I recently fell in the kitchen and chipped my front tooth. There was some bleeding when it happened. Now it doesn't hurt but it's uncomfortable to eat or talk. Does it need to be treated?

Ans: Chipping a front tooth is rough - especially since it’s right there - plainly visible - when you talk or smile. Sorry that happened.

Short answer: Yes, it should be treated by a dentist, even if it doesn’t hurt now.
And here’s why:
1. No pain doesn’t mean no damage: The nerve might be fine now, but a chip exposes dentin or even pulp. Once that’s exposed, bacteria can get in and cause infection/pain later. Bleeding at the time could mean the break went past enamel.
2. Sharp edges: That “uncomfortable to eat or talk” feeling is usually the rough chip edge cutting your tongue/lip or catching food. It can be smoothed in 5 min.
3. Risk of bigger crack: Chipped teeth are weaker. Biting wrong or another bump can turn a small chip into a bigger fracture.
4. Looks + function: Besides aesthetics, front teeth affect speech and biting. Bonding/restoration will make it feel comfortable and look normal again.

See a dentist ASAP if the chip is big, you see pink/red inside the tooth, sensitivity to hot/cold gets worse, or the tooth feels loose. Otherwise, book within a few days to a week.

Treatment depends on how much chipped off:
- A small chip can be treated by Bonding with tooth-colored resin. It's quick, involves little or no drilling, and looks natural.
- Larger chip, near pulp: May need a filling, crown, or root canal if the nerve got damaged.
- Just smoothing: If only enamel chipped and no cosmetic issue.