Are you looking for how to fix a chipped tooth at home? Whether you experienced a sports injury, bitten too hard, or suffered an accident, having a chipped tooth can impact your self-confidence during public gatherings, friend meetups, and other social events.
Above all, a chipped or cracked tooth can be really painful and uncomfortable; thus, you need a permanent solution at the fastest. The best part is it is now possible to fix your chipped tooth at home without seeking professional help or seeing a dentist.
However, if the condition is severe, seeking professional help is recommended. In this article, we will delve deeper into how to fix a chipped tooth at home without professional help, so let’s dive in without any delay!
What is a Chipped Tooth?
When a piece of your tooth enamel comes out, it is described as a chipped tooth. In most cases, a chipped tooth is not severe; larger chips can cause discomfort and pain. Some significant causes of chipped teeth are injuries in the mouth, cavities, biting hard pieces of food, thinning enamel, and others. A chipped tooth is generally tender, sharp, and misaligned, leading to other mouth and gum issues.
Types Of Chipped Tooth
Common types of chipped tooth are:
1. Craze lines: Craze lines are a common type of chipped tooth that occurs due to aging or thinning of enamel where vertical cracks start to appear on the tooth enamel. Such a chipped tooth can be repaired with minimum effort.
2. Fractured cusp: Minor cracks are formed in the teeth due to fillings and cavities. In most cases, these remain within the teeth and do not go deep into the sensitive part of the teeth and gums; thus, they are less painful.
3. Cracked tooth: A cracked tooth is an extreme case of a chipped tooth where cracks go beyond the gumline and require extraction. These cracks can be treated using non-removal solutions like bonds and dental crowns.
4. Split tooth: Sometimes, the tooth gets slipped into two or more pieces, known as a split tooth. This condition results from a lack of long-term dental care or poor oral hygiene. Such cracks are almost impossible to repair at home and require extraction.
5. Vertical root fracture: Occurs in case of repetitive and frequent force; this damage may result in fractures over a period of time. People over 50 years of age suffer from this condition.
What To Do After A Chipped Tooth?
Before knowing how to fix a chipped front tooth at home, here is what you should do after a chipped tooth:
- Rinse your mouth using lukewarm water for a few minutes to experience a soothing sensation.
- Apply pressure to stop bleeding, place a cold compressor, and keep your head down to reduce swelling.
- If you have a broken tooth piece, place it in the milk or saline water to protect it.
- Take anti-inflammatory and over-the-counter medicines to release the pain. Ensure you do not take more than the suggested dosage.
Sometimes, the chip is so small that you may not realize it. However, how to fix a chipped tooth at home permanently becomes difficult as you may experience specific symptoms. These include:
- Uneven or sharp surface every time you run your tongue over it.
- Swelling and pain within the gum line around the chipped tooth
- Feeling sharp and jagged edges on the tooth
- Painting sensation while drinking and eating
- The feeling of something getting stuck within your teeth.
- Acute pain when eating something
How To Fix A Chipped Tooth At Home?
Here is the step-by-step process of how to fix a chipped tooth at home:
1. Determine The Severity Of The Condition
First and foremost, check the condition of your tooth. If the chip is small, you can fix it at home. You can use products such as dental glue to fix the chipped tooth. If you have chipped your tooth, rinse your mouth and save the chipped piece. Allow the swelling to settle down before making any decision.
2. Gather All Essential Products
Once you have decided to fix the chipped tooth at home, collect all important products required for fixing. You may need a dental repair kit, Q-tips, water, a toothbrush, dental glue, and more. You can chat with your nearby pharmacist for advice. Once you have collected all important products, follow these steps:
- Brush your teeth with a light hand to clean any build-up or bacteria accumulation on the teeth.
- Dip the applicator or your toothbrush into lukewarm water and gently apply adhesive on your teeth
- Allow the adhesive to dry for a few minutes
- If the area does not look smooth, take a Q-tip and fix it with gentle hands.
Note these are temporary fixes on how to fix a chipped denture tooth at home and may get replaced after some time. If you have suffered a severe chip, visit your dentist and get permanent solutions.
When To Visit A Dentist?
If you experience symptoms such as bleeding within the mouth, tenderness, inflammation, or excruciating pain in the mouth, then it’s the right time to visit a dentist. They will closely examine you and plan personalized treatment plans for chipped teeth.
Professional Treatments For Chipped Tooth
Some of the most popular professional treatments for chipped teeth:
1. Dental Crowns
A dental crown or dental bridge is a tooth-shaped crown fixed within the tooth to replace the missing, chipped, broken, or decayed tooth. Unlike removal tools such as dentures, these are fixed on existing natural teeth, ensuring the teeth structure is not damaged. Dental crowning strengthens the chipped teeth, enhances your overall smile, improves speech ability, and resolves biting problems.
2. Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is another popular professional treatment for chipped teeth. It is a cosmetic dentistry procedure where tooth-colored or white composite resin is placed on the tooth to repair chipped, broken, decayed, and cracked teeth. Further, a blue light is used to fix the resin material, contouring, shaping, and polishing the teeth for a smooth finish.
3. Dental Implants
A dental implant is a complex procedure where a chipped, broken, or missing tooth is replaced to give you a beautiful smile and avoid discomfort. These implants look like teeth and are placed surgically in your jawbone, restoring your teeth’ lost chewing or biting abilities and over-strength.
4. Dental Veneers
Dental veneers can be described as thin tooth-shaped shells placed at the front tooth. If you have any dental imperfections like cracked, chipped, or discolored teeth, these veneers cover all of them and give a smooth look. In most cases, these are placed on the front side of the teeth and recommended to people who do not respond well to teeth whitening, cosmetic surgeries, retainers, and braces.
5. Root Canal Treatment
Another popular treatment option for people who have chipped teeth wherein germs and bacteria have accumulated, causing infection. During the procedure, your dentist removes the infected pulp and adds a crown over it.
What Not To Do At Home?
Some things to avoid if you have a chipped tooth are:
- Do not eat or drink immediately
- Avoid chewing chipped tooth
- Eat only soft food until it is fixed properly
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What are some potential causes of toothache?
Some significant causes of toothache include – Decayed or broken teeth, Chipped teeth, Tooth trauma, Receding gums, Wisdom teeth, Damaged filling, Tooth fractures, Cavities, Hereditary and more
2. How can I prevent chipped teeth in the future?
Some ways you can prevent chipping of your tooth in the future are: Visiting your dentist regularly for cleanings and checkups, Follow a good dental hygiene routine, Reduce sugar or acid intake, Wear a mouthguard if you are playing a sport, Avoid chewing hard food items like candies, Get proper treatment if chipped, crooked, misaligned, or gapped teeth.
3. How much does it cost to fix a chipped tooth?
On average, the cost of fixing a chipped tooth ranges between $300 to $700 or more. This cost may change based on your location and the severity of the case.
4. What are the symptoms of the chipped tooth?
- Feeling sharp edges of your teeth when you run your tongue over them.
- Continuous discomfort and pain in the teeth and gums
- Continuous bleeding and swelling in the gums
- Pain and sensitivity in the teeth
- Inability to eat or drink
- Continuous irritation and discomfort
5. How much time does it take to recover from a chipped tooth?
On average, it takes around 2-3 days to recover from a chipped tooth. If your case is extreme, it may take 1 to 2 weeks to fully recover.
Wrapping Up
Dealing with a chipped tooth is a painful and discomforting situation. Thus, treating it rightly by yourself is extremely important to retain your speaking and chewing abilities. If you feel you won’t be able to get it fixed at home, visit your nearby dentist and get it done professionally to avoid future complications.
