Chipping a front tooth is a traumatic experience. Whether it happened from a fall, a sports injury, or simply biting on a fork, the impact on your smile can be devastating. However, modern cosmetic dentistry offers fantastic solutions that can make your tooth look as good as new, often in a single visit.
The right treatment depends on the severity of the chip. Is it just a tiny corner? Or has half the tooth snapped off? Here is a guide to your options.
1. Cosmetic Contouring (Smoothing)
Best for: Tiny, jagged chips.
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If the chip is very small and doesn't affect the aesthetics significantly, we might simply smooth out the rough edge and polish the tooth. This is painless, requires no anaesthetic, and costs very little. It leaves the tooth looking natural, just slightly shorter or more rounded.
2. Composite Bonding
Best for: Small to medium chips.
This is the most popular emergency fix. Composite bonding involves applying a tooth-coloured resin material directly to your tooth. The dentist acts like a sculptor:
Meet Dr. Yasha Shirazi
Principal Dentist at Emergency Dentist London
"We treat hundreds of dental emergencies every month. The sooner you come in, the easier the fix usually is."
Book an appointment with our team →- They select a shade of resin that perfectly matches your natural enamel.
- They apply the resin putty to the missing area.
- They shape it to recreate the natural anatomy of the tooth.
- A special UV light is used to harden the material instantly.
Pros: Done in one visit (30-60 mins), relatively affordable (£197+), requires no drilling of the natural tooth.
Cons: Can stain over time (coffee/wine) and may chip again if you bite hard things.
3. Porcelain Veneers
Best for: Larger breaks or for a longer-lasting aesthetic result.
Real Patient Result: Emergency Bonding
A veneer is a thin, custom-made shell of porcelain that covers the entire front surface of the tooth. It is like a false fingernail for your tooth.
Pros: Extremely durable, stain-resistant, and looks incredibly realistic (mimics light reflection like real enamel).
Cons: More expensive (£550+), takes two visits (one to prepare/impress, one to fit), and involves removing a thin layer of enamel.
4. Dental Crowns
Best for: Severe fractures involving more than 50% of the tooth.
If a large chunk of the tooth is gone, there may not be enough structure left to hold a veneer or bonding. A crown (cap) covers the entire tooth, holding it together and protecting it from further breakage.
Emergency Action Plan
If you chip a tooth:
- Find the fragment: If you have the piece of tooth, put it in milk or water. Sometimes we can bond the real piece back on!
- Cover sharp edges: If the tooth is cutting your tongue, cover it with sugar-free gum or dental wax.
- Check for nerve exposure: Look at the break. If you see a red dot in the middle, the nerve is exposed. This is urgent. You need to see us immediately to prevent infection and likely need a root canal.
Don't let a chipped tooth ruin your smile. Book a cosmetic emergency appointment today.