems and complications due to infection.

The most common teeth to damage are the molars in the lower jaw. This is likely due to their pointy cusps that grind into the molars' grooves at the top of the mouth.

However, any tooth can chip or break with injuries that range from minor cosmetic damage to severe injuries. Deep cracks lead down to the root or from the tooth's center to the pulp chamber. In the pulp chamber, there are nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue.

Sometimes, cracks are not visible because they hide inside the tooth or below the gum. Some cracks and chips on teeth have no symptoms or symptoms that appear to be cavities, sensitivity, or periodontal disease.

SUMMARY

Generally, the deeper and broader the damage, the more comprehensive the treatment required. A dentist can determine the extent of the damage by assessing the tooth with a magnifying test, bite test, and/or x-rays.

When Does a Tooth Chip Not Require Treatment?

Not every chip or crack is severe enough to require treatment. Some cracks and chips are quite common. For example, craze lines are common. These are small cracks that develop in the tooth enamel only.

6 Professional Tooth Repair Options

Here are the most common treatments for fixing chipped teeth:

1. Cosmetic Contouring

Cosmetic contouring is often used to fix minor tooth chips. The procedure consists of polishing a tooth's surface to smooth out any broken/sharp edges.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding can be used to fill in gaps and spaces on a chipped tooth. During this procedure, your dentist will lightly abrade the tooth and apply a conditioning liquid. Then they will apply a tooth-colored composite resin and form it into the correct shape.

Root Canal

A chipped tooth may require more extensive repair if it goes deeper than the surface. For example, if the damage reaches the pulp, it may indicate the need for root canal treatment.

This procedure is far less painful than it used to be. Typically, it is no more painful than receiving a dental filling.

Surgery

Molars have more than one root. If just one is damaged or fractured, a root amputation may be necessary to save the rest of the tooth. This procedure is called a hemisection. A root canal and dental crown must be done on the remaining tooth.

Extraction

If a root canal is not enough to save a chipped or cracked tooth, extraction is necessary. The deeper the crack, the more likely tooth extraction is required.

Reattachment

In some cases, a dentist may reattach the broken part of a tooth. These procedures can typically be completed in a single visit.

SUMMARY

The type of treatment needed for a chipped tooth depends on how significant the crack/chip is and where it is located. Cosmetic contouring, dental bonding, root canal treatment, extraction, reattachment, and surgery are some common options.