Whether the result of impact to your mouth during contact sports, a wayward bite on something hard, or another incident, chipped teeth are a relatively common occurrence. Chips in teeth can range from minuscule damage that only your dentist will notice to chips that run the length of your tooth. If you’ve chipped a tooth and are wondering whether you need to fix it, the following information will help you determine whether it’s an emergency or if it can wait.
Is a Chipped Tooth a Dental Emergency?
Not all chipped teeth are dental emergencies. Occasionally, a chip is so minor that you may not even notice it! However, a chipped tooth is an emergency if it is cutting your mouth or causing you pain. In many cases, our team at Hillstream Dental can accommodate you the same day for emergency treatment. On the other hand, if you know that you’ve chipped your tooth but it isn’t causing you pain, you may be able to wait to seek treatment.
However, keep in mind that some chips could be accompanied by small cracks that you can’t see or feel. These cracks can allow bacteria to penetrate into the sensitive inner portion of your tooth, causing infection. So even if a chip only looks like a cosmetic issue, you should still come see us soon so we can check it out.
How Do We Fix Chipped Teeth?
Depending on the extent of the damage and the location of the tooth, treatment could include things such as polishing, bonding of a tooth-colored composite resin material, a filling, a dental crown, or a dental veneer. A dental crown is an artificial tooth that acts as a cap for a natural tooth, and a veneer is a thin shell that is bonded to the front of your natural tooth.
Cosmetic Repairs in Rochester Hills & St. Clair Shores
If you’ve been putting off repairing a chipped tooth, we can help. Contact us today to learn more about how you can fix your chipped teeth with our Hillstream Dental team!
Contact Us
