Certain dental problems, such as tooth pain, chipped teeth, or trauma to a tooth, require immediate treatment from a highly skilled dentist. While the enamel that covers your teeth is generally hard, it has its limits. Our dentists in Anderson, SC provide urgent dental care when you need it most. At DentalWorks – Anderson, we can effectively treat a chipped tooth or a tooth that has received some sort of trauma on an emergent basis to relieve any pain or discomfort you’re experiencing.
WHAT TO DO AFTER CRACKING OR CHIPPING YOUR TOOTH
In some cases, people may not even know that a tooth has been damaged after an accident. A chipped tooth may or may not have a toothache associated with it. Regardless, if there is pain associated with the injury or not, it should be treated quickly. At DentalWorks – Anderson, we perform comprehensive dental exams to assess the damage from your chipped or cracked tooth. After determining the extent of the damage, we create a custom treatment plan that will restore your smile quickly and effectively.
CAUSES FOR CRACKED OR CHIPPED TEETH
Various factors can contribute to a chipped tooth. Some of the most common causes include cavities, a misaligned bite, an injury or trauma, bruxism, or poor oral hygiene.
WHAT TO DO AFTER YOU CHIP A TOOTH
Any time you observe you’ve damaged a tooth, you should reach out to a certified dentist in Anderson, SC right away. If you aren’t in extreme pain, chances are you probably won’t need urgent dental care. Until you can be seen by a dental practitioner, avoid chewing with the damaged tooth until you visit our office. However, if you do have pain, immediate treatment should be provided in order to resolve the dental issue at hand. Leaving a chipped tooth untreated can lead to continued pain, an infection, or the need for more extensive and costly procedures such as a root canal.
TREATMENTS FOR A CHIPPED TOOTH
Identifying the optimal way to address each case is our skilled team’s most important goal. At DentalWorks – Anderson, our dental professionals look at your particular oral health issues. We may use digital x-rays to check the degree of the damage and to recommend the best possible treatment. Depending on the size of the chip or crack, we may recommend crowns, dental bonding, veneers, or a root canal treatment. If a large piece of the tooth breaks off or the tooth has a lot of decay, we may file away part of the tooth and cover it with a crown. This crown is custom made to fit over the entire tooth according to your bite. This makes it a strong and durable option. A crown may require two visits at our Anderson, SC office. The first will be to remove the decayed or damaged part of the tooth and to place a temporary crown. The second visit will be to place the final restoration. To repair small chips and to seal a tooth, dental bonding can be used. Bonding is a simple procedure that doesn’t require any local anesthesia. The same composite resin that is used for tooth-colored fillings is used during bonding. Our dentist applies an adhesive material followed by the resin. After shaping it to a natural look, we use a UV light to harden the material, and it’s polished for a smooth finish. Some people opt for veneers because the chip is part of what they don’t like about their smiles. Porcelain veneers are thin shells that are permanently bonded to the front of the teeth. Veneers typically aren’t a normal component of emergency dental care. If a chip or crack is large enough to expose the pulp of a tooth, a root canal may be required. Root canal therapy is performed at our Anderson, SC office by removing the dead or infected pulp and thoroughly cleaning the canals of the tooth. The remaining tooth is usually covered with a crown to protect the now weakened tooth.
TREAT YOUR CHIPPED TOOTH QUICKLY WITH EMERGENCY DENTAL CARE
Our entire experienced dental team at DentalWorks – Anderson offers emergency dental treatments. We want our patients in Anderson, SC to know that we are always available to help relieve them of any dental pain or discomfort. Whether it’s a chipped tooth or a more serious traumatic injury, we can help restore your smile with a variety of restorative dentistry treatments that work best for your oral health situation.
Cavities: Holes in the teeth from cavities or tooth decay weaken the teeth and can lead to chips or cracks.
Misaligned bite: An improper bite may make you more susceptible to tooth damage.
Injury/Trauma: Trauma to the face or mouth, such as being hit in the face with an object or participating in certain contact sports without proper protection, can lead to an emergency dental situation.
Bruxism: Teeth grinding can make someone more likely to crack or chip their teeth.
Poor oral hygiene: Poor oral care can weaken the teeth, making them much more vulnerable to this dental problem.
Using your teeth as a tool: Never use your teeth as a tool to pull something apart or to tear open packages.
