You only have one set of adult teeth, so taking good care of them is of the utmost importance. You know to brush twice a day and floss daily, but there is so much more to dental health. On this website, we've compiled articles to help you boost your personal knowledge of oral health and dental care. From brushing tips to ideas for snacks that won't case cavities, it's all here. We are not dentists, but we scoured the internet for factual information, and we're confident your dentist will approve of what you're learning. Grab your favorite tooth-healthy snack, and start reading.
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The Truth About Teeth
How Do Dentists Fix Chipped Teeth?
Lonnie Davidson
If you chip a tooth, then a dentist is the right professional to visit. Chipped teeth are a more common occurrence than you might think. Athletes often chip teeth if they get hit in the face with a ball. People even chip their teeth when they bump into a glass while drinking. As such, cosmetic dentists are very used to this problem and they have a few different ways of fixing it.
Filing
If the chip out of your tooth is really tiny, your dentist may simply file the area down to smooth it out. This can only be done when the chip does not go all the way through the enamel, and also when the filing won't cause any aesthetic issues. If filing down the chip will make your smile look funny, a dentist generally won't do it. As such, this is not a common solution—but it is one that dentists turn to occasionally.
Bonding
This is a very common way dentists deal with chips. It's a good solution for medium-sized chips and for tiny chips in obvious areas. Bonding is basically like putting a filling in a cavity. Your dentist will inject a composite resin into the chipped area, let it cure, and then file it down to smooth the area out. They'll use bonding material that is the same color as your tooth, so the fixed area won't be obvious when you smile.
Crown
If the chip is large enough to compromise the integrity and strength of your tooth, then your dentist may wish to cover the tooth in a crown. The crown will protect the chipped area along with the rest of the tooth, preventing it from chipping any further. Unless the chip is in a back molar, your dentist will generally recommend using tooth-colored porcelain for the crown. However, metal crowns are often less expensive and can be used on the molars people don't see.
Veneers
If you chip a front tooth, covering your front teeth with veneers is an option. However, dentists usually only recommend this option if there are other issues with your teeth that you want to camouflage. For example, if your front tooth is chipped and a bit crooked, a veneer can hide both problems at once.
If you chip a tooth, your dentist will take a look at it and recommend a treatment approach. In most cases, they'll recommend one of the options above.
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