Treatment Options for Treating a Chipped Tooth

A chipped tooth is much more of a serious dental challenge than most assume. If you have a chipped tooth, do not assume it will not cause problems even if it is quite diminutive and does not cause any pain. Your chipped tooth should be tended to by a dentist as soon as possible. The damage to your chipped tooth will only worsen as time progresses. In fact, obtaining immediate dental treatment for your chipped tooth will likely save you plenty of money and time as time progresses as you won't have to visit the dentist as frequently.

Dental Treatment for a Chipped Tooth

Treating a Chipped Tooth Begins With an Analysis

An examination of your mouth must be performed before the dentist can treat your chipped tooth. The dentist will gauge the severity of the chip. This oral health professional will also assess whether your tooth is prone to additional damage. The dentist will discuss your oral health history with you, the impact that caused the chip and whether your underlying oral health issues contributed to the chipped tooth.

Developing a Treatment Plan

The dentist will develop a treatment plan to address your chipped tooth as well as underlying health issues. If the chip results from injury or trauma, it might be possible to rectify it with a cosmetic treatment like a tooth-colored filling. Chips that affect side teeth can be corrected with the addition of a composite resin material. Those who work in dentists' offices refer to the placement of composite resin material to the front portions of the chipped teeth as dental bonding. This approach to remedying a chipped tooth is economically efficient and quite pleasing to the eye. Such fillings are colored just right to match the hue of the remaining portion of the tooth and provide visual uniformity with adjacent teeth. This filling will prove quite durable and strong like the tried and true silver amalgam fillings.

Porcelain Veneers

If the chip impacts one of the teeth in the front of the mouth, a porcelain veneer can be bonded to the surface to hide this unsightly chip. The porcelain veneer will also conceal additional dental cosmetic shortcomings. Porcelain veneers are tailored to the nuances of your unique mouth. They are designed to match the look, texture, shape, and size of surrounding teeth.

Inlays and Onlays

A chip that is especially large will not be able to support the tooth-colored filling. An inlay or onlay will be used to fill this large chip. Onlays are ceramic restorations designed to fit over one or several tooth cusps. Inlays are ceramic restorations custom-made to fit in tooth cusps.

Dental Crowns

If the chip is of considerable size and an inlay or onlay can't be added, the full tooth that emerges above the gum will be covered by a dental crown. This crown enhances the tooth's functionality, aesthetic appeal, and durability. It also guards against additional damage.

Call (941) 676-9225 to schedule an appointment with Dragonfly Dental of Port Charlotte in our Port Charlotte dental office.