Small chipped tooth

[Cloud]

I chipped my tooth swimming and was wondering how I go about fixing it. I’ve read bonding lasts 4-8 years, but is there nothing else that’s a permanent solution? Thanks

 

[honestdoc]

In dentistry, no artificial material will match natural tooth. There are considerations in material, amounts of drilling trauma, and longevity. Typically bonding involves less drilling. This is appropriate if the defect/damage is small. Unfortunately as you read, bonding's longevity can be short under certain conditions. If you subject your teeth to a lot of trauma such as grinding/clenching, habits like chewing nails, ice or other objects, and or have malocclusion (non-ideal teeth positioning), then bonding will not last. Porcelain (or Zirconia) crowns are more durable, but since they involve a lot of drilling, it is not appropriate for a small chip. For many activities that can potentially damage teeth, I recommend sports mouth guard. I have a custom sports guard like the professional athletes use and I use it for mountain biking, basketball, and martial arts training. You can pick up an Over-the-Counter Sports Mouth Guard at any drugstore.

 

[Cloud]

Thanks for the reply!

My dentist is out on vacation and I was planning to ask her this question below.

I’ve seen YouTube videos by other dentist that if the chip is small they polish the area. I’m guessing they shave off part of the tooth like teeth contouring where it makes your tooth line up. Unless polishing is completely something else.

 

[honestdoc]

Yes, I had chipped my tooth and I had my dentist (unable to do it myself) smooth it. There is no fee for smoothing so hopefully your dentist doesn't charge you for the procedure. She may charge you for the limited evaluation.