The casual attitude of summer can be a welcome relief from winter’s layers. Summer is the season for breezy dresses and light cotton shirts. It is a great time for natural looks, less fuss and taking things slower. Summer’s easy-breezy attitude doesn’t mean you don’t want to look your best. If a chipped tooth makes every smile feel awkward, it might be time to fix it permanently. Cosmetic bonding or contouring can fix a chipped front tooth in a single office visit.
Dental Bonding
When a corner has chipped off a front tooth, bonding can make it whole. Most bonding procedures do not require numbing, but we will discuss your specific situation. If you are anxious, we can offer sedation dentistry options. We will prepare the tooth surface, and apply an adhesive agent and a composite resin, specifically blended to match your tooth color. A repair is sculpted onto the tooth, to restore the shape and size. The resin is hardened with a special light. Final shaping is done by polishing the bonded area.
Dental Contouring
Some chips can be removed with contouring. We will probably use X-rays to determine if the tooth enamel layer can support removing a small amount of enamel. In this procedure, the area around the chip is greatly abraded to reshape the tooth. The tooth is then polished smooth. Like bonding, contouring does not generally require numbing the gums.
A Word About Prevention: Mouthguard
While you can’t protect from every tooth danger, you can lessen the likelihood of chips during sports and activites. Always wear (and have your child wear) a mouthguard if contact with people or objects could occur. This includes sports like wrestling, soccer, basketball and football, as well as activities like skateboarding and rollerblading.
