Our teeth are strong. In fact, the enamel that coats them is the hardest substance in the human body! But that doesn’t mean that injuries don’t occur. When a tooth is broken, you need to see us right away for emergency dental care. In today’s blog, your Prairie Village, KS, dentist talks about what to do when you end up with a broken tooth.
The Causes and Risks of a Broken Tooth
How does a tooth become broken? This could happen due to a sports injury, an accident, or even biting down on a particularly hard piece of food, such as a popcorn kernel. When damage occurs, even a minor chip or crack, this could expose the sensitive inner dentin to harmful bacteria, which leads to tooth decay and even dental infection. To avoid discomfort and eventually, the risk of tooth loss, you should see our team right away for dental emergency treatment.
How to Respond to Your Chipped Tooth
Don’t panic when you chip a tooth! See if you can save any pieces of them and if so, please bring them to the office. If you can’t, don’t worry, we can still repair your tooth. In the meantime, you should rinse with warm water and use cloth or gauze to control the bleeding. A cold compress or ice pack to the side of your face can control swelling too. You can take an over-the-counter pain reliever as needed as well. Give our office a call, if this happens during our normal business hours then we can likely schedule a same-day appointment. If not, then leave a message and we will reach out to you with potential appointment times. We want to see you quickly to prevent discomfort and complications.
Repairing Broken Teeth
If the damage is a minor chip, then we could likely repair it in one visit with dental bonding, using the same composite resin as our tooth-colored dental fillings. If you have more severe breakage or a fracture, then we could create a custom crown that caps the tooth and blends with your smile. To help limit injuries, we could talk about a custom mouthguard to wear if you play full contact sports. If you have any questions about how we address dental emergencies like chipped or cracked teeth, or if you want to schedule a visit today, then contact our team, right away.
Learn More About Addressing Your Damaged Teeth
Don’t ignore that damaged tooth, even if the chip itself appears very minor! Our team can offer lifelike repair and protect your smile from complications. To schedule an appointment for dental emergency care, just contact Robert M. Browne DDS in Prairie Village, KS by calling (913) 901-8585.