You may think that having a chipped tooth is not a big deal, causing you to potentially ignore this dental problem. However, chipped teeth shouldn't be ignored due to the potential damage that can be caused. Here are two things to know about chipped teeth.

How Chipped Teeth Are Potential Problems

Don't assume that a chipped tooth is something that is just a minor cosmetic problem. It is worth having a dentist look at the tooth as early as possible, since it is possible that your dentist can prevent the tooth from becoming damaged even further.

That chip in the tooth is going to cause the tooth's structural integrity to be weak, which makes the tooth vulnerable to damage. The chip may seem small and insignificant right now, but it can become bigger over time. A small chip can develop into a large crack, which will leave to the nerve being exposed. You will eventually need an extraction or a root canal to save the tooth if possible.

How Chipped Teeth Are Fixed

There are several options to fix a tooth that is chipped, and your dentist should give you a recommendation based on your specific situation. If the chip is located in a place that isn't very visible, they are likely to apply resin to the area to fix it. The dental resin is capable of being formed so that it replaces the missing part of the tooth, then the resin is cured using a special light. For teeth that are visible, such as front teeth, a different approach can be taken to fix a chip. This is due to the resin not matching perfectly with the color of your existing teeth and sticking out.

Visible chips can be repaired by using a crown. This involves taking a mold of the tooth so that a lab can create a custom crown that will fit the chipped tooth. The crown will not only blend in seamlessly, but it gives the tooth additional strength that resin does not provide. You can use the tooth for chewing and not worry about the crown breaking due to using force. Crowns are held in place using very strong dental cement so that they do not go anywhere. If the crown for some reason falls off the tooth, try to keep the crown since a dentist can reattach it.

For more information about dealing with chipped teeth, reach out to dentists such as Wakim Family Dentistry.