Chipped Tooth? How To Ensure You Get A Dental Crown, Not A Root Canal

Posted on: 21 August 2018

When a tooth gets chipped, it can be painful and alarming, especially when you start thinking about the dental procedures you'll need to fix it. Thankfully, there are some easy ways to vastly decrease your risk of needing an in-depth root canal and increase the chances that all you'll need is a dental crown. Here's what you should do.

Clean

Your first step is to keep the area extremely clean. Collect any shards of chipped tooth that are in your mouth. You may also want to rinse with some water and spit afterward. Don't swallow, as tiny shards of tooth could go down your throat.

From this point forward, take thorough care of your oral health. Floss and brush, and if you're not experiencing any pain in the tooth, you can also use mouthwash. This will help to keep bacteria to a minimum and will prevent the risk of an infection deep in the tooth.

Protect

Ultimately, you're going to need a dental crown to fully cap to the tooth to prevent further damage and risk of infection. In the meantime, however, there are some steps you can take to protect the softer, more vulnerable tissues of the tooth.

You can start by buying some temporary dental cement from any dental aisle of a grocery store or pharmacy. This topical product can be put over a broken or chipped tooth to provide a temporary seal. You may need to reapply it depending on the variety you buy, so read the directions carefully before using it. Keep in mind that this type of dental cement is not a permanent fix. You need to get to a dentist as soon as you can, but if you have to wait for one to open or are out of town, this can tide you by.

Time

Finally, the ultimate factor in the type of repair job you get is time. If you hesitate or put off seeing the dentist, it increases the chance that you'll need a root canal. This is because exposed parts of the tooth are susceptible to damage from acids in the food and drink that you consume, as well as the constant onslaught of oral bacteria. By getting to a dentist quickly, you can prevent permanent internal damage to the tooth that could be bad enough to put the root of the tooth at risk. Once the root is severely damaged, the only way to fix the problem is via a root canal or a complete tooth extraction.

Even if you're anxious about the idea of seeing a dentist, the worst thing you can do right now is to put off seeing one. Get to your local dentist for a repair job dental crown right away, and you'll be able to get back to your daily life without the anxiety and worry plaguing you right now.

For more information, contact a dental office like Pembroke  Pines Dental.

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