Is a Chipped Tooth Serious?
A chipped tooth can happen to anyone, and while it is rarely an emergency, it is important to have it fixed as soon as possible. A chipped tooth can result from an accident, grinding your teeth, eating hard foods, decay, or simply aging. Even if you are not experiencing any discomfort, it is important to have a chipped tooth evaluated by your dentist to prevent further damage to the tooth and surrounding tissue.
Is a chipped tooth serious?
How serious a chipped tooth is all depends on the severity of the chip. Minor chips can often be fixed by just smoothing the chip out, but a large chip can lead to a fractured tooth that might eventually need to be extracted.
Leaving a chipped tooth untreated could cause you to experience tooth sensitivity from extreme temperatures and sugars. Tooth decay is often the reason that a tooth chips or breaks because decay weakens the enamel and the density of the tooth. You are also likely to experience sensitivity to pressure, causing pain when you chew. Pressure applied to a chipped tooth can cause immense pain and eventually cause the tooth to break.
Additionally, patients who suffer from bruxism can experience excessive wear on their teeth as well as pain in the jaw upon waking. Bruxism is clenching and/or grinding, which many of us do in our sleep, and can contribute to a chipped tooth. Your dentist can make a custom night guard for you to sleep in, which will greatly reduce symptoms of bruxism and protect your teeth from stress and chipping. A night guard will also help relax your jaw while you sleep and prevent soreness upon waking.
How is a chipped tooth treated?
In order to prevent further damage to the area, it is very important to see your dentist as soon as possible. At that time, they will perform an exam with an X-ray to make sure there is no underlying decay or bone loss. A severely chipped tooth can leave the inner structures of the tooth exposed and even more vulnerable to cavities and infection. This can all lead to nerve damage, or an abscess can even form.
No matter how minor, a chipped tooth should be treated as soon as possible. Any chip can lead to more serious problems, including infection that can spread down into the tooth and even to the jaw and neck. Even if you are not experiencing any discomfort, it is important to take the time to have any chip evaluated by your dentist to prevent further, more severe damage.
Reach out to learn about dental bonding as a potential option.