Teeth can crack or break due to various reasons such as biting into something hard, grinding your teeth (bruxism), accidentally hitting your teeth against a hard surface, fights and assaults, sports injury, automobile accidents, and domestic violence.
Tooth fractures can range from being confined to outermost layer (enamel) of teeth to complete breakdown causing the tooth to split. Irrespective of the extent of the tooth crack, you should see your dentist as soon as possible. Ignoring a chipped tooth and failing to get it fixed can lead to increased chances of further damage to the entire tooth. Once you see your dentist for chipped or cracked tooth, they will be able to determine the proper course of treatment depending upon your symptoms and the severity of the crack.
If you do not have any symptom, you might believe that chipped tooth is only a cosmetic concern that affects the look of your smile and nothing more. However, this is far from the truth.
We have enlisted the reasons that would help you know the importance of getting your chipped tooth repaired at the earliest.
1. Cuts in the mouth
If chipped tooth has sharp edges, these can cause cuts on inner side of your cheeks and tongue. Getting such cuts repeatedly can cause painful wounds in your mouth that could make activities like talking and eating uncomfortable.
2. Tooth sensitivity
In case of chipping, due to loss of tooth portion, there is reduced insulation for the nerve supply of your tooth. Reduced insulation can lead to tooth sensitivity on intake of hot or cold food or drinks. The sensitivity can progress to sharp pain if the problem is not addressed timely. So, a visit to your dentist is advised to avoid further complications.
3. Risk of decay and infection
Chipped or broken teeth are at higher risk than healthy tooth, as damaged part is unprotected. Also, chipping makes tooth surface rough which is harder to be thoroughly cleaned. Consequently, chipped portion provides easy passage for bacteria to travel within the deeper parts of tooth resulting in cavities, abscess, swelling, and toothache that would potentially require root canal therapy or extraction.
4. Broken tooth
A chipped tooth can easily become a broken tooth as the crack or fracture weakens it. Your chipped teeth will be at greater risk of breaking if you bite on something hard or you have bruxism. The broken tooth will require more extensive treatment for restoring the tooth than simply fixing a chipped tooth.
5. Bite and jaw issues
The meticulous co-ordination between teeth, muscles, jaw bone and joint help you to chew and swallow food, talk, and make different facial expressions. Sometimes, a chipped tooth can knock off this explicit co-ordination affecting the proper functioning of mouth. As a chipped or cracked tooth can change your bite contacts, you can experience progressively worse symptoms such as uneven wearing down of several teeth, teeth grinding issues, jaw pain and displacement.
6. Change in appearance
Undoubtedly, smile is the core essence of your overall appearance. A chip or crack in your tooth can make a huge difference when it comes to the appearance of your smile. A quick call to the dentist will definitely get rid of your cosmetic worries and significantly reduce the trauma of further damaging your smile.
7. Your injury could be more serious than you think
Occasionally, the force that seems to have caused just a chip or minor crack on the tooth surface may have also contributed to extensive injury to the blood and nerve supply of the tooth that goes unnoticed till the appearance of symptoms like tooth discoloration, toothache, swelling and pus discharge. Therefore, timely dental visits as suggested by your dentist can help determine the damage to tooth or mouth that was not at first visible.
In some cases, people may not be even aware of a chip or crack in his/her tooth. Hence, routine dental checkups at least once a year or preferably twice, is recommended.
At Gulmohar Family Dentistry, Our team of experienced doctors help each patient maintain a better oral health and offer them the best dental treatment which they deserve. Book an appointment with us today!
