Four ways to get those broken and chipped teeth fixed

Regardless of age, oral health matters, a fact that is often neglected. Although taking of your teeth is essential, sometimes the routine of daily brushing and flossing can be monotonous, turning our mind away from maintaining oral health regularly. 

However, if you neglect your oral health, there are several benefits to remind you why it is crucial in the first place. 

Many of us don’t realize that tooth damage is irreversible despite advancements in the dentistry field. A smile is a prominent feature people notice. Your confidence in social settings or relationship building is as good as your smile. 

With age, our oral health starts deteriorating, the impacts of which are pretty evident, especially after crossing 50. The most common cause of broken or chipped teeth is biting hard foods like candy or popcorn kernels, medication side effects, and poor oral hygiene. 

Chipped teeth are not a concern unless they extend to the pulp chamber, but that doesn’t mean they can be ignored simply because of lack of pain. Similarly, a broken tooth must also be fixed to prevent tooth loss.  

For many, their teeth are a source of embarrassment, landing in the dentist’s office. Finding a reasonable orthodontist isn’t challenging, especially if you live in California. More so, if you’re in Fresno and Clovis, you’re in luck because dental procedures are pretty affordable here – one of the many perks of living in a small city. Looking for an affordable solution for braces in Fresno? Search for how much do braces cost Fresno & Clovis on a search engine to get an estimate. 

Chances are your orthodontists will prescribe you to get braces. If braces are out of your financial range, discuss other solutions with your healthcare provider.

With that said, below are a few ways to look after your teeth fixed if they are damaged.  

Porcelain Veneers

Veneers are an effective dental solution to restore chipped and crooked teeth. Dental veneers are custom-colored shells of porcelain covering the teeth front and filling the chipped portion. Depending on patient preference and condition, either a single veneer can be used to cover the front of a tooth, or veneers can be placed on all front teeth for total smile restoration. 

Dental veneers help reduce pressure on the damaged tooth when chewing hard foods. Getting dental veneers takes more than just two office visits. During the first visit, your dentist examines your teeth and chooses appropriate dental veneers. 

Afterward, the surface layer is removed to make space for the veneer. Next, teeth impressions are taken and sent to the laboratory as a model for veneer construction. It usually takes two weeks to develop veneers, and till then, temporary ones are placed. 

After a while, temporary veneers are replaced with permanent ones. Their adherence is made stronger with cement and ultraviolet light. 

Crowns

Crowns are perfect for covering the entire portion of the broken tooth, restoring the tooth’s appearance and shape. Crowns last longer and are made of metal, plastic fused to metal, and resin. 

The most common type is ceramic or porcelain fused to metal crowns for aesthetic purposes. The latter is used for severely damaged teeth. The lack of a crown renders your broken teeth incapable of even slight chewing. The first step in placing the crown includes giving the patient anesthesia to make the procedure comfortable. 

Similar to placing veneers, a few teeth might be removed to make room for crowns. On your next visit, a permanent crown will be cemented. Though the crown itself doesn’t decay, the edge of the tooth upon which it sits can. So, patients must floss and brush their teeth with fluoride toothpaste. 

Bonding  

The dental treatment for a chipped tooth depends on the damage extent and whether the tooth is visible when the patient smiles. Dental bonding is the solution if the chip is on the front tooth or only a small amount of enamel is missing. Bonding is also known as filling, as it fills the missing enamel with tooth-like composed resin. 

Bonding is a painless procedure that doesn’t require anesthesia and only takes one office visit. The process is painful only when the treatment is being used for cavities. Composite bonding can last up to 10 years. 

The chipped tooth’s surface is prepared with an in-depth cleansing. Once the surface is cleaned, it is etched using a conditioning liquid to allow the bonding material to adhere effectively to the surface. The adhesive material is applied with composite resin shaped on top to blend it with the natural tooth. 

Using ultraviolet light, the composite is hardened. Once the process is complete, the newly bonded tooth is polished to match other teeth. Patients must take care of the bonded teeth to ensure the best results for the longest period. 

Dental Implants

If your chipped tooth extends below the gum line, that means your tooth is no longer treatable and cannot be saved. In such circumstances, tooth extraction is the only solution. A dental implant replaces what’s left of your natural teeth. 

A dental implant acts as the tooth’s new root and is securely placed in the jawbone to last longer. The procedure involves surgically placing biocompatible titanium screws. It takes a while for the bone to fuse with titanium screws. 

After 12-16 weeks, the teeth’ impressions are made to evaluate whether the titanium is doing its job. The benefit of getting dental implants is that they won’t get displaced, irrespective of the way the mouth works. 

Conclusion

Damaged or broken teeth are stressful and present a ton of health challenges. Even a single chipped tooth can impact chewing and biting. The matter must be rectified immediately, which means visiting the dentist. 

The procedure performed depends on the patient’s condition. Different dental treatments are developed, from dental implants to crowning and veneers, according to the patient’s situation. Before making any decision, patients must consult a dentist.