A chipped tooth can feel like “No Man’s Land.” It’s not fully broken and that can mean an extraction would be unnecessary. If multiple front teeth are chipped, a great solution is porcelain veneers. These days we normally associate porcelain veneers with elective cosmetic dentistry. In this case, there are a lot of practical reasons for the veneers as well as a cosmetic need to make your smile look right again.
When only part of a tooth is lost, or if it is only chipped, the remaining part of the tooth can be healthy. You do not want to disturb the enamel or the healthy part of the inner tooth if possible. In these cases the solution is to encase the tooth as much as possible to maintain a healthy tooth. In doing this, there is an opportunity to make cosmetic corrections.
Dental veneers that are created by an experienced cosmetic dentist can lengthen teeth, increase whiteness and generally improve the smile. When using veneers to treat a chipped tooth, I use my skills as cosmetic dentist to make sure that we are making the most of the work being done. If through using veneers we can make improvements to the smile, I consult with the patient to let them know the opportunities I see. This can turn the negative experience of a chipped tooth or teeth into a chance to enhance the smile.
