Chipped tooth enamel might be unsightly and inconvenient at first. However, as time goes on the damage in the tooth enamel can start to pose a greater and greater threat to your overall oral health. The chipped area often has microscopic textures that can trap food particles and bacterial residue. This could allow a new area of tooth decay to form dangerously close to the sensitive interior of the tooth.
The severity of the chip and the tooth’s appearance in your smile will largely influence the treatment Dr. Virginia Sharpe recommends to repair the chipped tooth.
Sometimes a minor chip can be repaired with a basic filling or cosmetic bonding procedure. If one or more of the teeth in your smile have chips, your dentist might recommend having porcelain dental veneers installed over the face of each tooth.
If a chip is significant or if the tooth is prevalent in your smile, Dr. Virginia Sharpe might recommend completely replacing the tooth enamel with a dental crown. A tooth in your smile will likely need a porcelain crown. Gold and base metal alloy crowns might be called for to repair a large chip or dental fracture on a molar or premolar.
If you have recently suffered a chipped tooth in Santa Fe, New Mexico, you should call 505-982-4686 to have it repaired at Sharpe Dental Studio.
