Chipped Tooth Repair

A chipped tooth can truly be a very visible and discomfiting sight. A chipped tooth is a common terminology that is used to describe a tooth whose enamel structure has slightly come off. Not to be confused with cracked tooth syndrome, a chipped tooth is usually caused due to trauma in form of a fall or while chewing on something very hard. There are many options available for repairing a chipped tooth. The type of treatment provided to repair chipped tooth will depend on many factors. One of the main factors that it depends on is the type of tooth involved - if a front tooth is involved, then a restoration may be a feasible option but if a molar is involved, then due to its function during mastication, a restoration may fracture, so the person will need a crown. Given below are the various options available to repair chipped tooth.

Restoration
If the extent of breakage of the tooth is only restricted to the outer layer of the tooth, that is, to the enamel, then the best option for treating the tooth will be with the help of a tooth colored restoration. This is usually seen in the form of a broken or chipped front tooth, which usually occurs after a fall. Dental bonding is done and the chipped part of the tooth is repaired and contoured to make it look as natural as possible. However, you need to weigh the various bonding teeth pros and cons before you go in for this treatment. In certain rare occasions, a molar may chip at its cusp. Since, the loss of tooth structure is minimal, there is no need of fitting a dental crown on it. However, if the tooth is left as it is, then it will not be able to withstand the stress on its surface and so, may eventually fracture. In such cases, a modified silver filling in the region of the cusp will help to restore it to its required functioning level.

Dental Veneers
One of the main drawbacks of an aesthetic filling, especially a filling that is done on the front teeth is that it easily gets stained over time and even needs constant touch ups and refilling done regularly. So, for those people who are looking for a slightly more aesthetic option, dental veneers are a great option. Although this comes more under the umbrella of cosmetic dentistry, this is becoming a favored option when it comes to chipped tooth repair. There are different types of veneers, like porcelain veneers and composite veneers. These are basically facings that are fixed on the surface of the tooth which help to camouflage the defect. Although the dental veneers cost may be a slight initial hindering factor, it is worth checking out as an aesthetic option to repair chipped tooth.

Dental Crown
If the extent of damage to the tooth structure is a lot, that is, if the damage is not restricted to the enamel portion of the tooth, then the only option left for salvaging that tooth is to go in for root canal treatment and then, fit a dental crown over it. When the trauma affects the pulp of the tooth, or leaves the pulp of the tooth exposed, then it is considered to be a dental emergency and treatment needs to be meted out immediately. This is the only line of treatment for a tooth whose pulp has been exposed, although the chipped tooth repair cost in this case is usually the highest.

As you might have seen, to repair chipped tooth at home is near impossible, because there is no material that is available in your kitchen, which you can use to replace the lost portion of enamel. So, although the repair chipped tooth cost may be a bit heavy on your pocket, it is best to not try stunts with your teeth, because a lost permanent tooth will never re-grow again. So it is best to take your dental health seriously and visit a dentist so that he can mete out a proper treatment plan.