Repairing a Chipped Tooth Dental Enamel

Having a chipped tooth can be an uncomfortable feeling- things like trying to drink hot tea or eating certain foods may suddenly become very difficult and even painful. While many of us will experience dental issues at some point, fixing a damaged tooth should be a priority. If they are not handled appropriately, it can lead to the long-term damage that may affect your eating habits and quality of life. When experiencing these problems, understanding the correct measures to take and what your dentist can do for you is pertinent to your oral health.

Tooth enamel

When you experience dental concerns, it’s important to be aware of the different parts of the tooth and their impact on your dentist’s treatment. The outermost layer of your tooth is called the enamel. It is a light-colored covering of the tooth that protects it from daily activities like eating or grinding. It’s the hardest tissue in the human body. However, it is still prone to be cracked or weakened at times due to use.

Tooth enamel is critical to our oral hygiene. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort in your mouth, it is likely because there has been damage done to the enamel. This erosion can occur when acid is more prevalent in the mouth, when correct dental hygiene is not practiced, or when there may be medical conditions involved.

Common contributors to dental erosion

• Eating hard or sour candies
• Drinking carbonated drinks
• Consuming a lot of sugary foods
• Heartburn
• Eating disorders
• Genetics
• Dry mouth

Treatment options

If you have a chipped tooth resulting from a damaged piece of tooth enamel, your dentist may make a few different recommendations. If it is a small section of your tooth, you may require a filling or dental bonding. The filling will be placed on the damaged section of the tooth and be layered over what is missing. Bonding is done with a resin material and ultraviolet light to harden and set the material. This often makes the tooth look natural and will match the color of your smile. There is no pain with dental bonding, and it does not require numbing. If you need a filling, your dentist will put an anesthetic at the part of your mouth that requires it. While this may feel slightly unpleasant, it eases any pain you would feel otherwise during the process and wears off quickly.

Prevention

To prevent your tooth enamel from wearing down, make sure that you exercise good dental hygiene.

• Brushing your teeth daily
• Flossing
• Using mouth rinses
• Keeping up with your dental cleanings

Doing these preventative steps are critical to your oral health. During your dental visits, your provider will check for any gaps in teeth or places that may be susceptible to cracking or bacteria and can prevent any long-term damage. While a chipped tooth may be uncomfortable or even painful, there are plenty of dental treatment options that can fix your discomfort.

Request an appointment here: https://metrosmiles.com or call Metro Smiles Dental at (718) 841-9591 for an appointment in our Forest Hills office.

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