Accidents happen, and sometimes all it takes is slipping on a sidewalk, taking an elbow to the face during outdoor activities, or even grinding your teeth at night for you to chip one of your teeth. While a chipped tooth might only seem like a minor inconvenience, the truth is, it’s much more than just a cosmetic issue! Unlike our bones or skin, our teeth cannot heal themselves, meaning that bigger problems can develop the longer the issue remains unaddressed. Here’s what you need to know about chipped teeth and why reaching out to your emergency dentist quickly is the right move.
Why Can’t Teeth Heal on Their Own?
Teeth are incredibly strong and resilient, but they lack one important feature that your bones have: living cells that are capable of repairing damage. A tooth consists of three layers:
- Enamel, the harder, outermost layer.
- Dentin, the softer, supporting middle layer.
- Pulp, the inner core that contains nerves and blood vessels.
The enamel has no blood supply, meaning that it cannot regenerate. So when it becomes chipped, the damage is permanent—until it can be treated by a dentist. Even small chips that don’t seem harmful or cause any pain can worsen over time, as biting forces or temperature changes put additional strain on them.
What Happens When Chipped Teeth Aren’t Treated?
Ignoring a chipped tooth may seem harmless, especially if it doesn’t hurt, but problems like the following can quickly develop:
- Increased dental sensitivity
- Higher risk of tooth decay
- Deep cracks and fractures
- Injury to nearby soft oral tissues
- Possible infection of the tooth’s pulp
What Are My Treatment Options for Chipped Teeth?
The good news is that modern dentistry offers many effective and painless solutions for addressing chipped teeth! These include options like:
- Cosmetic dental bonding, which involves using a tooth-colored composite resin to restore the missing portion of the tooth.
- Porcelain veneers, or small coverings that are placed on the front surfaces of teeth to promote a gorgeous, symmetrical appearance.
- Dental crowns, which are customized restorations that strengthen teeth above the gumline.
If a tooth has sustained serious injury beyond the initial chip, more complex treatment options might be needed—which is why it’s so important to visit your dentist as soon as you’re aware of the problem. Even though they require a little help to heal after becoming chipped, your teeth are simply too important to leave them in an injured state!
About the Practice
Under the leadership of Dr. Shawn Van de Vyver and Dr. Nicole DeBellis, our team here at Great Lakes Dental Excellence has served the dental needs of patients in New Baltimore and the surrounding area for several years. We offer a variety of services, including emergency dentistry for those with urgent needs such as severely chipped teeth. We also offer a wide range of cosmetic solutions, including dental bonding and veneers. If you have any questions about the blog or you’d like to get in touch with our practice to schedule an appointment for yourself or a loved one, call today or reach out online for assistance. Telephone: (586) 725-5500.