Ali O'Leary's Testimonial - Tooth Repair (Treating Dentist: Dr. Carmen Anastasiu)
Chipped Tooth Repair
Ali O'Leary's Testimonial - Tooth Repair (Treating Dentist: Dr. Carmen Anastasiu)
Teeth make for one of the strongest organs in the human body - largely due to the enamel on the tooth.
Its sheer strength allows the tooth to withstand physical and chemical forces that would otherwise cause damage.
Sometimes, however, excessive wear and tear, decay, or a strong blow to the face, may push it past its limits, resulting in a broken or chipped tooth.
Although this is rarely a medical emergency it’s best to have it examined by a trained dentist or orthodontist.
Cost Of Chipped Tooth Repair
The cost of treating a broken tooth depends on how damaged it is and the treatment method used.
Dental bonding will cost you as little as €175, veneers range between €275-€700, and a dental crown is €550.
Root canal treatment costs between €550-€800 per tooth.
Fortunately, 3Dental offers payment plans for treatments over €1,000.
For a full price breakdown of our cosmetic treatments that will fix your chipped tooth, please visit our price list page.
What Causes A Chipped Tooth?
Your tooth may chip due to a variety of reasons. For instance, biting or chewing on hard foods, like hard candy, nuts, or ice, may break your tooth.
Age, teeth grinding, forceful blows to the face and abrupt temperature changes are other reasons that we have also seen.
This typically happens if its structural integrity has already been weakened by decay, cavities, or oversized fillings.
Why You Should Never Ignore A Chipped Tooth
Ignoring a chipped tooth will cause further damage or infection to your tooth, leading to total extraction of the tooth.
Thus, if you realise that you have a broken, chipped, or cracked tooth, you should visit a dentist as soon as possible.
Benefits Of Cosmetic Treatments At 3Dental
Retain the natural look of your teeth
Payment plans available
We offer free consultations
Variety of treatment solutions
Long-lasting 10-30 years-lifetime depending on the solution
Preserve your tooth structure
Visit our smile gallery to see our chipped tooth repair before and after photos
Treatments To Fix A Chipped Tooth
- How Can We Fix A Chipped Tooth?
- Dental Filling
- Dental Bonding
- Dental Veneers
- Dental Cap/Crown
- Free Consultations
- Self Care Measures For A Chipped Tooth
How Can We Fix A Chipped Tooth?
Treatment for a broken or chipped tooth ranges from simple repairs to lengthy complicated procedures.
Once a dentist examines your tooth, they will decide on the best solution for your specific case.
Generally, there are four ways we deal with broken teeth:
Dental Filling
A dental filling is used where only a small piece has broken off.
It involves using filler material, like porcelain, gold, or composite resin, to fill the chipped area.
Dental Bonding
If the chip happens to your front teeth, the dentist may resort to bonding.
This involves attaching a tooth-coloured composite resin, shaping it to mimic a natural tooth, and hardening it with UV rays.
Bonding is a relatively simple procedure that should take a single session to complete.
Dental Veneers
A dental veneer is a custom-made thin shell of tooth-coloured composite resin or porcelain. It’s designed to cover the whole front of a tooth and is usually thicker where the tooth broke off.
This makes it one of the best solutions to broken or chipped front teeth. However, the treatment process is significantly longer and more complicated than dental bonding.
First, your dentist will smooth away a thin layer; 0.2-1mm- of your tooth’s enamel. This creates room for the veneer.
They then make an impression of your tooth before sending it to the laboratory, where the veneer will be created.
This process will take a week or two; thus, you may be given a temporary veneer to use in the meantime.
When your permanent veneer is ready, you’ll revisit your dentist to have it installed. For that, they’ll use special adhesive cement to stick it to your tooth.
The veneer can last up to 30 years if set correctly.
Dental Cap/Crown
Breaking off a large piece of your tooth will necessitate more advanced solutions. One of these is the dental crown, a tooth-shaped cap that fits around the tooth to improve its appearance.
A dental crown can look like the original tooth, like those from resin, porcelain, or ceramic materials, or have a different colour - like those made from metal.
First, the dentist will examine your teeth to gauge the extent of the damage. They’ll also look at the surrounding bone before numbing the tooth.
Next, they remove part of the remaining tooth (or add filling material if a large part of your tooth is missing) to create room for the cap.
The dentist then makes an impression of the broken tooth, which they’ll send to a laboratory to have the crown design. The orthodontist may place a temporary cap while you await the permanent one to be completed in a week or two.
