Dentist filed my teeth down to fix a chip but left it smaller than other front tooth. Is there a way to repair this? (photos)

Question

I got a small chip on my left front tooth from grinding it down on school instrument. I went to the dentist and then told me that a simple filing would take care of it. I was skeptical at first because I really didn't want to get it filed it down. He proceeded to file it and afterwards I immediately noticed that the tooth was still smaller than my other front tooth. I was wondering if he should've filed it down in the first place, and if there's a way to fix it without filing down my other tooth

Sheila Mahooti, DDS · Answer

I see that your left front tooth is slightly shorter. The dentist can use the white filling material called composite and bond a little to your front tooth. That would increase the length. But since it is right the the bottom edge of the tooth , there isn't a whole lot of retention for the bonding and it is possible for it to debond and fall off again. If you can't get used to the slight length difference and don't want the right one filed , then you can try the bonding option.

Victoria Veytsman, DDS · Answer

Thank you for your inquiry and taking time to submit your photos.  We apologize to hear about your chipped tooth.  At this time, the only other solutions would be to either file your other tooth slightly or place bonding on your chipped tooth to make it a bit longer.  The only thing to keep in mind is that bonding, especially on your front tooth where only a little bonding is needed, may just continue to fall off.  You may not want to file down your other tooth to keep it as natural as it is, but your chipped tooth isn't too noticeably shorter than your other front tooth so you could just leave as is. Remember, most people may not notice it as much as you do!  We hope this helps and best of luck to you!

Dentist filed my teeth down to fix a chip but left it smaller than other front tooth. Is there a way to repair this? (photos)

Answers (2)

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Everything you need to know about Tooth Repair

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Dentist filed my teeth down to fix a chip but left it smaller than other front tooth. Is there a way to repair this? (photos)

Answers (2)

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Tooth Repair

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.