A chipped tooth is one of the most common types of dental injuries.
Although some people won’t realise straight away that the chip or break has occurred, in most cases the injury will cause pain at the time and some people may have difficulty eating. The closer the chip or break is to the tooth nerve, the sharper and more intense the pain will be.
Causes
- The most common cause of a chipped tooth is an accident or sports injury that involves an impact to the face. Playgrounds and swimming pools can be big culprits of chipped teeth in kids!
- Eating particularly hard foods, such as ice, nuts or boiled lollies can cause a break or chip – not to mention rogue stones in fruit
- Bruxism, the habit of grinding or clenching your teeth, gradually wears your teeth down and makes them more susceptible to breaking
- Tooth decay
- Even healthy teeth will suffer from general wear and tear as you age. People aged 50 and over are at increased risk of chips or breakages.
Treatments For A Chipped Tooth
If you chip or break a tooth you should book an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. If there is substantial pain and/or bleeding you may require an emergency dental appointment. Even if the chip is minor it’s important to repair it, as it can weaken your tooth and make it more susceptible to future cracks.
Minor chips can be successfully treated in a variety of ways:
- Fillings
- Bonding, using a tooth-coloured composite resin for chips to a front tooth
- Dental crowns for large chips, broken teeth or those with substantial decay
- Veneers are thin porcelain shells that cover the whole of the front tooth and effectively hides chips or breaks in front teeth
Please contact us if you have a broken or chipped tooth – we can conduct an assessment and recommend specific treatment options.