Grinding your teeth, particularly when you do it as you sleep, can cause your teeth to chip and where down over time. When you have chipped teeth due to tooth grinding, it can cause you to feel less confident in your smile. However, a cosmetic dentist can do many things to help you feel better about the way you look so you can smile with ease.
Here are ways your dentist will help you cosmetically repair your smile. There are costs associated with repairing chipped teeth, which vary depending on how many teeth you are repairing and the severity of your dental damage in the first place.
Replace the broken teeth
If your chipped teeth are so severely damaged that they are broken, then it's likely in your best interest to have the teeth removed and replaced with a dental bridge or implant. This type of treatment gives you the allure of a non-broken or chipped tooth when the tooth itself cannot be repaired with a filling or crown.
Repair the chipped areas
If the chips are minor to the tooth, then your dentist can simply file down the chipped areas to make your teeth more even and not jagged in appearance, particularly if you have small chips in many or all of your teeth due to tooth grinding. This can be the most cost-effective way to fix your teeth, but the cosmetic dentist will usually only do this type of treatment if your tooth enamel is overall healthy and you don't have to take out much of the tooth surface to even out your teeth. If too much grinding has been done on your teeth, then your cosmetic dentist may recommend getting a dental crown instead.
Put in veneers
Veneers are dental covers that are placed on uneven and chipped teeth to make teeth larger and more appealing in appearance. This is a dental solution you can try if your teeth have been severely chipped or are chipped in several places, and getting a single crown or minor dental work won't repair your smile. Veneers come in a porcelain or resin design, with porcelain being the longer lasting solution to a better smile.
Keep in mind that your cosmetic dentist will want to address any existing dental concerns with your teeth before giving you cosmetic solutions to your issues. If you have chipped teeth in addition to gum disease or other oral health issues, let your cosmetic dentist know. For more information, reach out to a cosmetic dentist near you.