Treating a Chipped Tooth

When you chip a tooth, it can result in pain and embarrassment, and you probably cannot wait to get it fixed. At Lovett Dental Humble, we have several options for treating a chipped tooth, depending on the severity and location of the defect. Rest assured, we will help restore your smile and safeguard your dental health. If you have chipped your tooth and are unsure what to do, let Lovett Dental Humble provide you with dental services to help fix your smile. Read on to learn more about how to treat a chipped tooth and other dental services you may need.

The treatment options that are available for you depend on what we find when we examine the affected tooth. For example, if you are missing a thin slice of enamel, this issue is much easier to fix than a large chip that has fractured your tooth. If the crown of the tooth breaks open, it may expose the pulp, causing pain and discomfort in your mouth. Additionally, this will make eating and drinking difficult. The latter is an urgent case that requires immediate attention. If you are experiencing this type of discomfort, reach out to Lovett Dental Humble for treatment.

When we are treating a chipped tooth that has caused severe damage to your mouth, our priority becomes saving your tooth and relieving the associated pain. In some cases, you may require emergency dental services such as a root canal to prevent infection. This applies to situations where the pulp has become infected. Your dentist can remove the infected pulp, clean out the channels, and fill the tooth with a material that prevents future infections.

Types of Treatment

Treating a chipped tooth that has caused superficial damage may be as simple as reshaping and polishing it. However, it depends on the structural damage that needs to be repaired.

Methods of treating a chipped tooth include:

Reshaping and polishing
Composite filling
Partial or full crown
Porcelain veneers

After your dentist evaluates the damage, we will give you your options and get to work fixing on the tooth so you do not experience any cosmetic damage.

Small Chips

Small chips on the biting edge of the tooth that have not damaged the dentin may require dentists to repair the hard enamel. The dentist uses polishing discs and high-speed drills to fix the tooth without further appointments. However, if you have any concerns following the procedures, come back in and we will be happy to make the needed adjustments.

Fillings and Bonds

Dentin is the hard, bony material that makes up most of your tooth. It lies just beneath the outer enamel. If the chip exposes the dentin, the lost section must be fixed. Dentin has porous tubules that go to the pulp chamber. If it remains uncovered, bacteria can get into the pulp, causing infection.

We match white filling and bonding to the shade of your natural teeth. This improves the appearance of the chip and prevents infection of the pulp chamber, which often requires a root canal.