Key Takeaways
- A chipped tooth can range from minor to severe, but symptoms like bleeding, swelling, severe pain, or a large break may indicate a dental emergency.
- Signs you should seek emergency dental care include worsening pain when biting or drinking, exposed tooth pulp, ongoing bleeding, or a loose tooth.
- Leaving a chipped tooth untreated can lead to infection, sensitivity, additional damage, and even tooth loss, which is why prompt dental care is important.
- While waiting for your appointment, rinse with warm water, save any broken tooth fragments in milk or saliva, apply gauze to bleeding, and use dental wax to cover sharp edges.
- Treatment for a chipped tooth may include dental bonding, veneers, crowns, or a root canal depending on the severity and location of the damage.
There is a large range in the severity of a chipped tooth, but if you are dealing with bleeding, severe pain, and a large portion of your tooth damaged, it is likely a dental emergency. We offer Mesa emergency dentistry at Dental Brothers, aiming to provide swift and expert care to the Mesa community. If you are dealing with a chipped tooth, don’t wait. Seek dental care now by contacting the team at Dental Brothers to get started with an appointment.
When To Seek Emergency Care After Chipping a Tooth
If you are dealing with a chipped tooth, it’s possible you will need emergency dental care to evaluate the chip and prevent any further damage from occurring. If you are experiencing severe pain associated with a chipped tooth, you notice swelling, or a large portion of the tooth has broken off, it’s a good sign that you should seek emergency care. Some other signs include:
- Severe pain that worsens when breathing, drinking, or biting.
- Visible damage to the interior of your tooth, including pink or yellow spots that can indicate exposed pulp.
- Bleeding that does not stop.
- A loose tooth.
What To Do While Waiting for an Appointment
There are a few things you can do to protect your smile while waiting for your appointment to evaluate and treat your chipped tooth. The first thing you should do is gently rinse with warm water to clean the area and reduce the risk of infection. If you’ve lost a large piece of your tooth and happen to have the fragment, you can save the tooth piece by keeping it in milk or saliva, which helps give a better chance of a successful reattachment. If there is any bleeding, you can apply pressure with gauze to reduce blood loss, and to protect your tongue or cheek, you can gently apply dental wax to cover any sharp edges of your chipped tooth.
Potential Treatments for a Chipped Tooth
The treatment for your chipped tooth will depend on the severity of the chip, its location in your mouth, and if any fragments were saved and can be reattached. For minor chips, your Mesa dentist will often use dental bonding to shape a tooth-colored resin over the damaged area. This resin will be hardened and look similar to your natural tooth. For more visible chips, such as those on the front teeth, a porcelain shell, or veneer, can be placed over the front of the teeth so it seamlessly blends into the natural teeth around it. If a large portion of the tooth is lost, a crown may be required to protect the structure of your natural tooth, and if the root is damaged due to a large chip, a root canal might be necessary before capping the tooth.
Contact a Mesa Emergency Dentist If Your Tooth Has Chipped
If you are dealing with a chipped tooth, whether it is a minor chip or a large chip, it’s essential to seek swift dental care to avoid infection and further damage to your smile. The team at Dental Brothers is proud to provide expert emergency dental care in Mesa. Contact Dental Brothers to get started with an appointment.
Chipped Tooth Emergency FAQs
How Long Can I Wait With a Chipped Tooth?
If you have a chipped tooth, you should try to see a dentist within 24 to 48 hours, if possible, to avoid infection or any further breakage. If you have a small, painless chip in your tooth that is very minor, it’s okay to wait a week to see the dentist, while moderate chips that are accompanied by pain or sensitivity should be evaluated within a few days. In some cases, such as large, traumatic chips, you may require same-day emergency dental treatment.
Is It Okay To Leave a Tooth Chipped?
You should not leave a chipped tooth untreated. While it may seem like a minor deal, especially with smaller chips that are relatively painless, all chipped teeth require prompt dental care to ensure there is no further damage to the tooth. Avoiding dental care and leaving a chipped tooth untreated can result in infections, sensitivity, or even tooth loss. Your teeth cannot heal themselves, and damage can progress quickly if left unevaluated and untreated.
What Does a Chipped Tooth Feel Like?
A chipped tooth often feels like a jagged, sharp edge when you touch it with your tongue. For many patients, a chipped tooth might not be immediately painful. Minor tooth chips might feel uncomfortable or bothersome, while larger chips can be painful and cause sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods. With a larger chip you might also notice pain when biting or an irritation on the tongue or cheek as they are exposed to the rough edges of your tooth.