A Chip off the Old Smile: Treatments for Chipped Teeth By Dennis Sternberg on March 26, 2016

A chipped tooth can occur to nearly anyone at nearly any time, spoiling what might otherwise be a perfectly healthy, attractive smile. Frustratingly, they are as likely to occur as a result of an accident to people who brush, floss, and visit the dentist religiously as they are to occur to people who neglect their oral health and couldn’t tell a dentist’s chair from a seat at the local movie theater. Fortunately for anyone suffering from a chipped tooth, modern cosmetic dentistry offers numerous outstanding solutions to restore their appearance and make them look good as new.

Dr. Dennis G. Sternberg offers a variety of excellent treatment options for chipped teeth at his Freehold, NJ cosmetic dentistry practice. If you have one or more chipped teeth, he can evaluate your mouth, listen to your cosmetic goals, explain your treatment options, and devise a custom plan just for you. You’ll emerge with a healthy, beautiful smile that looks natural and functions perfectly. Simply contact our practice today, and we’ll happily assist you in scheduling your initial consultation with Dr. Sternberg.

What Treatment Options Does Dr. Sternberg Offer to Treat Chipped Teeth?

Dr. Sternberg offers several treatment options that are potentially ideal for treating chipped teeth; however, not all options are equally well suited for all situations. For example, a treatment that may be effective in treating a minor chip in a front tooth may not be effective in treating a more severe chip in one of the back teeth. Dr. Sternberg takes the position of the tooth in the mouth into consideration in recommending a treatment, as well as the cause of the chip (i.e., trauma vs. oral health problem), the patient’s goals, and the patient’s budget.

Available treatment options include:

Tooth-colored dental fillings: For many years, silver amalgam dental fillings were the most commonly used treatment option for repairing minor chips in teeth. However, modern fillings are made of a more aesthetically pleasing composite resin material that can be color-matched to the natural tooth material. These fillings are as strong and durable as silver amalgam fillings, yet are inconspicuous and mercury free.
Inlays and onlays: For chips that are too big to support tooth-colored fillings, custom-crafted porcelain restorations called inlays and onlays may be directly bonded to the teeth instead. Inlays are placed within the cusps of a tooth; onlays extend to cover one or more of the cusps.
Dental crowns: For chips too large to support an inlay or an onlay, Dr. Sternberg will cover the entire tooth above the gum line with a dental crown. He crafts dental crowns from the finest materials so that they blend seamlessly into the smile while protecting the tooth from further damage.
Porcelain veneers: For front teeth that have been chipped, Dr. Sternberg can place porcelain veneers to the front surfaces. Porcelain veneers are crafted to mimic a natural tooth to the finest detail in terms of shape, size, color, and even texture. Because porcelain, like enamel, is translucent (meaning it allows some light to pass through its surface rather than simply reflecting it), porcelain veneers are the most natural looking restorations available for the front teeth.
Dental bonding: Dental bonding involves the application of a composite resin material directly to chipped front teeth. While not quite as natural looking as porcelain veneers, dental bonding is less expensive and still cosmetically pleasing and extremely strong and durable.