A chipped tooth can be the result of many things. A simple fall from an active life, such as the one often led by patients in Sacramento, being hit in the face or even biting down too strongly on a hard surface can all result in a chipped tooth. Teeth that have been weakened from decay are particularly prone to chipping, and although enamel is literally the hardest tissue of the body, it can break off. The good news is that there are many options for an emergency dentist to deal with a chipped tooth.

Visiting an emergency dentist in Sacramento or anywhere else as soon as possible is highly recommended since only the dentist can examine the tooth and judge how much loss has occurred and what type of treatment needs to be done. An emergency dentist will be able to see if the chipped tooth is a sign of more extensive internal tooth damage or cracks, or if it is simply a small piece of enamel that has broken off.

Sometimes, a chipped tooth is accompanied by pain and in that case, the patient does not need to wait to see the dentist in Sacramento to address the pain. Taking an over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen will provide pain relief. For further pain relief, the patient can also use a little bit of wax, paraffin or gum over the edge that is jagged to prevent it from scratching and hurting the tongue and cheek. Salt water can also be used for pain relief. Eating soft foods is recommended.

Once the patient can go to the emergency dentist, a course of treatment can be chosen. If the damage to the tooth is not extensive, the chipped edge can be fixed with a filling or bonding. Since fillings are visible when the patient smiles, dentists normally use bonding for teeth that are in the front and more visible. Bonding is a procedure where a liquid is applied to the tooth surface to roughen the surface. Then some adhesive material is applied, followed by the bonding material. Finally, the tooth is shaped to the correct form and the ultraviolet light is applied.

For more extensive problems with a chipped tooth, the emergency dentist will probably recommend a dental cap or crown to protect what is left of the tooth while making the patient’s appearance better. When using caps and crowns, dentists file away part of the damaged tooth to provide a better grasp, then cover the tooth with the dental cap or crown.

For a chipped front tooth, dental veneers are another option. A veneer is a thin piece of laminate, tooth-colored, that is glued to the tooth surface and improves the patient’s appearance instantly, by seemingly providing the patient with perfect teeth.

For the extreme cases where the chipped portion is so large that it has exposed the pulp within the tooth, a root canal treatment is necessary before cosmetic improvements. The root canal removes any dead pulp within the tooth and cleans it completely to avoid infection. After the root canal, the other cosmetic options available such as crowns, caps and veneers are used.