Upset with your broken/ chipped tooth? Don’t worry! We can fix it at Ponsonby dental boutique.
Causes of chipped/ broken tooth

• An accidental fall
• A blow to your mouth such as in contact sports
• Biting on something very hard like a candy or a piece of ice
• Trying to open something hard with your teeth
• Previously decayed tooth/ the chances of chipping are more if the tooth is previously decayed

Whatever is the cause, we can fix it for you!

Whenever you have a broken/ chipped tooth, meet us as soon as possible. Otherwise, the chipped tooth might get infected so much that you might lose the tooth.ADA/ American Dental Association says if you chip your tooth, immediately rinse it with warm water.If you see bleeding, apply pressure to stop bleeding, if possible, with sterile gauze.Apply cold compress outside the mouth to reduce any swelling that might come up.

If the chipped tooth has a very sharp edge, you might injure your lip or tongue. Till you reach us, you might want to stick a little of dental wax, readily available at a drug store or sugar-free chewing gum, to your tooth.

If the chipping is not in the front tooth, you may not know it unless you have symptoms. Feeling a jagged surface when you move your tongue, an uneven, rough edge that catches the tongue, pain while chewing/ biting are a few of the common symptoms.

The lower second molar is the tooth most likely to be chipped.

Procedure

If the tooth is chipped slightly, we do cosmetic contouring/ smoothen the edge so that it doesn’t hurt you. If there is a need, we do dental bonding/ build the tooth with composite. You don’t need any anaesthesia for cosmetic contouring and dental bonding. We follow the standard composite procedure: etching, rinsing, bonding agent, composite application, and curing. What you see at the end is your tooth back in its original shape, size, and colour!

Based on the extent of damage, there are other options, such as veneers and dental onlays. If it is a severe break, we do RCT and follow it with a crown/ cap.

If it’s a molar with one of the roots broken, we treat it accordingly. We need to remove the broken root, and RC treat the rest of the molar and replace it with a cap.

If the tooth is so broken that it cannot be repaired with RCT, for instance, a fracture that has reached all the roots, RCT cannot save such a tooth. Thus, extraction/ tooth removal is the recommended option. At Ponsonby dental boutique, we try to save your tooth always. When saving your tooth is not recommended, we can help you replace it with the best options, such as implants!

How to prevent chipping/ breaking teeth?

Wear a mouthguard, especially for contact sports.
Avoid biting on anything very hard, be it popcorn kernels or hard candy or ice.
Use only scissors and not your teeth to cut.

We understand chipping/ breaking your tooth might give you a sick feeling. However, most of the times, it could be a minor chip, and you don’t need any major treatment. But, it’s essential to meet us and get it treated right away to prevent the worst outcomes.

Meet us today at Ponsonby dental boutique to know more..