Pediatric Dentistry for Chipped Teeth
There are many options available today to fix a broken tooth.
With younger patients, accidents and injuries that result in chipped or fractured teeth are always a concern, especially if they involve permanent teeth!
However, even in primary teeth, we often employ restorative measures to improve your child’s appearance so they can keep their self-esteem intact.
If your child experiences a chipped or damaged tooth as a result of an accident or injury, call immediately to have your child examined. Immediate care can help reduce the possibility of more extensive treatment later on.
What Types of “Patches” are Available for Chipped Teeth in Children?
If your child sustains a minor fracture, for example, at the base of a front tooth, we can sometimes just sand it down to correct the chipped tooth.
When a tooth is more badly damaged there are a number of options available to restore the tooth. We try to save primary teeth until they are ready to fall out on their own. We do this for a number of reasons, including your child’s appearance and their ability to chew and speak correctly. If we leave the chipped tooth untreated, it can become infected and that infection can spread to the rest of the mouth as well.
For more severely chipped teeth, a crown might be recommended, or what was previously called a cap. Stainless steel crowns are used on damaged back teeth because they are the most durable for chewing surfaces. White plastic or steel crowns with a white “face” are used on fractured front teeth for aesthetic reasons, so they blend well with the rest of the teeth.
Are There Any Other Options Available?
Tooth-colored plastics, often referred to as composite resins, also can be applied to the chipped tooth, then molded and shaped properly and hardened using a light or chemical process. We can also apply bonding and veneer treatments to correct your child’s smile after a tooth accident!
These are relatively easy and affordable ways to fix chipped teeth and the results can last for years! The only thing to remember about bonded teeth is that they are not as hard as the tooth enamel they are replacing, so biting down on hard foods, nail biting and further accidents can injure them.
If Your Child Has a Chipped Tooth…
Call to schedule an appointment so that the doctor can evaluate the situation and make a recommendation as to the best way to correct the tooth. We want to preserve your child’s smile… and the way they feel about themselves!
