If you’ve got normal, active kids, the possibilities are pretty good that one of them may suffer from a cracked or chipped tooth at some time while growing up. Teeth can be cracked or otherwise damaged by chewing ice or hard candy, falling down and hitting the mouth on the ground, getting hit in the mouth with a hard object and even, let’s face it, getting into fights.
Not all cracked teeth are cause for alarm and a scramble to the emergency room. If your child has chipped or broken a tooth, call our office right away for advice. If you can find the broken piece of tooth, put it in a plastic bag along with a little bit of saline solution or clean water, and save it to bring with you to our office.
EMERGENCY CARE FOR CHILDREN’S DAMAGED TEETH
As soon as your child chips or breaks a tooth, she’ll probably be more scared than hurt. Calm her down and examine the tooth. If you see any blood, it’s likely because a sharp tooth edge has cut the inside of her mouth. Get some dental wax (made for those who wear braces) and cover the sharp edge of the tooth to protect her mouth. If she’s in pain, give her mild over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen. Once she’s calm and free from pain, call our office to see when you need to bring her in.
HOW A DENTIST NEAR ME CAN REPAIR MY CHILD’S TOOTH
The procedures used to repair your child’s tooth depend on how badly that tooth has been damaged. In some small areas, we can repair the chip with a simple filling, just like with a cavity. We’ll polish the tooth, smoothing out that jagged area, then use special material to restore the tooth’s shape.
If your child has lost a distinctive piece of a tooth, like a portion of a front tooth, we may be able to simple bond the chip directly into his mouth. We’ll use a special adhesive to “glue” the piece of the tooth back into place, then cover the area with a layer of resin that’s the same color as the tooth. We’ll shape the resin to look exactly like the uninjured tooth, then use an ultraviolet lamp to harden the resin. Both this treatment and the filling can be completed in one short office visit.
REPAIRING LARGER BREAKS IN YOUR CHILD’S TOOTH
If your child has suffered a large dental fracture or has done damage that uncovers the pulp chamber (the blood vessels and nerves inside the tooth), he might need a veneer or a dental crown. If she’s chipped or fractured a front tooth, causing too much damage to use a composite resin bond, she’ll need to have her tooth repaired with a veneer.
If the broken tooth exposes the pulp and nerves, she may need a root canal before being fitted for a crown to cover and repair the damage. This will both help to prevent infection and prepare the remaining tooth to be covered with the crown.
THERE’S NO JOB TOO BIG OR TOO SMALL!
When you’re ready to tackle those big dental procedures, only the most skilled Houston prosthodontists will do. Maple Leaf Dental can turn back time, replacing your damaged teeth with artificial ones that even your mother won’t notice. Call us at (281) 497-5558 or email us to get started. Your smile won’t wait forever!
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