What Should I Do If I Chip My Tooth Portland, OR?

At Dental Health Associates, PC we are regularly asked, “What should I do if I chip my tooth?” This is actually a fairly common problem. If you live in the Portland, OR area, we encourage you to call (503) 862-3270 as soon as your tooth becomes chipped. As a general dentist, we can examine and treat you right away.

As an emergency dentist, the first thing we want to do is determine how serious the damage is. In order to do so, we will ask you several questions when you call to schedule an appointment.

Do you feel any pain?
After chipping a tooth, you may not be in pain or uncomfortable. It really depends on the extent of the chip, where your tooth was chipped, and which tooth was damaged. Some people, for example, lightly chip a tooth when eating something overly hard or crunchy. If it is small, the chip may go unnoticed until you brush and floss your teeth. If you are in pain, you need to call our dental office in Portland, OR 97233 immediately. Pain is your body’s way of alerting you to a problem, and by restoring your tooth, we can prevent further damage and infections.

Are you bleeding?
We encourage you to visit our dentist practice immediately if you notice that your tooth has become chipped and you are also bleeding. This could be an indication that you have suffered more dental damage than you are currently aware of. Rinse your mouth out with warm salt water, and if the bleeding persists, come on in.

Was it your tooth or your child’s?
As a family dentist serving the Portland, OR area, we treat generations of families. We need to know the age of the person who suffered damage because this will directly influence our treatment recommendations. Children tend to be more sensitive to discomfort, so it is wise to have any damage restored on the same day as the accident.

Steps to Take After Chipping a Tooth

If you have ever wondered, “What should I do if I chip my tooth?” this information is good to keep in your back pocket. We always welcome your calls, questions, and visits to our dental office in Portland. This guide should be a reference point, but ultimately, you should still visit the dentist.

Step #1
Rinse your mouth with warm saltwater. This will help remove debris, any surface blood, and reduce the chance of developing an infection.

Step #2
Place a piece of gauze or a cool rag in your mouth and press on the area that is bleeding. Applying light pressure may also help ease any discomfort being caused by the tooth being chipped and the dentin being exposed. As a family dentist that serves residents of the 97233 zip code and surrounding areas, we have found this to be particularly useful for helping our young patients take their mind off their discomfort.

Step #3
You can purchase dental cement at many drugstores and use it to temporarily cover the damaged tooth. As a cosmetic dentist in Portland Oregon, we would prefer to simply treat your tooth and restore it immediately. However, if you are traveling, have a busy day at work, or simply cannot find the time to come in, this is a useful temporary solution. Just be sure to visit Dental Health Associates, PC the next day.

Step #4
Call our cosmetic dental services office at 503-862-3270 and schedule an appointment to be seen right away. We will do our best to work around your schedule so you can have your tooth restored immediately. We provide emergency dental services, so we leave room in our schedule for last-minute appointments.

Ways We Restore Chipped Teeth

When looking for a “dentist near me” to treat a chipped tooth, be sure to visit a cosmetic dentist. We are an emergency dentist and a cosmetic dentist, which means we can treat you right away while also restoring your tooth in a manner that is natural-looking and beautiful.

As a cosmetic dentist in Portland, OR, we have several ways to restore a chipped tooth, including:

Dental bonding.
We regularly use dental bonding to restore chipped teeth in children. This is the fastest way to do so because we can complete the process in one visit. As a cosmetic dentist, we apply tooth-colored bonding material to the damaged tooth, shape, and harden it for a natural-looking restoration. At Dental Health Associates, PC can also use dental bonding when treating adults. However, the bonding material is generally not as long-lasting as a veneer or dental crown.

Dental veneers.
Many of the adults who visit our general dentist office prefer to repair their teeth using dental veneers. A veneer can be used to restore a chipped tooth, cover dark stains, close gaps in between teeth, and more. This makes veneers an incredibly popular option among our patients.

If you have lost a tooth in addition to damaging one, we can use the solutions above to restore the damage and then work on replacing your missing tooth. We can do so using dental crowns and bridges or dental implants. Both solutions will restore the appearance and functionality of your smile.

When visiting us for a chipped tooth, let us know if you would also like to improve your smile. As a family dentist in Portland, we can offer you a quick teeth whitening treatment that will brighten your smile and improve your self-confidence. When combined with dental restorations, this is an excellent way to enhance your appearance.

If you are wondering, “What should I do if I chip my tooth?” the best thing to remember is to call our our practice. At Dental Health Associates, PC we always try to treat you right away so you do not experience unnecessary discomfort. Simultaneously, you can count on us to restore your tooth in a way that is both beautiful and natural-looking. To schedule an appointment, call (503) 862-3270.

Helpful Related Links

• American Dental Association (ADA). Glossary of Dental Terms. 2015
• American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry® (AACD). Home Page. 2015
• WebMD. WebMD’s Oral Care Guide. 2015

About our business, license, and website security

• Dental Health Associates, PC was established in 1985
• We accept the following payment methods: American Express, Cash, Check, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa
• We serve patients from the following counties: Multnomah County
• We serve patients from the following cities: Portland


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