How To Choose The Right Procedure To Fix Your Chipped Or Broken Tooth

Dentist Blog

Oh no! You've chipped or broken your tooth and you're not quite sure what to do. After all, there are a lot of options in the cosmetic dentistry world. To help you feel less conflicted, here are a few tips on how to choose between veneers, dental bonding, and crowns:

Crowns

For larger chips in your teeth, you may want to consider a crown, a tooth-shaped cap, to conceal the damage. When putting on a crown, your dentist will likely file down your tooth first. If the damage is more extensive, it may be necessary to have a metal pin or post put into the root canal. The pin or post acts as an anchor for the filling.

After the filling is built around the pin or post, cement is used to put the crown into place. Crowns can be made from different materials. Porcelain and metal are two popular choices and for good reasons:

• Porcelain crown pros: This option matches your natural tooth color well. In addition, since porcelain is made from biocompatible material, synthetic or natural material used to come in close contact with living tissue, you are unlikely to have an allergic reaction or gum irritation.
• Porcelain crown cons: Porcelain crowns are fragile. As a result, they are more likely to chip, crack, and experience sensitivity to hot and cold food.   
• Metal crown pros: Metal crowns are inexpensive and durable. In terms of wear, this type of crown lasts the longest. Furthermore, metal crowns are unlikely to chip or break.  
• Metal crown cons: The dark metal is more noticeable and less aesthetically pleasing.

Bonding

If you have a small chip on your tooth, bonding is a great solution. Bonding utilizes a tooth-colored resin material that is molded, smoothed, and light cured. Then, it is shaped and polished to closely match the rest of your tooth. There are benefits and cons to this type of dentistry.  

• Pros: The process takes less than an hour and is relatively inexpensive, and may cost around $100 to $400 per tooth.
• Cons: Unlike veneers, bonding is not translucent. In addition, if the resin is not matched properly, the bonded surface may stand out from the rest of your smile.

Veneers

If you have a chip on one of your front teeth, veneers are a great choice. Veneers are thin pieces of porcelain that cover the front of your teeth. Here are a few pros and cons of this type of cosmetic dentistry.

• Pros: Since veneers are custom-made and almost translucent, it's hard to tell the difference between your veneers and your real teeth.  They also resist stains from food and discoloration. 
• Cons: Veneers are expensive and can cost between $800 to $2,000 per tooth. In addition, the procedure is lengthy and may take at least three dental visits to complete. 

With a little help from a cosmetic dentist, your chipped tooth will look as good as new.

16 June 2015