What Do I Do If I Chipped My Tooth?

Recently, I had a friend realize part of her tooth was missing and she asked me, “What do I do about my chipped tooth?”—and we want you to know what to do if this happens. Many people don’t know who to proceed once they chip a tooth or once they realize that half their tooth is missing. Know Your Teeth says, “if you chip your tooth and are immediately aware of it, save it and visit our office right away. Put the chip in a plastic baggie, and keep it moist by adding a few drops of water to the bag or by wrapping it in wet gauze. The longer you wait to get the chip fixed means risking permanent nerve damage to the tooth, which is much more costly and involved to treat.” The most important part of these instructions is to contact Artistic Touch Dentistry as soon as possible.

“If the tooth isn’t broken across the nerve, the dentist can etch the enamel on both the good tooth and the tooth chip, use a light-cured adhesive and secure the chip to the tooth,” said Academy of General Dentistry spokesperson Paul Bussman, DMD, FAGD.  In some cases this technique works better than bonding, advises Dr. Bussman. Bonded material reflects light differently and in certain settings, the restored portion of the tooth always appears different than the natural enamel. Although bonding is widely used to restore chipped teeth, it is difficult to obtain a perfect match to the original enamel. “Patients will always have the same tooth shade if the dentist can use the natural tooth chip for a restoration,” says Dr. Bussman.

Please contact Dr. Maryam Brazdo at Artistic Touch Dentistry if you find yourself with a chipped tooth and need treatment!