If you have missing or chipped teeth, seek treatment immediately. Dental restorations can transform your smile and prevent your other teeth from moving out of place. At Aesthetic Dentistry of Noe Valley in San Francisco, California, cosmetic and general dentists Aref Natour, DDS, Nisha Krishnaiah, DDS, and the team specialize in restoring and repairing missing and chipped teeth. Call the office to receive treatment for missing or chipped today or book online.
What are missing or chipped teeth?
Missing or chipped teeth refer to different types of oral trauma. Though frequently mentioned together, they aren’t the same thing:
Chipped teeth
A chipped tooth occurs when some of your tooth enamel breaks off because of trauma. Chipped teeth range in severity. Some chips are minor and don’t cause visible damage; others cause the tooth to break in half.
Missing teeth
A missing tooth occurs because of extractions or oral trauma. If you lose a permanent tooth, it’s vital you seek treatment. An empty tooth socket increases your risk of other, more serious oral health problems.
How are missing or chipped teeth treated?
The Aesthetic Dentistry of Noe Valley team offers several types of treatment for missing or chipped teeth, including:
Dental implants
A dental implant is a metal post inserted into an empty tooth socket. After placement, the implant fuses with your bone, providing a foundation for crowns, bridges, or implant-anchored dentures.
Dental bridges
A dental bridge is similar to a dental implant in that it fills a gap in your smile. The difference is that bridges have an artificial tooth and two dental crowns instead of a metal post. The false tooth fills the gap in your smile, and your dentist bonds the crowns on top of your abutment teeth on either side.
Dental bonding
Dental bonding uses resin (a special type of plastic) to repair chips, cracks, and other types of minor enamel damage. The resin dries very quickly. It also looks and feels like your natural tooth enamel, so no one knows you’ve had work done.
Dental veneers
Veneers are shells of porcelain or ceramic bonded to the front of your teeth. They cover minor oral imperfections, such as chips, cracks, or unusually shaped teeth. With proper care, veneers can last 12-15 years* and sometimes longer.
CEREC® 1-day crowns
Your dentist might recommend a CEREC 1-day crown if you have a severely decaying or damaged tooth. A CEREC crown is a cap of ceramic or porcelain manufactured in-office. The crown restores your tooth’s shape, size, and appearance.
What type of restorative dentistry will benefit me?
Only a qualified dentist can determine the type of restorative dentistry that will most benefit you. After an oral exam and a discussion of your goals, the team can make treatment recommendations.
Call Aesthetic Dentistry of Noe Valley to receive treatment for missing or chipped teeth today, or book online.
