You take a bite of a hard snack, and suddenly a sharp edge catches on your tongue. You go to run your tongue across the rough edge, and you feel the worst: you’ve chipped a tooth. Whether it’s a tiny chip in a tooth, a chipped molar tooth in the back, or a chunk of your tooth is missing altogether, the situation can be unsettling. The good news is that most chipped teeth are treatable with chipped tooth repair, and with the proper care, your tooth can be restored to look and feel like new.
At TEETH @ Tiong Bahru, we see patients all the time who come in worried about chipped-tooth pain, discomfort when chewing, or cosmetic concerns. A chipped tooth can also cause uncomfortable symptoms, such as sensitivity or irritation of the surrounding teeth and tissues. Sometimes it’s kids who’ve had a tussle at the playground, and we see a child with a chipped tooth. Other times, it’s adults who’ve chipped a molar while eating or noticed a crack while flossing. Whatever the cause, we tailor each repair to your needs, making sure you’re comfortable, it’s precise, and it’s going to last.
A chipped tooth is basically when a small piece of the enamel on the outside of your tooth breaks off, often exposing the inner layers. This usually happens when there’s too much force or pressure from chewing, commonly affecting your front teeth or molars.
Types of Tooth Damage
When it comes to tooth damage like a cracked, broken, fractured, or chipped tooth, you need to get it treated by a dental professional. Damage usually happens because of trauma from contact sports, accidentally biting on something too hard or tooth decay.
Chips can be:
- Tiny and shallow (a slightly chipped tooth), basically just affecting the outer enamel
- Moderate, where you can see a piece missing from the edge or surface, where the tooth chipped off
- Severe, where the tooth is cracked or split, possibly exposing the nerve
Common Causes of Chipped Teeth
So, why did you chip a tooth? Well, the truth is that enamel is super strong, but it’s not invincible. The most common causes are:
- Biting hard foods: The most common cause of tooth chipping is biting down on hard foods, such as ice, candy, unpopped popcorn kernels or nuts.Â
- Using teeth as tools: Using your teeth to try to open packages, bottles, or other items can chip them, since enamel isn’t designed to withstand that kind of stress.
- Accidental trauma: This can be a slip, a fall, a sports injury or a collision.
- Teeth grinding (bruxism): Chipped teeth can occur when you grind your teeth too much, often due to stress or sleep apnea, which wears down your enamel over time and increases the risk of chipping.
- Tooth decay or old fillings: Weakened teeth from decay or old fillings are more prone to fractures.
- Sudden temperature changes: Rapid shifts from hot to cold can cause the enamel to expand and contract, leading to cracks or chips.
We’ve also seen cases where a kid chipped a tooth while playing or learning to walk. And though baby teeth are softer and more prone to chipping, even adult teeth can fracture without warning when a tooth is chipped off while eating.
Is a Chipped Tooth Serious?
Not all chipped teeth are dental emergencies, but you shouldn’t ignore them. Even a small chip may not hurt at first, but small chips can create entry points for bacteria, which can lead to tooth decay. A tooth chipped at the gum line with no pain is still vulnerable to infection or a structural failure.
If you have severe pain, sensitivity, bleeding or a large part of the tooth is missing, you should see a dentist right away. Severe chips exposing the dentin or pulp can cause sensitivity, infection, or worsening pain. If you experience intense pain or swelling around a chipped tooth, that is a dental emergency that needs immediate attention. The sooner you get it treated, the easier the repair will be and the better your long-term results will be.
Chipped Tooth Repair Options
How to repair a chipped tooth at TEETH @ Tiong Bahru depends on just how badly the tooth is chipped. Is it a tiny nick or a bigger chunk? We take a close look at your situation and use our expert judgement to decide the best treatment options, sometimes requiring a few visits to sort it out. We offer three main options: dental bonding (a sort of sticking plaster for your tooth), dental crowns and dental veneers. If it’s a small chip, dental bonding is usually the cheapest option. It’s a cosmetic procedure that doesn’t involve digging deep into your tooth structure. However, this procedure is not usually covered by insurance.
Composite Bonding (For Small to Moderate Chips)
Dental bonding is a straightforward, non-invasive way to fix a chipped tooth. It’s ideal for chipped front teeth or a minor chip here and there. We apply a composite resin (tooth-coloured material) to the chipped area, shape it to match the rest of your tooth, harden it with an ultraviolet light, and then polish it to make it look seamless and natural. It’s a quick fix that usually takes 30 to 60 minutes per tooth, making it a simple procedure.
Benefits:
- Quick and virtually painless
- Matches your natural tooth colour
- Usually done in one visit
- Generally, much cheaper than other restorative treatment options
- Zero need to alter any of the healthy enamel, so your natural tooth remains intact
How Long Does It Last:
With proper dental care, dental bonding can last anywhere from 5 to 7 years. It’s a good option for minor to moderate chips.
Dental Veneers (For Front Tooth Flair)
If you’re looking for chipped front tooth repair and want it to look its absolute best, a porcelain veneer might be the way to go. Dental veneers are thin shells we place over the front surface of a tooth to give it a bit of extra strength and make it look much more polished. These custom-made ceramic shells restore your tooth to like-new condition.
