Chipped teeth can hurt, feel sharp against your lips or cheeks, and change the entire appearance of your smile. Thankfully, there are several ways that your dentist can help repair the tooth so that it no longer appears to be broken when you talk or smile.

Bonding

For smaller chips and broken edges, composite bonding is one of the fastest ways to address the concern. Bonding uses tooth-colored filing material to rebuild the shape of the tooth. Some areas of the teeth are easier to bond than others; be sure to have your dentist assess your bite to see if it’s an option. 

Veneers

Porcelain veneers cover the front of the teeth, hiding any aesthetic concerns. They are used on teeth that are broken, chipped, or even severely discolored. Since veneers do not necessarily provide comprehensive coverage to broken teeth, they can only be used on certain types of fractures. 

Crowns

Full coverage crowns are made of porcelain and cover the entire surface of a tooth above the gumlines. They are used when teeth have been badly damaged or severely fractured. Placing the crown on the tooth not only restores aesthetics, it also returns full function to the tooth. 

If you’ve experienced an accident that left your tooth broken, you may have more options than you realized! Sometimes even the broken part of the tooth can be bonded back into place, or the tooth gently smoothed out without any treatment at all. Talk to your dentist about a way to aesthetically improve your smile while also strengthening your tooth at the same time.

Posted on behalf of:
Green Dental of Alexandria
1725 Duke St
Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 549-1725