Chipped Teeth

Chipped teeth can be unsightly, embarrassing, and potentially painful. Chips can continue to wear over time, causing teeth to become misshapen or cracked, or they can contribute to sensitivity or discoloration. If you’re searching for a solution that will restore the strength and aesthetics of one of more chipped teeth, a dentist can help with various approaches.

Causes and dangers of chipped teeth

Teeth can become damaged or chipped in a number of ways:

• An accident or trauma to your teeth
• Tooth clenching or grinding
• Tongue or lip piercings
• Bad oral habits, such as chewing ice
• A food accident involving a bone, pebble, or other hard element
• Untreated fractures from earlier incidents

Chipped teeth are some of the most common types of accidental damage a general dentist will see, especially in the front teeth, which are most vulnerable to accidents. They may create an unsightly blemish in your smile, or contribute to eventual decay or discoloration where the enamel is broken. Chipped teeth are often sensitive, sometimes developing into toothache requiring emergency dental care. Fortunately,  chipped teeth are fairly simple to repair.

Options to repair chipped teeth

Thanks to constant advancements in cosmetic dentistry, there are a variety of ways to repair chipped or cracked teeth. Your optimal method will depend on the extent of damage to your teeth, as well as whether you plan to combine this repair with other work at the same time.

• If a chip or crack is superficial and doesn’t interfere with the integrity of the tooth, then it’s possible to repair the damage with a porcelain veneer. Covering the surface of the tooth, veneers can be used to repair chips, discoloration, misshapen teeth, and a variety of other issues.
• Another option is dental bonding, which addresses many of the same problems.
• If you have several chipped teeth, or if repairs to damaged teeth have failed for you in the past, you may have TMJ disorder, a jaw problem that can affect wear on your teeth and may interfere with dental repairs. Dr. Kleive is focused on a holistic approach to dental treatment, which means identifying the underlying cause of dental problems and pinpointing the right treatment the first time around.

If you need cosmetic repair for chipped or cracked teeth, contact us to learn more about your treatment options or to schedule an initial consultation with your dentist.