Once that happens, and you go for your second visit, the temporary crown will be removed, and the permanent one cemented in place.
You may have to undergo root canal therapy if the chip exposes the pulp.
Free Consultations
That's a lot of information to take in!
The intention with this page is to let you know that you when you or loved one chips a tooth - you have options!
We also want to let you know that we offer free consultations. We are more than happy to take a look at your situation and walk you through your options to get you back to showing off your smile!
We have clinics in Dublin, Limerick and Galway and are look forward to speaking with you soon :)
Self Care Measures For A Chipped Tooth
You can also practice certain self-care measures as you wait to see your dentist. These include:
- Only eat soft foods and don’t chew or bite using the chipped tooth.
- Take an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen if you’re experiencing any pain. You can also use an icepack on the outside of the cheek near the affected tooth. This will help deal with any irritation in the area.
- If the tooth is just cracked due to grinding, wear a protective mouthguard overnight if you have to wait till the next day to see your dentist.
- Cover the jagged edge of the tooth with temporary dental filling material, like sugarless chewing gum or dental wax. This prevents the tooth from cutting your tongue.
Chipped Tooth Before And After Pictures And Videos!
We have transformed the smiles of 100's of people who have come to us with a chipped or broken tooth.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can a chipped tooth heal on its own?
Nope. Unfortunately, the human tooth is not self-healing.
What should I do if I chipped my tooth?
Visit a dentist as soon as possible. Delaying this visit will only cause further damage to your teeth.
Do chipped teeth get worse?
Yes. If not attended by a dentist, a chipped tooth may infect the pulp and become harder to treat.
So don’t be tempted to ignore it!
How do I know if a chipped tooth is serious?
If you start feeling prolonged pain and sensitivity in the affected area.
In some cases, the broken tooth may start bleeding. This is why it's important to see a dentist as soon as possible.
Should I brush a cracked tooth?
Yes. It's important to keep sugar and food particles from the broken tooth. However, do so gently to avoid pain.
If it's too painful to use a toothbrush, rinse your mouth with warm salt water or mouthwash.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes. 3Dental offers flexible payment plans for treatments over €1,000.
We also offer are a partner with humm - which is another way to make easy monthly payments on your treatment.
Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
Are there chipped tooth repair treatments available near me?
Yes! We provide chipped tooth repair treatments in each of our three clinics - Dublin, Limerick and Galway.
Book your free consultation today! We look forward to welcoming you in person soon :)
What is the typical recovery time for a chipped tooth?
This will vary depending on the severity of the chip and the chosen treatment.
Minor chips may require no recovery time, while more significant chips that undergo more extensive treatment may require a few days to a week for the tooth to heal fully.
Can a chipped tooth affect other teeth?
Yes. A chipped tooth can affect other teeth in situations where the chip alters the alignment of the bite.
If the chipped tooth no longer aligns properly with the opposing tooth, it can imbalance the bite force distribution.
This can potentially lead to excessive pressure on surrounding teeth.
Additionally, a sharp or jagged edge from the chipped tooth can cause damage to adjacent teeth, leading to chips, cracks, or enamel wear over time.
Do chipped teeth always need to be replaced?
No. The treatment options for chipped teeth vary depending on the severity of the chip.
Minor chips may be repaired with dental bonding, while larger chips may require treatments such as dental veneers or crowns to restore the tooth's appearance and resilience.
What is the difference between a fractured tooth and a chipped tooth?
A fractured tooth and a chipped tooth refer to different extents of tooth damage.
A chipped tooth typically involves a small portion of the tooth's enamel breaking off, resulting in a minor cosmetic defect.
A fractured tooth involves a more significant break or crack that can extend into the dentin or pulp, potentially causing pain and sensitivity.
Fractured teeth may require more extensive treatments depending on the severity of the fracture.
Does a chipped tooth always cause pain? What advice can you offer someone who has a chipped tooth but does not feel any pain?
A chipped tooth does not always cause pain, especially if the chip is minor and does not expose the sensitive inner layers of the tooth.
However, even without pain, seeking dental attention for a chipped tooth is important.
Early intervention can help preserve the tooth's health and prevent costly issues from arising.
In what situations are chipped teeth hard to treat?
Chipped teeth can be challenging to treat when the damage extends beyond the enamel layer and reaches the dentin or pulp.
More extensive treatments like root canal therapy or dental crowns may be necessary to restore the tooth's function and appearance.