Dental injuries are hard to endure for several reasons. Your immediate concerns can be with the pain you experience, and with the visible (and unwelcome) change to your smile. With that said, the matter can grow more serious over time if you do not have the tooth properly restored. Going without treatment raises your risk for further damaging the tooth, and it also makes you more likely to pick up an infection. At our Katy, TX dentist’s office, patients can rely on us to treat an injury promptly and fully. In fact, we can bring you in for an emergency dental appointment if your tooth is injured. Acting quickly makes you less likely to let the tooth’s health worsen, and it makes complications less likely.
An Injured Tooth Can Affect Your Bite Function And Your Smile
If your tooth is injured, you should not expect a chip or crack to heal on its own. Enamel, while remarkably strong, is limited in how much it can recover from injuries that do affect the substance. The time you spend ignoring the issue, and going without treatment, will actually give you more opportunities to do more damage to the tooth, which means more of the tooth structure is permanently lost! Even if you manage to avoid further physical damage, the problem can make you unhappy with your appearance, and it can force changes in the way you bite and chew food.
The Trouble With Putting Off Treatment For An Injured Tooth
The longer you wait to treat a problem with a tooth, the more likely you are to experience complications that negatively impact your appearance and quality of life. You should be aware that injuries can create spaces where bacteria are able to gather, which can become a problem for you as your tooth can become infected. An infection can hurt, it can make the area around your tooth swell, and it will put you at risk of losing the tooth as bacteria continue to work their way through the roots. Until you arrange root canal therapy, the problem can persist in causing problems for you.
What Will Happen If Your Tooth Cannot Be Saved?
Scheduling emergency care can make it more likely your tooth can be saved, even if it has been knocked loose or completely dislodged. If the damage is just too severe, or if you wait too long for treatment, there may not be a way to keep it in place. Fortunately, your dentist can still restore your smile through implant dentistry. A custom dental crown on an implant will restore the look of your smile, and it can provide support to make biting and chewing easier.
Talk To Your Katy, TX Dentist About Addressing A Tooth Injury
At our Katy, TX dentist’s office, patients who experience tooth injuries can reach out to us to set up treatment as soon as possible. If you have questions or wish to learn more, please call Lathrop Dental Center in Katy, TX, at 832-437-3849.
