Chipped Tooth: Treatment, Cost and Side Effects

A chipped tooth is basically an enamel (the outer covering of your teeth) that broke causing jagged or uneven tooth surface and disfiguring teeth. You don’t feel any pain from a chipped tooth unless it is large enough to expose the nerves in the inner layer of the tooth. As a result of which you may feel increased sensitivity when chewing or having hot or cold beverages. A chip on one of the pointed chewing surfaces of the back teeth is called a broken cusp. They are really painful and be examined immediately by a dentist.

The causes of chipped tooth can be varied like bad bite where you bite down on something hard such as an ice cube, a piece of hard candy or a hard bone, hard hit where a trauma to the face or mouth such as being hit in the face with a ball or falling down on your face and bruxism which is excessive teeth grinding during sleep. However, weakened teeth are more likely to lead to a chipped tooth. There can be various reasons for weakened enamel like tooth decay and cavities, poor oral hygiene, smoking too much, chewing betel leaf or pan frequently and eating a lot of acid-producing foods such as fruit juices, coffee and spicy foods. Moreover, the front tooth are more prone being chipped or broken.

A treatment for chipped tooth will usually depend on the severity and location of the damage. The treatment and diagnosis of a chipped tooth is done by a dentist in an out-patient basis. If you have a small chip, then the dentist will just smooth and polish the chipped tooth and no further treatment is required. However, if you have medium or large chip, then the following treatment options are performed by a dentist.

Tooth reattachment is done when you still have the broken fragment of teeth with you. Your dentist will simply cement the fragment back to your tooth. Another type of treatment is dental filling or Bonding, where the dentist will repair a chipped tooth or front tooth by filling or using a tooth-coloured composite resin. Therefore, in bonding the dentist first etches the surface of the teeth with a liquid or gel to roughen it and make the bonding material adhere to it. He then applies an adhesive material to the tooth followed by a tooth coloured resin. After which he shapes it to look like a natural tooth followed by ultraviolet light that is used to harden the material. A bond will usually last for up to 10 years.

Dental cap or crown is usually done when chipped tooth is severe. The dentist grinds or files away part of the remaining tooth and covers it with a crown or a tooth-shaped cap, made to protect the tooth and improve the appearance. Permanent crowns are made of metal, porcelain fused metal, all resin or all ceramic. Different types have different benefits. All metal crowns are the strongest. Porcelain and resin crowns can be made to look nearly identical to the original tooth. Lastly, your dentist may go for a dental veneer where a thin shell of tooth-coloured porcelain or resin composite material is used to cover the whole front of the tooth with a thicker section to replace the broken part of the tooth. A veneer usually last for about 30 years and is more durable than bonding.

However, it should be noted that if a chipped tooth affects the nerve endings which can be easily infected then a root canal will be suggested by your dentist.

There are no specific symptoms for chipped tooth as it causes no pain. If the chipped tooth creates jagged and uneven surface on the teeth which can cause cuts in the tongue and inside your mouth, then you go to dentist to have your chipped tooth treated. You can also have a chipped tooth treatment if your broken teeth look unsightly and are painful.

People who are suffering from tooth pain or have some cavities in their teeth are not eligible for chipped tooth treatment.

Other than increased sensitivity for the first few days after treatment, there are no other side effects of chipped tooth treatment.

After a chipped tooth treatment, following certain measures will help in decreased sensitivity and pain. Maintain a proper oral care routine like brushing your teeth twice a day and using a mouth wash to rinse the inside of your mouth after eating any type of food.

However, there are certain pre-treatment guidelines for chipped tooth before you go to a dentist. Rinse your mouth with warm water. If there is any bleeding due to a chipped tooth, place gauze on the area to stop the bleeding. You can also cover the chipped tooth with dental cement to protect the remaining tooth. Take painkillers if you have any pain from your chipped tooth. Also, try to have liquid food so that you don’t put any pressure on the broken tooth. These are some of the ways you can follow before going to a dentist for treatment.

Recovery is usually quick depending on the severity and location of the chipped tooth. It usually takes one week for the treatment and recovery to get over.

Having a chipped tooth treatment is usually cost effective in India with price starting at Rs.1000 and going up to Rs.20,000.

Yes, theresults of the treatment are permanent and can last up to 10 to 30 years depending on the type of treatment you are undergoing.

Although there are no alternative treatments for chipped tooth, if you have cavities or tooth decay then it might lead to a chipped tooth. There are numerous home remedies for treating cavities and tooth decay. Some of these are decreasing sugar rich foods that have leads to faster decay of enamels and weakening of the gum. Use a gentler toothbrush to brush your teeth. You can also try brushing your teeth with activated charcoal twice every week to pull toxins out of your mouth. If the pain becomes unbearable, you can apply clove oil to reduce pain and prevent further infection.