At Eagle Gate Dental, we believe in helping patients smile confidently. This means using the latest in cosmetic and restorative dentistry to improve the beauty and healthy of a smile. This approach to dental care has helped us become one of the leading dentistry practices in the Salt Lake City area.

A number of patients come to the practice with a chipped or cracked tooth. We offer a wide array of solutions for this common dental problem.

How Chips Affect the Aesthetics of Your Smile

If you have any chips or cracks on your teeth, they can have a negative overall affect on the appearance of your smile. These chips and cracks might be very apparent, causing your smile to look very flawed. In such cases, the chip or crack may be a major source of self-consciousness.

How Chips Can Affect Dental Health

In addition to cosmetic flaws, chips and cracks on the teeth can also lead to serious problems with your dental health and wellness. These chips and cracks can mean that your teeth are weakened, which increased the chances of the damage tooth causing serious pain and discomfort. It's also possible that the tooth may break in a major way from regular biting and chewing, which is a serious dental health issue.

Dental Bonding and Chipped Teeth

For minor chips and cracks, the best option is typically dental bonding. This procedure involves the use of a tooth-colored resin that is painted directly onto the damaged portion of the tooth. The dental resin is polished to ensure it blends in seamlessly with your natural tooth structure. Thanks to dental bonding, your smile will look perfect and pristine.

Porcelain Veneers and Chipped Teeth

For more serious chips and cracks, it may be ideal to consider the use of a porcelain veneer. Porcelain veneers are thin shells of dental ceramic that are affixed to the fronts of your teeth. These semi-transparent shells blend in with your natural tooth structure, making your smile look perfect. Porcelain veneers are also great for treating major stains, spacing issues, and problems with tooth size and symmetry.

Inlays/Onlays and Chipped Teeth

For serious chips and cracks that affect dental health and wellness, inlays and onlays are an ideal option to consider. These dental restorations are similar to dental fillings though they are able to rebuild more of a tooth's damaged structure. This includes replacing and restoring the cusps (biting surfaces) of a tooth. Inlays and onlays come in both metal and tooth-colored form, and the ideal type for you can be discussed as part of the consultation process.

Dental Crowns and Chipped Teeth

When a tooth has been seriously damaged in some way, the best option to save the tooth is to use a dental crown. The dental crown is used to cap the remaining healthy tooth structure, preventing soreness and discomfort and restoring your ability to bite and chew again. As with inlays and onlays, dental crowns come in tooth-colored and metal forms.

What Happens When a Tooth Is Severely Damaged?

When a tooth is too damaged to be saved, the ideal option is to extract it. This is a means of preventing a potential root canal infection or other serious wellness issues. When a tooth is extracted, your dentist can go over various restorative options for missing teeth, such as the use of a dental bridge.

Schedule a Consultation at Eagle Gate Dental

If you would like more information about the various treatment options out there for chipped and cracked teeth, be sure to contact our cosmetic and restorative dentistry center today. The team at Eagle Gate Dental will work with you to help you have the healthiest and most beautiful smile possible.