What happens if you sustain multiple chips in your teeth? You may feel like you can’t comfortably smile without feeling embarrassed over the way your teeth appear to others. Chips can happen for a number of reasons, and be tiny and barely noticeable, or quite obvious and distracting. Deep chips that extend through your tooth enamel also can expose you to tooth decay. If you have been wondering how cosmetic dentistry can enhance the quality of your smile, read on. Your Riverside dentists at Riverside Dental Group will explain two cosmetic dental procedures that can restore your teeth to the way they’re supposed to look.

Dental Bonding

Dental bonding is a simple procedure that requires little advanced preparation. Unless you have extremely sensitive teeth, anesthesia is usually not necessary for a chipped tooth. Your Riverside dentists will be able to select a composite resin color that will closely match the color of your surrounding teeth. The surface of the tooth will be rubbed with a mild abrasive, followed by the application of a conditioning liquid. This way, the bonding material will easily adhere to the tooth. The composite resin has a putty-like consistency, so that it can be molded and smoothed into a shape that fits in with the rest of your pearly whites. Ultraviolet or laser light is exposed to the material in order to harden it. When you and your dentist are satisfied with the shape, they will polish it for a natural looking sheen

Porcelain Veneers

For patients whose chips are too prominent to respond well to bonding, or who have other aesthetic dental problems such as deep stains, gaps or cracks, veneers might be a better bet. Porcelain veneers produce drastic results that can completely makeover your smile. These custom made lens-thin shells are placed over the front of teeth. Like bonding, the material will be custom matched to look natural. Porcelain is a great material for imitating the way that light reflects off of natural tooth enamel.

Riverside Dentists Can Fix Chipped Teeth

If you have a chipped tooth, or any other cosmetic or general needs, contact your Woodcrest dentists. We are happy to offer comprehensive dentistry for the whole family. Contact our 92506 dentist office at (951) 369-1001. We serve patients throughout Riverside County.