Chipped teeth can be a reason to feel embarrassed when you smile. Fixing them is not only important for your self-esteem, but to also prevent further damage from happening due to your exposed dentin. Here are three ways to correct this problem, and by understanding what each one involves, you can pick the one that will work best one for you.

Veneers

Veneers are sometimes called caps, and are made out of resin or porcelain. The dentist will need to give you a dental exam and make an impression of the damaged teeth during the initial steps. The impressions are used by a lab to create the actual veneers, making sure to match them to the proper size and existing color of the teeth not being covered by veneers. Your dentist will then attach these veneers to your damaged teeth using adhesives.

Many people like veneers because they cover their entire tooth surface, which hides all previous damage. The process does involve removing some remaining enamel on the teeth, but this may not be a concern if the existing enamel was already damaged.

Crowns

Crowns use several different materials, which gives you some options to pick from. Metal crowns are preferred by some people because of how strong they are, even though they can cause some tooth sensitivity. Alternative materials include ceramic, resin, or porcelain overlays that cover a metal crown. All these materials will make the damaged tooth look natural compared to just using metal.

Resin Bonding

Resin bonding is another viable method that you can use to correct chipped teeth. The process will involve the application of a filling that seals off any chipped area. Additional material will then be used to create what will appear to be a healthy and intact tooth. Resin material actually dries very quickly, which makes it a great choice for cosmetic dentistry. The material cures using a special ultraviolet light.

Resin bonding will require your dentist to match the resin material with the existing color of your teeth. It makes an ideal time to do teeth whitening prior to any bonding being done, since whitening procedures will not change the color of the resin bonding.

Now that you are aware of a few ways to repair chipped teeth, you can make an informed decision about which method is best for you. Still have questions? Meet with a local dentist, such as Richard M Holmes DMD PA, for a consultation.