A porcelain veneer for a chipped tooth?

I chipped one of my front teeth. I went to my dentist to ask about a cosmetic fix for it.  He wants me to do a porcelain veneer.  It’s just a small chip, so I don’t think my whole tooth needs to be covered. PLus, it is so expensive.  I was hoping there was like a partial veneer I could do that would just cover the chip.

Lisa A. – Oregon

Lisa,

This is what I would consider an over-treatment for a chipped tooth. There is a much simpler procedure. You could simply get dental bonding done. THis will cover just the chipped part of your tooth and the small portion of your tooth it is bonding to.

I’ll give you a word of warning though.  I don’t think your dentist is the one to do it.  First, he didn’t tell you all of your treatment options. Secondly, it is very difficult to match a single front tooth to the rest of your teeth. I’d want to be sure your dentist was highly skilled and was capable of such a difficult procedure.

There isn’t a Cosmetic Dentist Specialty.  Any general dentist can call themselves a cosmetic dentist, regardless of their actual skill level.

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