General Dentistry Options for Treating an Injured Tooth

Seeing a general dentistry professional is crucial for healthy teeth and gums. There are also cosmetic benefits to going to the dentist’s office. Doing so can ensure that your smile looks the way you have always wanted. Tooth injuries are among the most common ways that a smile can suffer. If you have damaged one tooth or multiple teeth, you can be in pain and feel embarrassed about your appearance. Fortunately, your dentist has the knowledge and training to treat your ailments.

Common tooth injuries and how they occur

Even though teeth are harder than bones, damage can still happen to them. Under certain conditions, teeth are susceptible to chips, cracks, and fractures. Teeth can even fall out, leaving gaps in the person’s mouth. Damage shows up due to accidents and mishaps such as falls or biting into a hard object or food. An injured tooth may also be the result of poor oral hygiene. Not brushing and flossing enough can cause plaque and tartar to build up and for infections or decay to weaken the teeth.

Extract it

A general dentistry professional is the right person to determine how to treat a damaged tooth. In the most severe cases, the dentist might not be able to salvage the tooth. In this case, the dentist would elect to remove the tooth. This often happens with baby teeth or if there is too little of the tooth left for other treatments to save it. After removing the tooth, the dentist would decide which tooth-replacement method to use.

Filling or bonding

If the injury is small and solely cosmetic, using a filling or bonding material may be enough to save the tooth. This is often what general dentistry staff would do for a small chip on a highly visible front tooth. The dentist would use a tooth-colored filling, so it would blend in well with the other teeth. The filling or bonding would build up the tooth and make it look whole again. After doing this, the dentist will smooth the tooth so that there are no jagged, sharp edges.

Crown

Natural-looking dental crowns are common treatments for injured teeth. The dentist will place this cap entirely over the affected tooth. The crown restores its shape and function. Plus, the crown is similar in size and color to the surrounding teeth. General dentistry can make the crown any color shade the patient desires.

Veneer

A porcelain veneer is a thin shell that bonds to the front of the affected tooth. It repairs cosmetic injuries and also helps the patient bite into food more effectively. Veneers can last up to 10 years with good care. It can also cover up other concerns, such as stains and alignment problems.