Fix Chipped Teeth
If you chip or break a tooth, it is important to get in to see your dentist as soon as you can to have it looked at and repaired even if you are not experiencing any pain. Sometimes, patients may be tempted to wait until they feel pain to see their dentist but a small chip can turn into a much bigger and more expensive problem without immediate attention. If you chip a tooth, try not to chew or bite on it to avoid fracturing the tooth. If you are experiencing some discomfort, that should be manageable by over-the-counter pain relievers.
How can a chipped tooth be repaired?
Depending on the severity of the chip, your dentist has a few options available when deciding how best to repair your tooth. If you have suffered a minor chip. your dentist may be able to simply smooth the tooth out so you have no sharp edges. If you other options include:
- Composite Bonding: bonding is the simplest and least costly option for repairing a chipped tooth and can usually be completed in one 30-minute visit. Your dentist will clean and dry the area to be treated and etch the surface of the tooth with an acidic etching liquid to help the composite adhere to the tooth. The composite material is applied and shaped to match your tooth’s original shape and is the set with an ultraviolet light that hardens the material. Your dentist will then smooth any rough edges and polish the composite to make sure everything is perfect! Dental composite bonding costs between $100 and $700 per tooth.
- Dental Crowns: Dental crowns are used when the damage is too extensive to be repaired with composite material; they may also be used to save a tooth that has fractured. Crowns are fabricated using either porcelain or metal materials, porcelain being the more popular and aesthetically pleasing option. Porcelain can be tinted to match the rest of your teeth whereas metals cannot. Your dentist will prepare the tooth for a crown by removing a small amount of enamel and taking an impression before making your new tooth. Porcelain crowns cost between $250 and $2500.
- Porcelain Veneers: Veneers are also fabricated using tooth colored porcelain but are much thinner than dental crowns and do not cover the entire structure of the tooth. Veneers are a great option for front teeth but because they are thin, they are not ideal for the back teeth, which take a lot of bite force. Teeth are prepared for veneer is the same as crowns but less tooth structure is lost. Porcelain veneers cost between $850 and $3000 each.
In some cases, a chip or a break in the tooth can cause the hope of the tooth to become exposed which can be very painful. In this case, your dentist may recommend you see an Endodontist for root canal treatment before having a veneer or crown placed. Depending on the location of the tooth and the number of canals, a root canal can cost between $500 and $1500.
More on Fixing Teeth : Fix Broken Teeth