Chipped Tooth Common Causes & Treatment

Key Takeaways

• A chipped tooth occurs when enamel breaks off due to trauma, decay, or biting hard objects.

• Even small chips can impact speech, eating, and self-confidence if left untreated.

• Causes include teeth grinding, poor oral hygiene, aging, and accidents.

• Severity ranges from minor enamel chips to severe pulp exposure requiring urgent care.

• Quick first-aid steps: rinse with salt water, manage pain, and seek dental care promptly.

• Treatment options include dental bonding, veneers, crowns, root canal therapy, and implants.

• Prevent chipping by using mouthguards, avoiding hard foods, and maintaining oral hygiene.

• Early dental intervention prevents infections, complications, and further damage.

Introduction

A chipped tooth occurs when a piece of one’s enamel—the tooth’s hard outer layer—breaks off. This may happen due to trauma, biting something hard, or weakened enamel from decay or erosion.

It can make one self-conscious about their smile. Eventually, this self-consciousness lowers self-esteem and decreases their inclination to engage others. Beyond psychological and emotional elements, a chipped tooth can affect one’s speech and eating habits.

People of all ages are prone to this extremely common tooth injury. However, older adults are particularly at risk. It’s crucial to repair a chipped tooth as soon as possible—even though a minor chip might not hurt right away. Failure to do so might heighten the risk of infection or complications that might require surgery.

What is a chipped tooth?

A chipped tooth is a dental disorder in which a piece of the enamel, the tooth’s outermost layer, breaks off—often leaving an uneven or jagged edge. Minor tooth chips might only affect one’s aesthetic.

However, more severe chips might expose the tooth’s delicate inner layers, causing discomfort, sensitivity, and an increased risk of infection.

As such, it is recommended that a chipped tooth be addressed promptly to appreciably reduce the risk of complications like infection or nerve exposure.

Common causes of chipped teeth

Chipped teeth can be caused by several factors, such as:

• Biting on hard foods (ice, hard candy, etc.): Biting down on hard substances may exert excessive force on teeth, causing the enamel to fracture.
• Accidents and trauma to the face: Falls or blows to the mouth may break or chip teeth—especially without protective gear.
• Sports injuries: Contact sports collisions can lead to chipped teeth if the mouth is struck, especially when not wearing a mouthguard.
• Teeth grinding (bruxism): Habitual teeth clenching or grinding during sleep may gradually wear down the enamel, increasing the risk of chipping.
• Tooth decay: Cavities and decay often erode the protective enamel, making teeth more vulnerable to chipping.
• Poor oral hygiene: Neglecting oral care allows plaque and bacteria to erode one’s enamel—resulting in weaker teeth that chip more easily
• Age-related wear and tear: Over time, natural ageing causes enamel to thin and weaken. Thus, making teeth more susceptible to chips.

Types of chipped teeth and their severity

Due to the aforementioned factors, any of your teeth—including a chipped front tooth, chipped decayed tooth, chipped wisdom tooth, chipped side tooth, chipped premolar, or a broken cavity chipped tooth—is susceptible to chipping.

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However, the type and severity of the tooth chip determine the symptoms, risks, and urgency of treatment. For example:

• Minor Chips (Enamel Only): These are tiny, surface-level cracks that only damage the outermost layer of enamel. Although they’re mostly cosmetic and usually cause little discomfort, they should nonetheless be treated to stop additional harm.
• Moderate Chips (Affecting Dentin): These chips penetrate the dentin, the more delicate layer behind the enamel. They increase the risk of decay and cause visible sensitivity to warmth and pressure.
• Severe Chips (Exposing Pulp): These chips penetrate deeply, exposing the tooth’s pulp (the nerve and blood vessel center). This often leads to intense pain, high sensitivity, and a significant risk of infection. Immediate dental intervention is usually needed.
• Cracked Teeth vs. Chipped Teeth: A chipped tooth involves a portion of the enamel breaking off, while a cracked tooth features a fracture line that may extend vertically toward the root. If untreated, cracked teeth can progress to split teeth. Thus, leading to more serious complications, requiring more sophisticated treatments or extraction.

Immediate steps to take when you chip a tooth

If you chip a tooth, it’s imperative to act quickly to minimise further damage and discomfort. Here are some steps you can take until you can get professional dental care.

• Gently rinse your mouth with warm salt water. This helps remove debris and soothe irritation.
• If bleeding occurs, simply apply gentle pressure with a clean piece of cloth until the bleeding stops.
• Apply an ice pack or cold compress to the outer cheek near the affected area. This may reduce swelling and numb pain.
• Consume over-the-counter pain relievers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen as needed.
• Seek emergency dental care if the tooth is painful, bleeding does not stop, or if you notice signs of nerve exposure.

How to fix a chipped tooth: Treatment options

Seeking prompt intervention for a chipped tooth helps prevent further damage, infection, and discomfort. Here are some professional treatments that help repair a chipped tooth, safeguarding your oral health.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding offers an effective way to fix minor chips, and is considered one of the most common dental smile design procedures.

