by Malavi Sivakanesan • 2 January 2025 • 6 min read
You’re enjoying your favourite meal, savouring every bite, when suddenly you feel something unexpectedly hard in your mouth. Confused, you realise it’s not part of your food—it’s a piece of your tooth! While this can be quite alarming, you’re far from alone. If you’ve found yourself in this situation and are wondering “can a chipped tooth be repaired?”, you’ve stumbled upon the right guide!
What Causes a Chipped Tooth?
Enamel (the outermost layer of your teeth) is the hardest substance in your body, but it has its limits. When wear and tear occur with the enamel, it leads to a chipped tooth. If left untreated, even small chips can lead to sensitivity, further cracking, or decay.
The UK government’s Adult Oral Health Survey 2021 revealed that approximately one in four adults with natural teeth have experienced damage, such as cracks, breaks, or chips.
A chipped tooth is likely to be caused by more than one reason. So, here are the reasons why chipped teeth arise
- Injuries: Injuries like falling while walking or running, contact sports injuries, hitting your mouth on a hard surface, etc., cause trauma to your teeth. It directly weakens the enamel and can leave you with a chip.
- Biting on hard food and objects: Biting hard foods and objects like lollipops, nuts, spoons, nails, etc., can stress your teeth and lead to chipped teeth.
- Teeth grinding: Clenching or grinding of teeth when you are nervous or tense can also weaken your teeth and lead to a chipped tooth.
- Other dental problems: The tooth becomes prone to chip after a minor pressure when you have serious and untreated dental problems like tooth decay, past dental fillings, etc.
Types of Chipped Teeth and Their Severity
Chipped teeth are of different types and severity. It is identified based on what part of your tooth is chipped, and the treatment varies accordingly. The different types of chipped teeth are:
Craze Line
In a craze-line chipped tooth, only the tooth’s enamel is chipped. This is the least severe type.
Fractured Cusp
The fracture cusp damages the enamel, dentine, and pulp of your tooth. The dentine and pulp are the underlying layers of enamel. Usually, it causes pain when you eat or drink food that is very hot or cold.
Cracked Tooth
Cavities usually result in cracked teeth. It majorly affects the progressive layers like the crown and root of your tooth.
Vertical Line Fracture
A vertical line fracture does not affect your tooth enamel directly but makes it prone to chipping. This type typically emerges from the root of your tooth and causes subtle pain. Also, it can cause infection in your surrounding gums and lead to severe dental problems.
How Dentist can Fix Chipped Tooth?
Whether it is a minor chip or a major chip, it is critical to get your dental problem and chipped teeth fixed to prevent further damage to your teeth. So, if you wonder how do dentists fix a chipped tooth, here’s what you need to know
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a common treatment recommended by dentists if you have a minor chip. It is an easy fix that is usually effective for years with good dental care.
In this treatment, a composite resin material is applied over your chipped tooth to make it resemble the adjacent healthy and natural teeth. It is commonly used in fixing front chipped tooth.
Veneers
Veneers are a no-frills process to fix chipped tooth that are more intense. It gives a more extensive covering and smoother finish to your tooth and lasts around 20 years with good oral hygiene.
In this procedure, thin, custom-made porcelain veneers, also known as enamel shells, are placed on the front of your chipped tooth to restore its natural look.
Crowns
Crown treatment is recommended if the chip is quite severe and your tooth is extensively damaged. This treatment is similar to veneers as they both usually use porcelain shells and can be custom-made.
However, veneers cover only your front, and crowns cover the entire structure of your chipped tooth. Thus, it protects your tooth from progressive deterioration.
Dental Implants
Dental implants are usually recommended for more severely chipped teeth where most of the tooth is eroded. In the dental implant London procedure, your chipped tooth is removed, and the gums heal for a while. After healing, a permanent post that is made of metal will be placed inside your gums, followed by planting the tooth implant into that post. It gives the most natural-looking and comfortable tooth. It lasts longer for a lifetime with proper oral care.
Advanced Solutions: All-on-4 Dental Implants
All-on-4 dental implants are an innovative advancement in the field of dentistry and a popular choice. As the name suggests, this approach uses 4 implants to deliver you the natural, comfortable, and complete arch of teeth.
In contrast to traditional implants, which require a separate implant for every missing tooth, the all-on-4 dental implants replaces the entire dentition of the upper or lower jaw using only 4 implants.
How Much Does It Cost to Fix a Chipped Tooth?
If you are wondering how much does it cost to fix your chipped tooth, here’s a list of the approximate cost of different treatments per tooth. However, this can vary due to the location and severity of your tooth condition:
- Dental bonding might cost around £100–£400
- Veneers might cost around £500–£2,500
- Crowns might cost around £600–£2500
- A root canal might cost around £1200–£1500
- Dental implants might cost around £1500–£2000.
Disclaimer: The costs listed are approximate and can vary based on location, treatment complexity, and the severity of the tooth condition. Always consult your dentist for an accurate estimate.
Wrapping Up: Prevention Tips to Avoid Chipped Teeth
Despite its severity, each of your dental concerns, including chipped teeth, needs to be fixed. Apart from the treatment, it is critical to follow proper precautions like avoiding biting on hard objects and clenching your teeth.
Moreover, it’s very important to have regular dental checkups.
So, put an end to your suffering at Complete Smiles. They will suggest the best plan for your chipped teeth and bring back your beautiful smile. Book an appointment now.
Malavi Sivakanesan
Malavi Sivakanesan is the principal dentist and co-founder at Complete Smiles in Harrow, Greater London. She is responsible for establishing the Complete Smiles brand throughout the United Kingdom and Europe and has 5 successful practices under her strong leadership.