How to Handle a Chipped Tooth

A chip or crack in your tooth can be painful and worrisome, whether it happens as a result of trauma like a baseball hitting you in the face, or you bite down on a piece of hard candy and realize you’ve damaged a tooth. Happily, your dentist can help. 

At SmileBoutique in Mount Vernon, New York, Dr. Wayne Hofflich and our staff have multiple approaches for treating chipped, cracked, or broken teeth. The best one for you depends on the location and severity of the problem, as well as your preferences. 

A chip or a break? 

The steps you should take when you injure your tooth are somewhat dictated by the size of the chip or break. A small piece that doesn’t cause pain is most often a cosmetic issue, which we can easily fix and which doesn’t pose a risk to your oral health.

If the broken tooth has sharp edges, protect yourself. Place dental wax or sugar-free gum over the broken tooth. Once you’ve done that, call our office and schedule an appointment so we can fix your broken tooth. 

In some instances, even a small crack or chip can be painful. Perhaps when you take a sip of a hot beverage or a cold one, it hurts. 

Pain indicates that the chip, crack, or break is affecting the nerves in your tooth. In this situation, bite down — gently — on a piece of gauze or a wet tea bag to hold your tooth in place. If you’re bleeding, rinse your mouth with warm water first.

As soon as you can, call our office. If you’re in pain, we need to repair the damage quickly before bacteria have the opportunity to enter the crack and cause damage. 

As good as new

Minor chips are usually an easy fix. We may file away any sharp edges and then use a composite material perfectly matched to your teeth to fill in any gaps. Dental bonding may also be an option to fill a crack in such a way that it’s unnoticeable. 

For a bigger or more significant chip or crack, we first examine you to make sure the tooth is healthy. Once we ascertain that, we may recommend a crown or veneer, depending on the location of the tooth. 

Regardless of how badly your tooth is damaged, we can help you continue to enjoy excellent dental health. If you have questions, or you’d like more information about how we treat chipped, cracked, or broken teeth, please schedule an appointment. We are always happy to see you!