Chipped teeth aren’t always considered as serious as a significantly cracked or broken tooth. The damage isn’t as bad, it usually doesn’t cause discomfort, and in many cases, the chip is barely noticeable, if at all. Since it seems minor, patients often neglect to fix a chipped tooth because they believe it might take extensive dental work. Fortunately, at our Newhall, CA, dental office, we offer a number of different customizable treatments to fix your chipped tooth conservatively and with highly lifelike results.
Why fixing it matters
A chipped tooth might seem like much, but give it enough time and the small damage to your tooth can become greater. Every time you bite and chew, the friction of your bite can chip off more pieces, making the tooth even weaker. The pressure of your bite can cause the weaker tooth to crack or break, and you’ll need even more extensive treatment to restore it. However, if you fix the chip as soon as possible, you can restore your bite as well as prevent the tooth from suffering more extensive damage.
Designing the right treatment
Every chipped tooth is different, and the first step to fixing yours is to thoroughly examine and diagnose the extent of it. Depending on its location and severity, we can custom-design an appropriate treatment that not only fixes the chip, but also helps you preserve a maximum amount of your healthy, natural tooth structure, such as:
Tooth bonding
For minor chips, we may recommend bonding the tooth, which involves placing a small amount of tooth-colored composite resin over the chip. We’ll custom-tint the resin to match your tooth’s color and appearance, then sculpt and harden it for a healthy, durable, and lifelike finish. Aside from lightly etching the area to make it easier for the resin to bond to it, the procedure doesn’t require any preparation or reshaping of your tooth structure.
Porcelain veneers
A porcelain veneer might work better for a large chip at the front surface of a tooth. A veneer is a thin shell of porcelain that’s crafted to match the precise size, shape, and appearance of a healthy tooth’s front surface. After lightly preparing the tooth, we can permanently bond it to your tooth, instantly creating a whole, healthier appearance. Dental porcelain is also highly durable, so it can adequately withstand the pressure and friction of your bite.
Make your tooth whole again
A chipped tooth doesn’t always seem serious, but ignoring it could lead to much more trouble for the tooth and your smile down the road. For more information, schedule a consultation by calling Newhall Dental Arts in Newhall, CA, today at (661) 259-7760.