Help! My Tooth Is Chipped

It’s one of those things that can happen in the blink of an eye. Suddenly, you’re tripping and falling, or a ball is bouncing toward your face. Something feels off. You run your tongue over your teeth and feel a chip in your tooth enamel that wasn’t there before. 

While that might sound like a nightmare scenario, chipped teeth are both common and treatable. 

In fact, as specialists in smile makeovers, Dr. Sujay Trivedi, Dr. Michael C. Westcott, and our team can help you restore the appearance of your tooth — and prevent issues that can come with a chipped tooth. Plus, we offer emergency dental care right here at Family Dental Care in West Palm Beach, Florida, so we can fix the problem fast. 

What to do about your chipped tooth

When it comes to repairing your chipped tooth, you have options. Here at Family Dental Care, we offer veneers and crowns to repair your tooth. They work differently, so let’s explore each one in greater detail. 

Veneers

If your chip is purely cosmetic, we recommend this option. With a veneer, we bond a thin, porcelain shell to the front of your chipped tooth. That way, people only see the veneer, not the chip underneath. 

We prepare the tooth beforehand to ensure the veneer lays flush with your surrounding teeth and we color-match the veneer to your teeth, too. Once we bond the veneer in place, it will look like the chip never happened.

Crowns

If the chip damaged the structural integrity of your tooth, we can use a crown to conceal it and protect it from further damage. 

With this option, we add a protective cap over the top of the chipped tooth. Just like veneers, we prepare the tooth beforehand and color-match the crown so it blends seamlessly with your smile. 

Why you should get your chipped tooth treated

Even if it’s not causing you any pain, your chipped tooth could expose you to dental issues down the road. Even a small chip in your tooth could heighten your sensitivity to hot and cold temperatures, or make it painful to eat.

If infection enters your tooth through the chip, you could end up with more serious problems, like severe mouth pain and swelling. At this point, you may wind up needing a root canal. 

Here at Family Dental Care, Dr. Trivedi or Dr. Westcott can evaluate the chip to see if it puts you at risk for any future issues. If so, we can provide you with a crown to protect the tooth. 

And if your chipped tooth is causing you immediate pain, you don’t need to wait to see us. You can schedule an emergency dental visit to get prompt care. 

Whether your chip seems like a serious issue right away or you want to get it checked to determine the best way to fix it, we can help. Call 561-556-1698 to reach our Family Dental Care office in West Palm Beach, Florida, today, or book your visit online any time.