Categories: Family Dentist

Family Dentist Treatments for a Chipped Tooth

Family dentists are trained in general dentistry services, which means they are prepared to help individuals with a number of issues, including chipped or broken teeth. Chipped teeth can become a serious problem if they go ignored. Because of this risk, it is necessary to consult with a family dentist as soon as a chip occurs.

How teeth can chip

Thinking about choosing a family dentist to repair a tooth chip? Whether it is an adult or a child who has chipped one of their teeth, family dentists can repair the chip so it does not negatively affect their overall oral health. Additionally, family dentists can help identify the cause of the chip so that future measures can be taken to prevent it from happening again. Common causes of chips in teeth include biting down on something hard, teeth grinding falling down, being involved in a car accident or playing contact sports without wearing the proper protection.

How family dentists repair chipped teeth

The list below includes three common treatments that family dentists use to repair a chip in one of their patients' teeth.

Bonding

Dental bonding is commonly used by family dentists to repair a chip in a tooth. This treatment option requires a dentist to use special bonding materials to repair the chip, which they will shape and polish so that the tooth once again blends in with the rest of the teeth. Bonding is ideal for repairing smaller chips that are located on the front teeth, as the bonding material is both strong and tooth-colored. This means anyone who has chipped one of their front teeth can have it repaired and accordingly feel confident once again about the way they look when smiling.

Veneers

Dental veneers are very thin pieces of porcelain that are custom made for each individual patient. This treatment option requires a family dentist to carefully craft a veneer so that it not only covers up a chip in a tooth, but it also blends in well with the rest of one’s teeth. Veneers offer those with chips to achieve natural-looking results, which is what most people are looking for when their teeth become chipped, cracked or damaged. Since veneers tend to last an average of 14 years, they will need to eventually be replaced with new ones.

Onlays

Dental onlays are an option recommended by family dentists for more severe chips. The more severe a chip is, the more likely it will jeopardize the overall health of the tooth. For those who have a larger chip in their teeth, onlays are therefore often the suggested treatment option. An onlay is similar to a large filling and helps to keep a tooth intact when it has somehow been damaged. An onlay is also called a partial dental crown, as they are used when there is a good amount of damage to a tooth, yet not quite enough to require a full dental crown.