Treatment Options for Chipped Teeth
The team at Staten Island Aesthetic & Implant Dentist are committed to state-of-the-art dental care, with a focus on total wellness. We offer advanced cosmetic and restorative dentistrt treatments to address various problems.
Many patients who visit us have a chipped or slightly damaged tooth. Let's consider why that is a serious issue and what treatment options are available.
Chipped Teeth Should Be Taken Seriously
When you have a tooth that is damaged in some fashion, it's of the utmost importance that you take this tooth damage seriously. There are serious cosmetic and dental health repercussions if you do not have a chipped tooth treated.
On the aesthetic side of things, a chipped tooth can have a negative impact on the overall appearance of your smile. You might feel very self-conscious about speaking, smiling, and laughing around others, even people whom you've known for years.
In terms of dental health, a chip or crack on the tooth can make serious tooth damage more likely, including a full break of your tooth. Chips can also increase the chances of the pulp within your tooth becoming infected, which means a painful root canal infection.
Dental Bonding for Very Minor Chips
When you have a very minor cosmetic chip, the ideal treatment option to consider is dental bonding. Dental bonding involves the use of tooth-colored dental resin that is painted directly onto the tooth to build out and rebuild tooth structure. This dental resin is matched to the color of your teeth to blend in seamlessly.
Dental bonding can also be used to treat stains, cracks, and minor gaps and spaces between teeth.
Porcelain Veneers for Small Cosmetic Chips
Porcelain veneers are ideal when bonding is not a viable option for treating your tooth damage. These thin shells of custom crafted dental ceramic are adhered directly onto the fronts of your teeth. With a porcelain veneer in place, the chip will be masked from view and your damaged tooth will look pristine.
Porcelain veneers can also be used to treat cracks, major stains, larger tooth gaps, more serious yet predominantly cosmetic spacing issues, and uneven or asymmetrical tooth shape.
Inlays and Onlays for Serious Chips
Inlays and onlays are similar in many ways to traditional dental fillings, though they are able to restore a larger portion of a tooth's structure. This includes rebuilding the entire cusp (biting surface) of a tooth.
Inlays and onlays come in metal and tooth-colored forms. Metal inlays and onlays are likely to be recommended for the molars and pre-molars, while tooth-colored inlays and onlays are likely to be used for the more prominent teeth in your smile.
Dental Crowns for Major Chips
For major chips, the ideal option to use is a dental crown. Crowns will cap a seriously damaged tooth, protecting it from further harm and restoring its ability to bite and chew without pain or causing further damage.
Like inlays and onlays, dental crowns come in tooth-colored and metal forms.
Tooth Extraction When the Chip Damages Most of the Tooth Structure
When a tooth is too seriously damaged to be saved, the best option to consider is extraction of the tooth. In such cases, you can discuss various options for replacing the missing tooth that has been damaged, such as a bridge or a crown supported by a dental implant.
Contact Staten Island Aesthetic & Implant Dentist
For more information about your treatment options for chipped teeth and how we can make you smile look its absolute best, be sure to contact our cosmetic and restorative dentistry center today. The team at Staten Island Aesthetic & Implant Dentist will work with you closely to restore your dental wellness.