Best for:
- Large chips
- When simple bonding isn’t going to hold up
- When your front teeth are discoloured or uneven, have dental flaws or tooth discolouration
Crowns (For Big Chips or Weak Teeth)
If a big chunk of your tooth is missing or if your tooth is weak, a dental crown might be your best bet. A crown covers the entire tooth, giving it some much-needed protection and support, making it a common way for how to fix a chipped tooth. We often use dental crowns for molars because these hardy teeth face the most challenges when eating. The process usually requires multiple visits. First, we prep the tooth, then we give you a temporary crown to wear while we get the new one made.
Root Canal and Crown (For Chips That Get to the Nerve)
If that chip gets too close to the nerve in your tooth, it can cause some real problems, like pain and infection. In extreme cases, the nerve might even die off, creating dead pulp, and that’s when you need to get a root canal to sort out the problem. Once the root canal treatment is complete, we place a crown on the tooth to protect it.
Tooth Extraction and Replacement (When the Tooth Can’t Be Saved)
In extreme cases, a tooth might be beyond repair, like if it’s fractured beneath the gum line or split right in two. In those cases, we might need to remove the tooth and replace it with a dental implant or a bridge to get your smile back on track.
At TEETH @ Tiong Bahru, our ultimate aim is to save your natural tooth whenever we can.
Anxiety-Free Approach
We do our best to make dental repair as stress-free as possible, across all different degrees of chipped teeth:
- Minor: We can smooth it out for you (in a process called enameloplasty) to remove any jagged edges.
- Moderate: Dental bonding is a simple procedure to restore the looks and function, usually done in one visit at the dental office.
- Severe: Advanced restoration is when we have to perform more extensive dental work, such as root canal therapy and a subsequent crown, to save the tooth, prevent infection, and avoid further complications.
Cost of Chipped Tooth Repair in Singapore
How Much to Repair a Chipped Tooth?
Costs vary depending on what dental treatment you need. Here’s a rough guide on what you can expect for chipped tooth filling cost and other options at TEETH @ Tiong Bahru:
| Procedure | Price Range | More Details |
| Composite Bonding | $300-$700 per tooth | Depends on the chip’s size and how hard it is to get it to look just right. Suitable for minor chips, reshaping, or a spruce-up. |
| Veneers | $600-$1,200 per tooth | Ideal for larger chips on the front teeth or for sorting out discolouration or uneven edges. |
| Crowns | $1,000-$4,000 per tooth | Generally pricier than veneers or bonding, but often worth it for the added protection and durability. |
| Root Canal and Crown | $1,500-$8,000 per tooth | This is a major dental procedure, and the cost reflects that. |
| Tooth Extraction and Replacement | $2,000-$10,000 per tooth | Cost varies depending on the treatment required. |
We like to be upfront and honest about pricing. Before any dental procedure, we’ll walk you through your treatment options and costs so you can make an informed decision.
Insurance, MediSave or CHAS
Standard health insurance and Integrated Shield Plans typically don’t cover routine general dental repairs, as they’re considered outpatient procedures. You may need a specific dental rider or a standalone dental insurance plan to have coverage.
If the damage is from an accident, then emergency treatment might be covered by your medical insurance, as long as you were hospitalised. Subsequent restorative dental work, though, is usually excluded. As for MediSave, it’s generally not applicable to simple repairs like bonding or fillings. It is limited to surgical dental procedures and expensive treatments. CHAS does offer subsidies for basic restorative dental procedures at participating clinics for eligible citizens.
Home Remedies for a Chipped Tooth
If you chip a tooth and can’t see a dentist straight away, here are some chipped tooth remedy options you can:
- Rinse with warm salt water to prevent infection
- Avoid chewing on the affected area and avoid biting on the affected side
- Pop a bit of sugar-free gum or dental wax to cover the rough edges and jagged edges
- Take some painkillers like paracetamol or ibuprofen to take the edge off and reduce discomfort
- Make sure you book a dental appointment ASAP
These are temporary fixes and will not replace proper dental treatment. They can help take the edge off until you can get to a qualified dentist.
Aftercare for Tooth Repair
After we’ve done your tooth repair, make sure to eat soft foods for a bit to give the repair time to settle. Make sure to avoid hard foods like ice or nuts. When you’re brushing and flossing, be gentle around the repaired tooth. You don’t want to loosen or re-chip it. Regular visits to our clinic and following our aftercare instructions are key to making this repair last.
A few things you should avoid when dealing with a chipped tooth: don’t put off treatment, don’t try a DIY fix, and don’t skip a mouthguard when playing contact sports. Be sure to maintain good oral hygiene and have a dentist regularly check your teeth, as this is key to keeping your teeth healthy.
Preventing a Chipped Tooth
While you won’t be able to prevent all chipped teeth, there are a few things you can do to reduce the risk:
- Don’t use your teeth to open packaging
- Avoid eating hard candy, ice, or hard nuts
- Wear a mouthguard when you’re playing contact sports
- Manage teeth grinding with a mouthguard at night
- Get regular check-ups so we can catch any weak teeth or fillings before they become a problem
Why Choose TEETH @ Tiong Bahru
We’re a neighbourhood clinic in Tiong Bahru, and we take care of patients of all ages. We offer comprehensive dental care with modern technology and a team of experienced dental professionals who can repair chipped and cracked teeth, from a simple cosmetic chip to a more complex fracture. Book your appointment today and let us help you get your smile back on track.
