Oh no! You chipped a tooth. Now What?

That moment you take a bite into your favorite hard candy, take an unexpected fall on your bike ride; or for those of us who are just plain clumsy, miss that sneaky step onto the road from the sidewalk and you chip or crack your tooth. No one plans it and let's face it, it usually follows something kind of embarrassing. Regardless, there it is, a broken tooth. Now what?

The first thing you should do is check the severity of the break. Is there bleeding? Do you see  a nerve? Are you in a lot of pain? Once you have analyzed the situation you should call your dentist and schedule a visit for immediate care if necessary . It is important to treat the tooth as soon as possible. Leaving the tooth untreated allows for further damage, including infection, to occur due to the fragile state of the tooth. There are many ways that your tooth may be treated depending on the damage to the tooth structure. 

•  Filling: If it is a small piece of tooth that has been chipped it can be repaired by filling it with a solid tooth colored material. 
• Crown: If there is decay present in the break it would need a crown to protect the tooth from further damage. No need to worry you will not be stuck with a silver tooth. Glacier Dental offers only tooth colored crowns matched to your tooth shade fitting right in with your natural smile!
• Veneer: A veneer acts as a hard shell for front of the tooth. This would be a solution to a very small chip and for someone interested in possibly making a change to the appearance of their smile in the process.
• Root Canal Therapy: If the damage to the tooth is serve to the point of exposing the nerve of the tooth to bacteria it may be necessary for the canal of the tooth to be cleaned out and sealed to prevent further infection or decay leading to an extraction.
• Extraction: If the tooth is broken to closely to the gum line or beyond repair the tooth may need to be removed.
• Implant: If the tooth requires to be removed and  implant is a fantastic permanent option to replace the tooth. The implant will act and look like your natural teeth and provide the freedom to eat, speak, and go on with your life as you did before the accident.

Glacier Dental is here when you need us. Whatever your individual case may be, how silly the situation,  or whether it is during normal office hours or after hours one of our fantastic doctors is available for you! It will never hurt or cost less than it does the moment it happens.