Common Causes of Chipped Teeth

The team at Brooklyn Heights Dental® offers the latest in advanced restorative dentistry treatments, enhancing overall dental health and wellness while also improving smile aesthetics. Chips on the teeth can have a major impact on your smile. We'd like to consider how chips affect your smile and what can be done to treat this tooth damage.

Why Chipped Teeth Are a Potentially Serious Issue

Chipped teeth can have a very negative effect on the overall appearance of your smile. Even minor chips can be quite noticeable as you talk and laugh.

Apart from the aesthetic flaws associated with chips and cracks on your teeth, chips can lead to major structural problems with your teeth. Your teeth may be compromised in a major way, leading to extreme issues with biting and chewing, potentially causing pain and discomfort while eating.

It's also possible for people who suffer from chips on the teeth to suffer from infections of their teeth caused by the oral bacteria that naturally occurs in the mouth.

Below are some common causes of chipped teeth.

Chipped Teeth from Sports Injuries

If you play contact sports or combat sports, forceful impacts to the head and face or any heavy blows will potentially result in chips or cracks to the teeth. Some common sports that cause tooth damage include:

• Football
• Hockey
• Rugby
• Lacrosse
• Boxing
• Amateur wrestling
• Tournament martial arts
• Mixed martial arts (MMA)

Chipped Teeth from Vehicle Accidents

Major vehicle accidents can cause chips to your teeth. This include bike accidents as well as automobile collisions.

Chipped Teeth from Slips and Falls

If you suffer from a major fall or slip of some kind, you may suffer from a chip or crack, particularly if you land in such as way that you sustain trauma to the mouth.

Chipped Teeth from Assaults/Attacks

Those who are involved in a fight or who are attacked may suffer from chipped teeth depending on the nature of incident.

Chipped Teeth from Accidents While Eating

While at the movies, you may accidentally bite into an unpopped popcorn kernel. This kind of accident while eating can lead to chips and cracks of the teeth. The same goes for bones that get bitten into and other kinds of hard objects in foods.

Chipped Teeth from Tooth Grinding (Bruxism)

Tooth grinding (bruxism) refers to the biting, gnashing, clenching, and shifting of the teeth when people are asleep. When this happens, it can lead to chips and cracks forming on the teeth due to the pressure placed on the upper and lower dental arches.

Fixing Chips and Cracks on Your Teeth

In order to address chips and cracks of the teeth, there are various cosmetic and restorative dentistry treatments to consider. These treatments include dental bonding and porcelain veneers for relatively minor chips, and inlays, onlays, and dental crowns for more severe damage to the teeth. During your consultation at the practice, you will be able to learn more about these matters from your dentist.

Learn More About Advanced Dental Care Treatment

If you would like more information about all of your treatment options for chips, cracks, and other kinds of tooth damage, be sure to contact our cosmetic and restorative dentistry center today. We at Brooklyn Heights Dental® look forward to meeting you in person and helping you have a great-looking smile that's healthy as well.