When faced with a broken tooth, many parents aren’t sure what to do. “My child chipped a tooth, now what?” they may wonder. However, there are steps they can take to address the immediate discomfort before seeing the dentist. The doctor may also recommend either cosmetic or restorative options for rearing the teeth.
The First Steps
First, stay calm. Chipping a tooth is never fun but this is not a life threatening situation. After calming your child, see if you can find the chip. If you can recover this piece bring it to the office. If not, don’t worry. If the area is bleeding apply a piece of gauze. You can also place a cold compress against the side of your child’s face to alleviate any swelling. Then you should contact our office and proceed there right away.
Cosmetic Bonding
In most cases we can address the issue with dental bonding. Using the same material as a white filling, we apply several layers to restore the missing tooth structure. The doctor may gently etch the tooth beforehand to make sure the material better adheres to the tooth.
The doctor will mold the tooth as a light cures the material. Once cured, the tooth will be thoroughly polished for a more lifelike finish. The entire procedure can be completed in the same visit.
Dental Crowns
If the tooth is too damaged for a bonding procedure can still correct the issue with a dental crown. A cap that fits over the tooth, a crown replaces the lost tooth structure and helps prevent any decay or infection as a result of the damage. We will repair the tooth and take impressions and photographs. The material will be used to design a 3D model of the restoration. Finally, a CEREC machine will then fabricate the restoration from a block of ceramic material. The crown can then be placed in the same visit.
