Chipped Tooth? Our Cosmetic Dentists Can Help

Learn about 3 treatments a cosmetic dentist can use to repair a chipped tooth.

Tooth enamel is one of the hardest substances in the human body, but even so teeth can become chipped from time to time. Whether you have been in a sports accident or taken a fall, the impact could very well result in a chipped or broken tooth. And in the case of a molar, a chip or crack could occur due to simple biting stress, provided the tooth is already weakened by decay or you have bitten down on a hard object like a cherry pit or an ice cube.

Fortunately, the skilled cosmetic dentists at California Dental Group have a solution, not matter which of your teeth is chipped or how the damage happened. Choose from the following three options.

Bonding

Bonding is the quickest, simplest, and most cost-effective way to fix a chipped tooth, especially if it is one of your front teeth that has become chipped. Bonding uses the same resin material as a white composite filling. First, your cosmetic dentist will prepare the tooth surface around the chip by etching it and then applying a conditioning liquid. This will help ensure a strong bond. Then, the resin will be applied and dried with a special laser. The next step is where the skill of your cosmetic dentist really comes into play—the dentist must trim, shape, and polish the resin in order to match your natural teeth and achieve a virtually invisible restoration. The whole process typically takes no more than an hour from start to finish.

Veneers

For an even more natural look, you might consider porcelain veneers to cover up a chipped tooth. While both composite resin and porcelain veneers can be shaded to match your tooth color, porcelain reflects light better—almost exactly the way natural tooth enamel does. Veneers will also last longer than bonding, and will be less vulnerable to staining. However, veneers need to be custom made at a dental lab, so you can’t get them as quickly as bonding.

Crowns

If you have chipped or cracked a molar, a crown may be required. Crowns will cover the entire biting surface of the tooth, providing a much stronger result than simply adding a bit of bonded resin material. Like veneers, crowns come in highly natural-looking porcelain materials and need to be special ordered from a dental lab.

Call Us Now for Help

If you have chipped a tooth, you naturally want to get it fixed right away. Call California Dental Group and we will do everything we can to get you a prompt appointment at the clinic location of your choice.