Chipped Teeth

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Chipped teeth are often the result of a dental injury caused either by accidental damage or some other trauma to your face or mouth. Having chipped teeth is one of the most common dental injuries and can be fixed using dental fillings in most cases. However, in more severe cases more invasive procedures may be required. Placing veneers on chipped teeth is one solution.

The core of your teeth contains blood vessels and nerves housed inside the pulp. In cases where severe damage is done to the teeth, the pulp can become damaged which leads to the death of blood vessels. In cases such as this, the damage may be treated using fillings but for more serious types of damage a root canal treatment may be used to extract the damaged blood vessels or nerves. Chipped teeth can often become more sensitive but fillings should relieve any problems.

Treatment for Chipped Teeth

Fillings

Fillings are the most commonly used way of treating chipped teeth. A dental filling is a type of dental restoration which is commonly used to treat lightly damaged teeth or other problems occurring due to tooth decay.  Firstly your dentist will isolate the affected tooth and clean any decay away from the affected area. Your dentist will then coat the area in adhesive before the filling material is placed. The bonding process is activated by a special light source and should become fixed firmly in place. Your fillings should last upwards of seven to ten years depending on the material used and how well you take care of your teeth. In some cases fillings won't be sufficient to correct any problems but there are several other treatment options including implants, dental crowns, bridges or root canal treatments.

Root Canal Treatment

The root canal located inside your mouth are channels which penetrate all the way from the roots to the tooth's central chamber. Local anaesthetics are used in root canal treatments which means that you'll be conscious throughout. Treatment begins by cleaning the damaged areas before removing damaged tissue from the tooth and extracting any remaining nerve tissue. The tooth is internally cleaned before being repaired by either a crown or a filling.

Protecting Teeth from Chipping

If you enjoy playing sports, especially contact sports such as boxing or rugby, then it is commonly advised that you use a mouth guard to help prevent injuries to your teeth such as chipping teeth. Mouth guards greatly decrease the risk of a dental injury occurring and can be custom made by your dentist or purchased in a one-size-fits-all kit from shops.

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