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One of the techniques a cosmetic dentist can use to repair cracked or chipped teeth is the application of a porcelain veneer to a patients tooth. Even though this porcelain veneer is very durable and does a great job of blending in with the other surrounding teeth, it can become fragile with time and may develop cracks that need to be addressed by your dentist.

There are several methods for porcelain repair and which one the dentist ultimately chooses is mostly dependant on the severity of the damage and the type of veneer that was affected. Porcelain is a very durable material and should give most patients years of use without incident, but the location of the repair that the porcelain was used to correct can determine its useful life. If the porcelain was used to create a veneer that was applied to the front of the teeth with dental adhesive to correct a problem with a tooth, this repair will last the longest if the patient is careful about not biting into particularly hard food. Also, if the porcelain was used to create a crown for a tooth, this can be a very durable repair as well as long as the patient is careful to avoid chewing very hard foods, or biting into hard candies like breath mints.

If a problem does develop with a tooth repair that was done using porcelain, there are a few ways that the cosmetic dentist can accomplish a porcelain repair. The simplest porcelain repair involves replacing the entire porcelain veneer. This is the quickest type of repair since it depends on the creation of a new veneer, the removal of the damaged one, and the application of the new veneer to the damaged tooth. Even though this is the quickest way to complete a porcelain repair, it is the most expensive. This is because the custom creation of the exact veneer that is required to match a patient’s damaged tooth is a very labor-intensive process. Although this may be the easiest form of porcelain repair, most cosmetic dentists only use this method when the damage is extensive.

The other method of porcelain repair that is used most widely by cosmetic dentists involves applying dental composite to the damaged area. Dental composite is a material that will cure with very durable qualities onto a properly prepared tooth and look very natural. Small cracks and fractures in a porcelain veneer can be repaired by the application of this composite to the damaged area. Before applying the composite, the porcelain needs to be prepared to accept the composite and this is done by roughing up the surface area of the tooth to provide a good surface for the composite to grip. The cosmetic dentist will use a diamond tipped burr and may also do micro sandblasting to the area to make sure it is perfect for the application of the composite. The composite material is then prepared to match the color of the tooth and applied to the damaged surface and sculptured by the dentist. Once completed, the repair looks as perfect as the original tooth. This form of porcelain repair is less expensive than the complete replacement of the veneer and will provide excellent results that will last for years with proper dental hygiene.