If you have experienced a chipped tooth, there are a number of ways to treat it so that full use of the tooth is restored while also to protecting your gums and tongue. Depending on where the chipped tooth is located, your dentist may choose to fill the tooth, similar to the process used when you experience a dental cavity. There is also the cosmetic option of a veneer to cover a chipped tooth (a thin shell placed over the tooth that mimics the look and shape of the natural tooth). Another treatment dentists may use to protect a chipped tooth is to apply a crown, which serves as a cap over the tooth to protect it from further damage.
The most common fix to a chipped tooth, and especially teeth that are in the front of the mouth, is dental bonding or tooth bonding. Your dentist will file or scrape the tooth to help the adhesive bond better. A composite resin is used to match the color of your natural teeth and is shaped to look identical to the rest. After the adhesive and bonding material are shaped, ultraviolet light is used to harden the tooth. The newly reconstructed tooth will function as normal.
How long will it last? Well that depends on the material used, the cause of the damage in the first place and if that is a continuing issue. Figure composites 5-8 years and porcelain veneers & crowns +10 years up to a lifetime.
