Athletes in contact sports are at a higher risk of suffering sports-related injuries and oral trauma. Wearing a quality mouth guard during practices and games is one critical way to avoid dental damage. Some athletes find substandard mouth guards uncomfortable and sometimes choose not to use them in critical moments.
Should you suffer a severe hit to the face, it could theoretically chip one or more teeth. If this were to happen, you should immediately seek professional care at Carolyn L. Yu, DDS’s Pinole, California clinic. Even if the tooth doesn’t cause immediate discomfort, the injured tooth enamel could trap food matter and bacterial remnants, promoting a new area of tooth decay to form.
Depending on the size and location of the chip your Carolyn L. Yu, DDS dentist may be able to repair the tooth with a simple amalgam or composite filling.
If the chip is large or on a precarious surface of the tooth, your dentist may recommend restoring the entirety of the tooth enamel with a crown. This is a two-step procedure where the tooth enamel is replaced with a virtually perfect replica made from either porcelain, gold, or a metallic alloy.
There have also been rare instances where the damage from chipped tooth enamel infiltrates deep enough to disturb the pulp or root of a tooth. If this happens, your dentist may need to perform a root canal to substitute the damaged internal structure of the tooth with another dental-grade material. This will effectively prepare the core of the tooth to receive a crown restoration.
If you live in the Pinole, California area and you’ve recently suffered a chipped tooth, you should call 510.974.2147 to seek professional care at Carolyn L. Yu, DDS’s dental offices. Our dental professionals will be happy to assist you with your oral care needs.
