Breaking or chipping a tooth can be very stressful. Aside from any pain you may be feeling, there is anxiety about what can be done to get your tooth back in good working order. There are many different ways to repair a broken tooth, depending on the exact nature of what happened. In some cases, you may even have more than one option, each with its own unique benefits. If you’re wondering what can be done to repair a broken  tooth, take a look at these examples.

Sometimes a simple filling will do the trick. If the chip is small, it may be able to be restored with silver or tooth-colored fillings. Most teeth that are chipped are front teeth, as these tend to be thinner and are more subject to accidents. In most cases, your dentist can place a filling that is matched to the shade of your natural tooth and shape it to replicate the lost portion of the tooth. Most of the time this sort of filling is undetectable to the naked eye.

Veneers are a common dental treatment for front teeth that have broken or have minor to moderate chips. In contrast to a tooth-colored or “composite” filling, veneers are more invasive but they are also longer lasting.

Dental crowns are indicated when a tooth has broken to the point that a filling is no longer a viable option. This may mean that half of the natural tooth structure is gone, or that the break was so severe that the nerve of the tooth is in danger. Like veneers, crowns can be shade matched to your natural teeth and generally last a long time.

Implants are among the most complex restorative treatments, but are considered the best option for replacing a tooth. This may come in to play if your tooth is broken so badly that saving it is unlikely or impossible. In other cases, a tooth may be broken so severely that a root canal is required, followed by a crown. Your Virginia Beach dentist may offer a dental implant as a more viable and permanent option for fixing—or in this instance, replacing—the tooth.

No matter how badly your tooth may be broken or chipped, there is almost certainly an option for repairing it. Even if the tooth cannot be saved, there are still ways to replace it in a very functional and aesthetic manner.