Our teeth are protected by enamel and this enamel generally does an excellent job of providing the protection our teeth need to chew several different kinds of foods without becoming damaged. However, sometimes accidents happen where we fall and bump our mouth or we chew on something that is exceptionally hard and our tooth becomes chipped.
This occurs because an actual piece of our tooth has broken off. Thankfully, there are a few different methods that cosmetic dentists use to fix a chipped tooth. Here are a few of these methods.
Dental Bonding
For chips that are fairly mild, dental bonding is generally done to fix the chip. For the first step, a resin material will be matched to the color of your tooth to ensure that there is no difference in color. Then, your tooth will be roughened so that the resin material will stick to it.
Once the cosmetic dentist has successfully put the resin on and shaped your tooth appropriately, an LED light will be used to instantly harden the resin and create a strong, chip-free tooth once again.
Dental Crown
If a large portion of your tooth was chipped off, then a dental crown is likely a better solution than dental bonding. The crown can hold what is left of your chipped tooth together securely. A crown will essentially be placed over what is left of the tooth, creating a new tooth in its place.
First, what is remaining of your chipped tooth will be reshaped so that the crown can securely be placed over the top of it. The crown will look and function just as your regular tooth would've and will be made to match the rest of the teeth in your mouth perfectly.
Porcelain Veneer
If the chip is completely on the front part of your tooth and is very noticeable, then you may want to consider a porcelain veneer. A veneer is a thin shell that goes over the front of your tooth and is made to match the rest of your teeth. In order to create this thin shell, the dentist will first take off the top layer of enamel from your chipped tooth, and then get an impression of the tooth.
This allows them to then create a veneer that will fit onto the tooth perfectly. The veneer is then bonded to your tooth, creating a tooth that is whole and beautiful once again, and will last you for many years.
Root Canal
If the chip in your tooth so deep that it is actually considered fracture, and goes clear up into the pulp of your tooth, then your dentist may determine that a root canal is the best form of treatment for you. This is because at this point, the damage to your tooth's nerve may be irreversible.
During a root canal, all of the roots and pulp of the tooth will be completely removed and the area will be cleaned out. After this, the area will be sealed off so that further infection is not an issue. Sometime in the future, a dental implant and crown can be placed in this area so that you don't have a missing tooth.
When you chip your tooth, it is comforting to know that there are different dental procedures that can help fix your tooth. Whether it be a dental bonding, the placement of a dental crown, a porcelain veneer, or a root canal, these are all effective methods depending on the type and depth of the chip.
To learn more about how to fix a chipped tooth, or have your own chipped tooth fixed, you can contact us here.
