What should I do if my front teeth are chipping?

This can be problem for patients who have worn off the enamel covering the edges of the anterior teeth. Once the dentin is exposed, small pieces of enamel seem more likely to peel off from the tooth. Chipped edges can often be easily fixed, using bonded tooth colored composite, and when properly done the repair provides a natural looking result. Afterwards, I often recommend a night guard to prevent extra wear and chipping that can happen at night. Once a night guard is worn, often patients notice less of a tendency to develop chips on their front teeth and repairs tend to last longer as well.

Porcelain veneers are another technique commonly used to fixed chipped and worn edges of anterior teeth, but they usually require some tooth preparation and are a far more costly alternative. Porcelain Veneers have another drawback. They are usually placed over the edges of anterior teeth and contact with the porcelain tends to accelerate wear on opposing teeth. Composite placed tends to wear and not wear out the opposing dentition.