“Do I need a filling for a chipped tooth?”

That is a great question. Depending on which tooth chipped, one in the front verses one in the back of your mouth will dictate what type of procedure is needed to fix the chipped area. Another factor that will determine if a filling is needed would be how much if the tooth chipped and if there is decay (what most people refer to as a cavity) present. With that said, if there is a chipped tooth, the best thing to do is come in for an appointment, we will take an x-ray to see if there is more going on and to see if there is any decay. We will make a determination at that point if you will need a filling to fix the chip, need to have the area smoothed, or possibly even a crown. Again, everything does depend on the size of the chip and the area in the mouth. We look forward to meeting you and welcoming you to our family of patients at General and Cosmetic Dentistry of Tampa -Dr Mick Diez

It depends how big the chip on the tooth. Sometimes it requires a crown to protect the tooth.

That depends on the size of the chip and the tooth involved. Sometimes a filling will do but more often, a crown is needed.

It depends on the size of the chip and if symptomatic. See your dentist to make sure it doesn't get worse by chipping more.

You would need to get the tooth examined by a dentist. Usually it needs a filling, sometimes it can be smoothed. You do not want something small to create a larger problem and a chip could cause more of the tooth to chip or decay. It is also possible it chipped because of decay or the possibility you may be grinding your teeth or clenching.

It depends on how large the chip is. If it's a small chip, sometimes it can be "smoothened." Most of the time, a chipped tooth does require some sort of filling. Occasionally, the chipped piece can also be re-attached.

You do not always need a filling to replace lost or chipped tooth structure. Oftentimes, it may be best to polish or smooth out small chipped areas so they are not sharp and to prevent irritation of surrounding soft tissues.

Smoothing out small chips on front teeth may be a treatment of choice given that filling-based repairs often chip themselves. Patients can end up in a cycle of frequent repair on these fillings.

Where a chip is larger and is possibly closer to the nerve or where the chip allows food and dental plaque accumulation, repair with a filling (or sometimes a dental crown) is advised. This will keep you from developing tooth decay and possibly infection of the dental pulp or nerve space.