My teeth are chipped and worn. What cosmetic treatment helps?

When people have chipped or worn teeth, it can result in esthetic concerns as well as produce discomfort of the teeth or joints. While patients want things fixed quickly, our first challenge is to determine the cause of the problem.  We always want to know the cause because we want to prevent further breakdown of the teeth, as well as have long term success with any new restorations we may place.  Sometimes the fix can be as simple as a filling, a crown or a veneer,  while other times the optimal treatment may get more involved. We often see an underlying cause of tooth breakdown related to grinding or clenching teeth. When there is significant wear throughout, the restorative treatment to address this problem may involve a full rehabilitation of crowns on many, or even all teeth to re establish a normal alignment of the teeth.  Other times we see an underlying cause that is orthodontic in nature and we need to treat the patient with orthodontics such as braces or Invisalign prior to any restorations.  So, our “cosmetic” options will be determined by the problems we are presented with, and we will always show our patients X-rays, photos, and plaster models to explain our findings and recommendations prior to starting any treatment. If you have any concerns with chipping or wear, give us a call so we can see what options you may have to restore your optimal smile.