Dental Veneers for Chipped Teeth


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Teeth are very strong but they are not indestructible. Teeth can get broken or chipped in a number of ways – the most obvious being trauma to the mouth. This can occur when eating very hard foods or in an accident or blow to the mouth. Surface chips or fractures can sometimes have no symptoms but a deeper break can be extremely painful because of the nerve at the centre of the tooth. If you have chipped or broken a tooth and are experiencing continuous pain (as opposed to tooth sensitivity when eating) this could be a sign that you have damaged the nerve or the live tissue inside the tooth. You should contact your dentist immediately.

Tooth chipping or an uneven tooth surface can exacerbate tooth stains as residue can get caught in the chipped area. If the chip is on one of the front teeth or on the lower part of the tooth it can also affect the appearance of your smile, making it more uneven by casting shadows or creating dark areas where part of the tooth is missing. To correct your smile you may wish to fill these gaps in with composite bonding or dental veneers.


Chipped teeth will not always require veneers. A small chip can sometimes be filed away by a dentist, or they may suggest doing nothing at all. Conversely a larger chip can be very painful when trying to eat or drink and may require a dental crown (a cap covering the whole tooth). For chips that are somewhere between these veneers can be a good option. In particular, composite veneers can be used to mend small chips. A veneer will be placed over your chipped tooth with a thicker layer covering the damaged section, making the tooth appear whole again. Damage that has been caused by tooth grinding or an uneven bite, as well as long term damage caused by sugary food and drink can be corrected with porcelain veneers.

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