What to Do If You’ve Chipped or Broken a Tooth

It can quickly happen that you bite down on a piece of candy or some other food, and you hear or feel something break. Then you notice something in your mouth that isn’t the food item, and you know it’s a piece of your tooth. Maybe you’ve even had an injury and broken an entire tooth off. So what should you do if you have a chipped or broken tooth? Here are some steps to take.

Call Your Dentist If You Have a Chipped or Broken Tooth

The first thing to do is call your dentist and get an appointment to see them immediately, if possible. Most dentists can make time to treat your chipped or broken tooth quickly because they know time is of the essence.

How to Care for Your Mouth

The next step is to rinse your mouth with plain or salt water to clean it. If the area is bleeding, apply pressure to stop the bleeding. You can also use a cold compress if there is any swelling.

If you are feeling pain, you can take over-the-counter pain medication, but no more than the recommended dosage. If the remaining part of your chipped tooth has a jagged edge, apply wax paraffin or sugarless gum over the rough edge to keep it from damaging the surrounding tissue. Don’t do this, however, if the chip is large or the tooth is missing altogether.

How to Care for the Chipped or Broken Tooth

If you can find the piece of your tooth that has broken off, you can spit some saliva into a small jar and put the tooth in your saliva. If you’ve lost an entire tooth, place the tooth in milk or saliva to transport it to the dentist.

You can rinse a dirty tooth with water, but don’t scrub it with any cleaner. You also don’t want to remove any remaining tissue clinging to the tooth.

What will the dentist do?

What your dentist will do depends on the extent of the damage. If you just broke off a small piece of enamel, your dentist will likely use a filling to repair it. If the chip is on the part of the tooth that is visible when you smile, your dentist will use a tooth-colored composite resin to fix it. This process is called bonding.

If you broke off a large piece of your tooth, your dentist would repair it with a crown or cap. First, they will file down the remaining tooth part and then cover it with a crown. If the tooth has broken down to the root, your dentist may need to build it up first to place a crown.

If you’ve lost the entire tooth and your dentist can’t reseat it, your dentist may recommend a dental implant to replace the tooth. You’ll need more than one visit for a crown and a dental implant to complete the work.

Contact Us Today!

At Aesthetic Dental Partners, we care about your oral health. Call our office today for all your dental needs.