Why It's Important To See Your Dentist For A Chipped Crown

Posted on: 29 April 2019

Upon suffering a chipped tooth, most people know that it's important to pay a prompt visit to their local dental clinic. Whether you're embarrassed by the look of the chip or are concerned about structural damage to the tooth and an increased risk of getting a cavity, having your dentist assess the issue is always your best course of action. If you have a dental crown that gets chipped, it's important to be just as cognizant of the importance of dental intervention — even if your first tendency is to forget about the issue. Here are some reasons that it's important to see your dentist for a chipped crown.

Discussion Of The Cause

One of the first things that your dentist will discuss with you upon you scheduling an appointment for a chipped crown is what caused the damage to occur. In many cases, you'll know why the crown became chipped — it could have been something that you were eating, or you may have had some type of trauma to your mouth while playing a sport. This discussion is valuable because if you were engaging in some type of behavior that led to the damage, you'll know to curb it in the future.

Inspection Of The Crown

Your family dentist will also look at the extent of the damage to the crown in question. The issue might be merely cosmetic, which may prompt the dentist to schedule a future appointment for you to have the crown repaired. Or, the damage to the crown may be more significant, necessitating a replacement appointment. Overall, the dentist will look to see how the damage to the crown may affect the tooth below it. He or she will want to be cautious to ensure that the tooth below the crown isn't at risk now that it is exposed.

Evaluation of The Next Steps

Beyond simply discussing what will need to be done to correct the issue, the dentist will talk to you about these steps. There could be a short-term solution, such as a temporary crown. This solution may be necessary if your crown has been damaged significantly and your dentist doesn't feel that it would be prudent for you to wait for a follow-up appointment with the current situation in your mouth. Instead, the dentist may remove the crown, affix a temporary crown over the tooth, and then begin the process of having a new crown built.

For more information, contact a dental clinic like Four Corners Dental Group

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