In practice, the dentist administers a conditioning solvent. Afterwards, he/she gently roughens the tooth surface before adding a tooth-coloured composite resin to the chipped area.

The resin is then polished for a smooth finish after being moulded to fit the tooth’s natural curve and solidified with a specialised light. Among the many advantages of dental bonding are its affordability, limited invasiveness, and ability to be completed in a single visit.

Dental Veneers

Dental veneers are thin, tailor-made shells that are bonded to the front surface of the tooth. Usually made of porcelain or composite resin, they correct chips, discolouration, and minor misalignments.

The veneer procedure entails removing a small amount of enamel from the tooth’s surface. The experienced dentist then takes an impression and bonds the custom veneer in place at a subsequent appointment. Ideal for visible front teeth, they are best suited for patients seeking a dramatic improvement in appearance.

Dental Crowns

This technique entails modifying the damaged tooth, taking impressions, and then covering the prepared tooth with a custom-made crown. This dental crown is essentially a tooth-shaped cap that fully encases and shields chipped teeth—usually made of metal, porcelain, or ceramic.

Crowns are extremely resilient and can endure for many years with the right maintenance. As such, they are perfect for chipped molars that are too damaged for bonding or veneers.

Root Canal Treatment

When a chip exposes the tooth’s pulp, causing discomfort, sensitivity, or an infection risk, root canal therapy is required. In this process, the dentist cleans and disinfects the inside of the tooth, removes any damaged or infected pulp tissue, and then fills and closes the tooth.

To restore the tooth’s structure and function, a crown is typically inserted thereafter.

Overall, root canal therapy is essential for preserving one’s natural tooth and avoiding extraction after severe chipping.

Dental Implants

When a chipped tooth is too damaged to be fixed, dental implants offer a permanent substitute.

The implant intervention involves surgically inserting a titanium post into the jawbone. In practice, this titanium post acts as an artificial tooth root. Afterwards, the dentist attaches a custom crown on top.

With proper care, implants can prevent bone loss and last a lifetime. In practice, dental implants are the recommended course of action when extraction is not an option.

How long does it take to fill a chipped tooth?

The time it takes to fill or repair a chipped tooth typically depends on the type and severity of the damage, as well as the treatment method chosen.

For instance, dental bonding is a quick solution for minor chips that typically takes 30 to 60 minutes per tooth and is often completed in a single visit.

Veneers, ideal for visible front teeth with moderate damage, usually require two appointments. One appointment is for preparation and another for placement—spanning about 2 to 3 weeks in total.

Dental crowns, for more significant chips, also involve two visits. The overall process takes approximately 3 to 4 weeks.

Can a chipped tooth grow back?

In contrast to skin or bone, human teeth are incapable of regenerating missing enamel or tissue. As such, a chipped tooth cannot grow back.

Therefore, professional dental treatment is required to repair a chipped tooth and restore its aesthetic and function.

What is the chipped tooth repair cost in Malaysia?

The severity of chipping and the type of treatment required largely determines the cost of chipped tooth repair in Malaysia.

Dental bonding or composite fillings usually cost between RM150 and RM450 per tooth for minor chips. Dental crowns typically cost between RM1000 and RM3,500—depending on the material used. Veneers might cost anywhere from RM2,000 to RM3,500 per tooth, while dental implants start from RM6,000 to RM9,000.

How to prevent teeth chipping?

To prevent teeth chipping, it’s imperative to religiously follow these tips:

• Brush twice a day, floss, and use mouthwash to maintain good oral hygiene.
• Wear mouthguards when participating in sports or other vigorous activities to protect teeth from impact.
• If you suffer from bruxism, wear night guards to protect your teeth from wear and fractures while you sleep.
• Schedule routine dental examinations to detect enamel weakening or minor cracks early.
• Avoid opening bottles or packages with your teeth, and refrain from chewing on hard items like ice or pencils.

When do I need to see a dentist for a chipped tooth?

Whether a tooth chip appears to be minor or severe, one should visit a dentist as soon as bleeding, swelling, pain, or sensitivity are felt. Even minor chips can cause pain and open up channels for germs to enter and cause infection.

mydentist®’s experienced professionals can evaluate the damage and suggest the best restoration method. Thus, preserving your teeth and restoring your smile.

Conclusion

A chipped tooth can cause insecurity and a propensity to avoid social situations. It may even affect one’s confidence to maintain career prospects and personal connections.

Fortunately, advancements in cosmetic dentistry provide efficient ways to repair a chipped tooth’s appearance and functionality. For instance, dental bonding offers a rapid and inexpensive fix for small chips.

For visible front teeth with significant chips, dental veneers provide a long-lasting, natural-looking finish. Similarly, for more severe chipping, dental crowns cover one’s entire tooth to restore strength and functionality.

Overall, any chipped tooth must be treated immediately. If left untreated, even small damage can result in more serious issues like infections, pain, or more chipping. Frequent d321’ental examinations help with early tooth-chipping detection and prevention. So, as a precautionary measure, schedule a dental checkup to safeguard your smile.