How Do Dentists Fix A Chipped Tooth

If you have chipped your tooth, do not worry - you can get your chipped tooth fixed to look brand new by cosmetic dental procedures. A dentist who is trained in cosmetic and restorative procedures will make it look life-like and aesthetic, that you yourself couldn't tell a difference.

A chipped tooth generally means that a small flake of your tooth surface is chipped off. Usually, it is the front tooth (these are used more to open bottles and bite on hard things). You can get a chipped tooth corrected easily and pain-free by a sitting in a single procedure called composite bonding. There are a few other procedures to correct a chipped tooth, but composite bonding is the most efficient, easy, aesthetic, and cost effective.

What is composite bonding?
Composite bonding is dental restorative procedure to restore the aesthetic and function of a tooth which may have broken due to any trauma or decay.

What is composite?

Composite is a mixture of different materials that are combined together to enhance and complement each other's properties. Composite is primarily made up of synthetic resins, filler particles, shade producing agents, chemical initiators and inhibitors, and much more.

Composite comes in a kit, and there are 3 main components of the composite kit.

1. Adhesive

2. Etchant

3. Composite Syringes

Composite is packed in a syringe-like tube and comes out in a semi-solid form. This semi-solid paste-like substance is used to build up the chipped portion of the tooth.

Method of Composite Bonding to Fixed a Chipped Tooth

1. Tooth is cleaned with prophylaxis paste

2. Chipped area and sharp margin is slightly smoothened

3. Chipped area is treated with an etchant (blue-colored gel)

4. Tooth surface is blotted and a layer of adhesive is applied (bonds the composite with tooth). A blue-colored light will be shown over the tooth surface from a curing light equipment (it cures the adhesive layer) 

5. Composite is applied layer by layer and cured by the blue-colored light

6. Proper tooth anatomy is restored in the chipped area by incremental buildup of the composite

7. Composite is polished

8. A mirror will be given to you to see the work

Time and Cost

The procedure takes about 45 minutes, depending on difficulty level. The cost may be anywhere between $150 to $500. The cost may go on the higher side depending upon the status and skill of the dentist.

If your tooth has a large amount of tooth structure loss, then your dentist may suggest veneers or crowns for proper strength and buildup.

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