I have a chip in my front tooth. Would your recommend a filling or bonding? (photo)

Greetings from St. Louis,  If you were in my chair, I would definitely recommend shaping the tooth, not bonding. Here's why - based on the small size of the chip and the position of the chip right on your bite surface, placing a composite filling there would likely break off in a short period of time and you would need to get it redone again and again, over the next several months and years.  However, filing down the tooth and neighboring tooth slightly, would create a more permanent fix.  If your dentist has cosmetic skills, they shouldn't have any problem contouring the two teeth to match and not cause your teeth to look short or make you looked aged. Sensitivity could ensue, but usually very minor sensitivity that will not bother you.  Greater sensitivity is a risk, but not a major risk for my patients.  You're probably confused by this point, so if you're on the fence, you could try least invasive first and most invasive last.  So in order of least to most invasive:  dental bonding (prices is about $200-500 depending on your area)-->  if it chips, then contour (approximately $50) ---> if contouring doesn't look good enough to you, try veneer (roughly $1200 to $1800 depending on area).  

The chip can be fixed very easily!  You can bond this but in time it will come off. To me it looks like there is wear and tear on that tooth and it will continue.  You should get it bonded and sleep with a bite guard so there would be less pressure put on that tooth at night!  Go for this type of repair and night guard and later you may have to have a Veneer or Porcelain Crown.  Take good care of those teeth! The bite guard is very important!

Tough fix due to the fact the repair will not last long term.  These type of small chips are the worst to repair.  In the long run, a crown or veneers will be the ultimate fate.  In the mean time, a white bonding/filling will have to do.  Just be prepared that it will break off again with white fillings.

Hello and thank you for a very good question.The good news is that you do have a choice. Actually I would consider a 3rd choice: porcelain veneers.Not only it will take care of the chip, but will give a pleasant even looking smile, one you can be proud of.

Hey malpal!  I too
agree that due to the size of the chip/fracture, bonding would be a good
choice.  One bit of information/advice
that I can add to what has already been shared:in looking at the picture, I notice your front teeth have a lot
of sharp line contours on the biting edge.Without knowing any history or having performed an
exam, it appears that your teeth show a significant amount of wear. That type of wear patterns can develop from
clenching/grinding your teeth at night time.If that's the case, the concern I have is bonding performed on the
biting edge of your front teeth can chip off again - without addressing the
underlying issue (the grinding/clenching).  I would definitely consider wearing a nightguard when you sleep to
prevent further chipping and further wear.

Hi there! With a chip of that size, I would definitely choose Cosmetic Dental Bonding over filing down your natural tooth. Filing the edges of your front teeth not only takes away healthy tooth structure, it gives you a more aged appearance - and nobody wants that! On the other hand, Dental Bonding is a purely additive treatment. This means that only what is missing will be replaced - a truly conservative option to preserve your natural goodness! Although the composite bonding can stain or chip more readily than porcelain veneers, it is less costly and more conservative. That being said, your dentist will inspect and polish your bonding with special polishers at every visit and touch up as needed. A couple of other tips: you should avoid biting into any hard foods with the bonded teeth to prevent weakening of the bonding, and you should consider whitening your teeth prior to cosmetic bonding, as the bonding will not whiten like your natural teeth. That means there will be a little maintenance to keep your teeth consistently looking their pearly-white best! And we all want whiter, healthier and more beautiful smiles!

At that size I would probably recommend bonding.  Bonding does need to be replaced every so often due to staining or chipping but from the picture, the chip looks a little too large to file and retain nice proportions to your teeth.  If you keep having problems in the future with longevity of the bonding, you may want to consider porcelain veneers but they are more invasive as they require more tooth structure to be removed.