How to Handle Chipped or Broken Teeth

A cosmetic dentist is expected to diagnose and treat issues concerned with the aesthetics of your smile. However, a cosmetic dentist can also tackle unforeseen problems that characterise a dental emergency such as chipped or broken teeth.

A person may end up with chipped or broken teeth from accident or trauma, usually from chomping down too suddenly on hard foods or having exposed their teeth to a sharp, external impact. While our teeth are built of rather sturdy stuff, they can only take so much abuse.

It is not uncommon for teeth to be damaged by extreme conditions that upset or compromise their basic structure. Whatever the conditions, if you notice a fissure in your tooth, or it’s missing a fragment, it is highly recommended that you visit a dentist immediately. Leaving a chipped or broken tooth untreated is to risk an infection or possible loss of a tooth.

Restorative Dental Treatment Options

Thankfully, you can rely on a trained cosmetic dentist to repair your chipped/broken teeth and look forward to long-lasting and seamless results. In many cases, the damage can be repaired in a single appointment – provided of course, that you see your dentist promptly after the incident.

Tooth Coloured Fillings

Depending on the severity of the damage, the treatments can vary. A small chip on the front tooth, for example, may be addressed by applying a tooth-coloured filling (white filling). The cosmetic dentist will perform a pain-free bonding procedure, during which the damaged tooth undergoes an etching process followed by the application of a special bonding material. After the dentist has shaped and contoured the malleable material to look like a real tooth, an ultraviolet light is used to harden or cure it.

Dental Crown

If the chip or broken off fragment is too large or showing signs of decay, a dental crown may be recommended. The crown is a tooth-like cap – made from porcelain, resin or metal – that is used to cover the repaired tooth above the gum line.

The crowning procedure typically requires at least two visits to the dentist. During the first visit, the dentist would take impressions of your tooth structure and place a temporary crown over the treated tooth. After a permanent crown has been fabricated at a dental lab, you will need to return for the final fitting of the permanent crown.

Porcelain Veneers

Another popular option for addressing chipped or broken teeth is that of porcelain veneers. Porcelain veneers are essentially thin laminate shells of tooth-coloured material that are cemented to the front of the tooth to conceal cosmetic issues. The cosmetic dentist would first remove a thin layer of enamel from the tooth’s surface to allow better accommodation and adherence of the ultra-thin shells.

Usually recommended for minor cracks, chips or fractures, porcelain veneers are designed to hide dental imperfections for purely cosmetic effects.

Root Canal

In more severe cases, like a broken tooth with exposed pulp, there is a high risk of infection and tooth loss. For such cases, an x-ray may be required to evaluate the extent of the damage. If an infection is detected or pulp is exposed, the dentist would recommend root canal procedure in order to remove the infected pulp and clean the pulp chamber before sealing it, and possibly, placing a protective crown over the sealed canal.

To book an appointment please contact Macquarie Street Centre today – simply call our friendly Sydney CBD team at 02 9247 1394.