Tooth enamel is one of the most durable structures in your body, but it’s not completely impervious. If you’ve broken or chipped a tooth, it can be a painful experience. Fortunately, Absolute Smile offers multiple solutions to help you get tooth repair in Philadelphia and return your smile to you.
What Happens If You Don’t get Your Chipped Tooth Repaired?
If you don’t get your chipped tooth repaired, you’ll continue to experience pain, especially when you eat hot or cold foods. However, this is only the beginning of the risks. Infection can set into a chipped tooth that can spread to your head or neck. In addition, the chipped tooth can lead to further enamel decay and tooth damage.
Your Options for Chipped Tooth Repair
Fortunately, you have multiple options available to you for chipped tooth repair. While a severely chipped or broken tooth can be expensive to fix, your dentist can review the options with you to help you find the treatment right for you. At Absolute Smile, we want to ensure you know all of your options, so let’s review the most common types of tooth repair.
Dental Filling
Dental fillings aren’t just for cavities. If you have only a small, minor crack in your tooth, a dental filling could be just what you need. This minor treatment is routine and can be completed in a single visit.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is another option for tooth repair that can last up to ten years. Your dentist roughens the tooth then applies putty in the cracked area. They will then mold and smooth the putty before applying ultraviolet light to harden it. Once that’s done, your dentist shapes and polishes the bonding to match the rest of your tooth. While it is a little more involved than a dental filling, the process is virtually painless and usually doesn’t require anesthesia.
Dental Veneers
Dental veneers are covers for your tooth that can repair serious breaks or cracks. Porcelain veneers look and feel natural and can last up to thirty years, making them a long-term tooth repair solution. Since veneers are customized to your tooth, the procedure takes more than one appointment. Your dentist will fit you with a temporary veneer after making an impression of your teeth to make the permanent veneers.
Crowns
If you have a severely cracked tooth or if you experience a lot of pain when eating and drinking, then your dentist may choose crowns for your tooth repair. Dental crowns are caps placed over the tooth to improve appearance and protect it from further damage. Like veneers, crowns are long-lasting solutions for cracked teeth.
Dental Implants
If your cracked tooth extends below the gum line, it may be too damaged to save. If your dentist has to remove a chipped or broken tooth, they may choose to replace it with a dental implant. These take the place of your natural teeth and provide not just a tooth, but a new root as well. Because the implant extends into the jawbone, it helps to ensure that your lost tooth won’t cause your jaw bone to weaken.
Are You Looking for Tooth Repair in Philadelphia?
Absolute Smile is here to meet your tooth repair needs. We will examine your mouth and teeth and review costs with you to help you make the best choice. Contact us today to make an appointment. Take advantage of our free new patient consultation to meet our staff and choose your new family dentist.