going to the dentist with less anxiety

Chipped Tooth? Simple Solutions to Treat & Repair a Chipped Tooth

7 December 2015

Jordan Arnold

Considering playing a favorite sport, eating a certain food, or slipping and falling at home can result in one or multiple chipped teeth, it's often ideal to learn what to do when this situation arises. Use this guide to understand what steps you should take after chipping a tooth and learn the best options for an appealing smile restoration.

Post-Injury Steps

It may be difficult to stop what you are doing after your injury, but seeking professional care as soon as possible is key to saving your chipped or broken tooth.

Immediately after the accident, contact your dentist for an appointment. Visiting your dentist within 30 minutes of your injury increases your risk of successful implantation and repair. Then, complete the following steps:

• Find and Store: If possible, locate the broken piece of your tooth. If found on the ground, rinse off the broken tooth with warm water. If a small portion has broken off, wrap it in clean gauze and place in your pocket for safe transport to the dentist. If the entire tooth has been knocked out, rinse the tooth and your mouth with warm water. Place the dislodged tooth directly back in its socket. Gently bite down on the tooth, securing it in place.
• Handle with Care: When handling a chipped tooth or completely dislodged tooth, do not make contact with the roots or exposed nerves. Make sure your hands are clean before handling, as well. By handling with care, you can reduce your risk of infections.
• Relieve your Pain: If you are experiencing any pain or discomfort, take an over the counter ibuprofen. This anti-inflammatory medication will reduce swelling, relieving your pain in an efficient manner. An ice pack, placed on the jaw nearest the injured tooth, can also numb the area.

Restoring your Smile

Once you arrive to the dentist's office, a series of tests will be necessary to determine the best option to restore your smile.

If the chip in your tooth is small, smoothing and polishing the chipped enamel may be sufficient. However, larger chips in your front teeth will require a dental bonding to restore your smile. After smoothing the tooth enamel, your dentist will apply a layer of tooth-colored composite resin. This material bonds to the teeth, restoring the chipped enamel in a realistic manner.

Dental bonding restores your smile, but you must use precaution after the treatment. To avoid chipping your restored tooth, be careful when biting down on hard foods. Also, do not use your teeth as tools to bite your nails or open packages. Lastly, avoid tea, soda, wine, and other foods and beverages that may stain the bonding material for at least 48 hours.

If your injury has dislodged your tooth completely, your dentist may be able to reimplant the knocked-out tooth. The socket is first flushed out using an anti-bacterial solution, decreasing your risk of an infection. Then, the dislodged tooth is reinserted into the socket, as you bite down gently to hold it in place. Your dentist will then connect a splint to the surrounding tooth, securing the dislodged tooth back into its original position.

While the splint will need to remain in place for 7 to 10 days, reimplantation offers the most effective, efficient smile restoration after losing a tooth.

Dealing with a chipped or dislodged tooth is not a fun experience, but it does not have to be an overwhelming or painful situation. Using this guide on steps to take and treatment options, you can restore your smile after an injury to your teeth. Go to websites about dental bonding to learn more. 

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