The tooth enamel layer protecting your teeth is designed to give your teeth the durability to handle biting and chewing most common foods. However, there are abnormal activities, such as nibbling on pencils and pens, crunching on ice or using your teeth as tools that can chip a tooth. This is even more likely to occur if you play in a contact sport without the diligent use of a mouthguard.
Since most chips don’t cause pain or increased sensitivity, you might be tempted to put off having the tooth repaired. This could prove to be a serious error as the damaged tooth enamel might trap food and bacteria, causing a new yet dangerously deep cavity.
To prevent this from happening, Dr. Michael Hall encourages patients to have any chipped tooth addressed. The severity of the chip will largely influence the treatment and repair options that he recommends.
A minor chip can often be repaired with a basic filling or cosmetic bonding procedure. If one or more of the teeth in your smile have chips, he might recommend having porcelain dental veneers installed over the face of each tooth.
If a chip is significant or if it’s in a critical part of a tooth, Dr. Michael Hall might recommend a total crown restoration. This will replace the entire tooth enamel layer with a substance like porcelain or gold.
If you have a chipped tooth in Bend, Oregon, you should call 541-389-0300 to have it treated and repaired at Central Oregon Dental Center.
