CHIPPED TEETH

What To Do For Chipped Or Broken Teeth

One thing that even the bst dental hygene and care cannot prevent is damage to your teeth due to trauma, which can cause a number of serious problems from chipped teeth to a completely broken tooth, as well as teeth that are completley knocked out.

It is best to prepare a plan of action in advance if a trauma to your mouth occurs, as it becomes quite difficult to make rational decisions after the accident has occurred, and when pain and blood loss may be taking place. In cases where extreme trauma has occurred, it is best to have telephone numbers to the local emergency room and dentist that takes emergency cases in an easily located place, as well as the knowledge of how to potentially salvage a tooth that has been knocked from the mouth. If your tooth has been knocked out, place it in milk or a cup of saliva and contact your emergency dentist immediately. The emergency telephone number for Absolute Dental is 702- ABSOLUTE. If you are bleeding, go to the emergency room immediately.

Even if you are experiencing no discomfort, and have only noticed a chipped or cracked tooth, it is wise to visit your dentist immediately. Many times, teeth fracture without warning and for a wide variety of reasons including cavities, trauma, weak enamel, and brittle teeth due to root canals or non-vital pulp problems. Fractures or cracks in your teeth may continue to spread for these same reasons, creating greater risk of discomfort or chipping.

The treatments for chipped or fractured teeth usually involve filing and reshaping the tooth or teeth, and potentially installing new fillings, veneers or crowns. If a tooth is severely damaged, it may be in need of a root canal or extraction. One thing that people rarely realize is that many teeth that are completely fractured at the gum-line are still able to be saved.

Minimal damage to the tooth may require only reshaping and filing. If you find that there is painwhen you eat or drink anything cold or hat after the reshaping has taken place, therre may be a need for more extensive work, so see your dentist immediately if you notice this kind of problem. The main thing to keep in mind is that it is not a good idea to put off seeing your dentist if you notice problems, even if they are not causing immediate pain. Prolonging the visit until more severe damage occurs is not beneficial.