Your front teeth and premolars play an important role in helping you to efficiently bite off pieces of food. These teeth also tend to appear when you smile or make certain facial expressions.
When the enamel layer of a front tooth is chipped it can have a profound effect on your self-image as well as cause discomfort that could hamper the basic function of your mouth. Some patients with a chipped tooth can also suffer from a buildup of tooth decay in the affected area.
If the damaged area of tooth enamel only alters a single surface a dentist like Dr. Forrest Buhler might be able to treat it by installing a composite a dental filling. The material can be shaded to match the adjacent tooth enamel.
The treatment process typically starts with injecting some form of procaine into the local gum tissues to numb the tooth and help you remain comfortable throughout the treatment. The dentist will then remove a small amount of tooth enamel surrounding the chip to prepare a suitable surface texture for bonding the composite dental filling.
At this point they will shade the composite resin material to mimic the appearance of natural tooth enamel. After it has been applied, they will harden the dental filling with an ultraviolet light.
If you live in the Spanish Fork, Utah, area, and you have a chipped tooth, you should call 801-794-9905 to seek timely treatment at Buhler Dental Arts.