A tooth can sometimes be chipped by grinding your teeth when sleeping, crunching on ice, or using your teeth as tools. When this happens the damaged tooth enamel can pose several different threats to the long term health and integrity of the tooth.
The location and size of the chip, as well as the size of the tooth will affect the severity of the problem. Even if you don’t experience any immediate discomfort or sensitivity, you should still strongly consider having the tooth examined and treated by a professional dentist like Dr. Jamie Choi.
If the structural integrity of the chipped tooth has been compromised, it could leave the tooth at increased risk of suffering a more significant dental fracture. This problem could be compounded by any tooth decay that develops inside the damaged area of tooth enamel.
After examining the tooth and taking some X-rays, Dr. Jamie Choi can help you understand the necessary treatment methods needed to restore the structural integrity of the tooth and preserve its long term health.
Sometimes Dr. Jamie Choi can repair a chipped tooth with an amalgam or composite resin dental filling. If the damaged area of tooth enamel is large, she might recommend replacing the entire tooth enamel layer with a dental crown.
If you are in the San Jose, California, area and you have recently suffered a chipped or fractured tooth, you should call 408-973-8500 to have it examined and treated by the dental specialists at Jamie P. Choi, DDS.