When most people think of a dental emergency, they may imagine a severe injury to your tooth. However, urgent dental care encompasses more than this. Dr. Browne’s team in Prairie Village, KS, offers treatment for accidents like chipped or cracked teeth. It is important to repair this injury as soon as possible to avoid further harm to your smile.
Prevent Injuries To Your Tooth
Not all accidents can be avoided, but there are some things you can do to protect your smile. Conditions like bruxism can cause a patient to grind their teeth together. This can wear down your pearly whites and increase the risk of injury. To avoid this happening to you, your dentist can offer a non-invasive treatment for bruxism. It can be hard to tell you are experiencing this because it often happens when you sleep. If you notice that you get headaches often or have sensitive teeth, these may be signs of bruxism. Biting into something too hard or being hit in the face can lead to a chipped tooth. Avoid eating food that is too hard and if you play contact sports, you can wear a mouthguard to protect your smile.
What To Do If You Chip A Tooth
When this happens to you, a small amount of your enamel breaks off and can cause the area to feel rough. This may not seem as severe as a fully broken structure, but it is still important to have the harm looked at by your dentist. Call your dentist for an emergency appointment as soon as possible. If you are experiencing discomfort from this injury, you may be able to take over-the-counter pain reducers to help. The dentist will examine the area and assess the injury. In many cases, minor chips or cracks may be repaired by bonding cosmetic resin to the area. This material can be used to repair the injury and keep it from spreading further. If the injury is more severe, a dental crown may need to be used instead. The crown will cover the entire top part of your injured tooth to help repair it.
Other Ways Our Team Can Help
We are equipped to manage a variety of dental emergencies. If you have cracked your tooth more severely or a part of it has broken off, we can help restore the area with a crown or other means of restoration. If you have lost one of your pearly whites, we can help with this too. It is important that any harm done to your smile is addressed promptly so that your oral health is not harmed.
We are Here For You When You Need Care
To schedule an emergency visit, call Dr. Browne’s team in Prairie Village, KS, at 913-901-8585. We offer treatment for chips, cracks, and other smile-related injuries.