Whether you chipped your tooth on food or it broke in a sporting event, the prospect of what to do can seem daunting. Does it qualify as an emergency? How can you get it fixed right away? What if you broke one of your braces? Read on to find out what you can do when you have a broken tooth or dental brace.
Broken or Chipped Tooth
Sometimes it involves a careless bite on a hard piece of candy, while other times it’s the result of an injury to the face. Whatever the case, a broken or chipped tooth is no picnic. Call your dentist right away when this happens, even if it’s just a slight chip. If you ignore a chip or fracture, you could put yourself at risk for more damage or even infection. Until you can get to the dentist’s office, there are some things you can do at home to care for the pain. Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen if you’re in any discomfort. WebMD advises rinsing with warm water and salt to guard against possible infection. Only eat soft foods or liquids, but if you have to chew harder foods, do so on the other side of your mouth.
Once at the office, your dentist will take a look at the chip or break and assess the damage. Small chips are relatively easy to fix, usually in a single visit. A badly damaged tooth or missing tooth involves a bit more work and therefore more visits. Depending on the severity, your dentist may decide to apply a filling or bonding for smaller chips. More likely than not, the damage occurred to one of your front teeth, so in order to make it blend in nicely with the others and retain your smile, your dentist will probably apply a tooth-colored composite resin. Dental caps or crowns may be necessary in the event of more severe damage. The dentist will essentially file the tooth down and top it with a metal, ceramic, resin or porcelain cap. You may even need a veneer – a thin shell of porcelain or resin – which takes a while to do because an impression must be taken and then a final veneer is applied later. If you have experienced trauma to the tooth root, a root canal will be in order to remove the dead pulp.
Broken Braces
If you have braces and had an accident with your tooth, you’ll want to make an appointment with your orthodontist immediately. There are many things that can break in terms of your dental work, from brackets to wires. Because they are playing an important role in keeping your teeth straight and aligned, it is important to get these issues fixed right away, especially if you also happen to have a broken or chipped tooth underneath.
Your orthodontist will repair any damage to the broken brackets or wires, or he or she will replace and reposition them altogether depending on the severity of damage.
Whether you experience a broken tooth or brace, it’s important to get professional help right away to avoid further damage.
