If you’ve chipped your tooth, getting prompt treatment is important to restore appearance and prevent further damage. But what actually causes teeth to crack and what does the repair process involve? Read on for more details on causes, treatment options, repair costs, and aftercare recommendations.
Understanding Chipped Teeth
What exactly comprises a chipped tooth? While the term may seem straightforward, there are actually different degrees of tooth fractures that fall under the “chipped” category. Gaining a clear understanding of the types and causes can help you seek appropriate treatment when faced with this common dental injury.
Enamel Chips and Cracks
The outer protective enamel layer of the tooth can become weakened overtime, making small chips and cracks more likely. This damage is considered minor if it doesn’t extend through underlying dentin. However, cracks can deepen and expand worsening the problem if left untreated.
Loss of Tooth Structure
More severe cases of chipping involve noticeable loss of tooth structure and bulk, ranging from minor breaks at the edge to entire cusps breaking off. Significant chunks or missing pieces often lead to exposure of the soft inner pulp chamber housing nerves and blood vessels.
Vertical Root Fractures
Major traumatic impacts can cause vertical cracks originating in the root underground that split the entire tooth in half sometimes initially showing minimal surface signs. However, these frequently worsen leading to extraction.
While chipping sounds relatively minor, it’s crucial to have even small cracks evaluated as soon as possible. Surface enamel loss from fractures almost always expands deeper over time without repair. Let us fully assess your tooth cracks and advise the best solution for arresting damage before the problem escalates further. Don’t wait with a chipped tooth!
What Causes Chipped Teeth?
Teeth fractures result from trauma like getting hit in the mouth as well as biting into hard foods or objects. Clenching and grinding can also weaken enamel over time. In some cases, underlying issues like dental decay, large fillings, or cracked tooth syndrome contribute to fractures.
Treatment Options
For minor cracks with no pulp involvement, cosmetic bonding smoothes edges and fills the chip with tooth-colored resin. Larger chips or vertical breaks need full dental crowns or veneers to completely encase the tooth. Root canals may be required if pulp nerves get damaged.
The Repair Process
After x-rays determine the damage, teeth get numbed before filing to prep for repair material. Temporary restorations may be placed during crown fabrication. At cementing appointments, your bite is checked to ensure comfort and proper alignment and function with the opposite tooth.
Costs to Restore Chipped Teeth
Prices vary starting around £150 for simple bonding up to £2,000+ for a custom crown or veneer. Location, size, materials involved all factor in. Dental insurance often contributes for portions of preventive repairs before major damage sets in. Payment plans can assist with out-of-pocket expenses too.
Proper Ongoing Care
Avoid chewing ice and hard, crunchy, chewy foods which could re-crack the restored tooth. Wear nightguards if advised and maintain thorough at-home oral hygiene. See your dentist promptly if you notice temperature sensitivity or additional cracks which require intervention to avoid complications. Don’t neglect your smile – a repaired tooth should provide lasting service with proper care.
If you have a painful cracked tooth needing attention, turn to the experts at our office for treatment options tailored to your unique situation. We’ll help you chew, smile and function optimally again soon!
Cost to Fix a Chipped Tooth in the UK?
If you’ve chipped or cracked one of your pearly whites, you’re likely curious what the damage will cost to repair at the dentist. Prices can range quite broadly for fractured teeth depending on factors like which tooth and how severely it’s affected. However, some average benchmarks for common fixes can offer insight on what to budget for a chipped tooth in the UK.
Minor Cosmetic Bonding
Smoothing rough edges and small defects with tooth-colored bonding resin averages around £150-£300 per tooth. This prevents further wear or decay in the crack but is only suitable for shallow enamel-level fractures.
Dental Crowns
Capping a tooth with a custom crown provides full encasement for protection and natural aesthetics. Depending on materials used and dental lab fees, crowns average £500-£2500 per tooth through NHS and private practices. Front teeth needing cosmetic crowns are typically more expensive.
Porcelain Veneers
These thin shells similarly cloak teeth that cannot be adequately repaired via fillings alone. Prices typically range £500-£2000 per veneer. Multiple teeth needing treatment drive overall costs up further. As experienced restorative experts at Thousand Smiles Clinic providing all fracture repair methods, we offer very reasonable pricing within these general cost ranges. When budgeting for a chipped or broken tooth repair cost in London, consult our team for an accurate quote tailored to your unique treatment needs.
