My front tooth is chipped or discolored

When a front tooth is chipped or discolored, what are the common causes?

1. 01

   Chipped from trauma

   Depending on the size of the chip and whether the nerve is exposed, the options are resin bonding, reattaching the fragment, or a crown. If you bring the broken fragment, it can sometimes be reattached.

2. 02

   Surface staining Glossary (Korean) →

   Pigments from coffee, tea, tobacco or wine have stuck to the surface. It improves with scaling, polishing and whitening.

3. 03

   Discoloration from a dead nerve

   If only one tooth turns gray or brown after a blow, the nerve has often died. After root canal treatment, it is whitened from the inside or covered with a prosthesis.

4. 04

   Discoloration from medication or development

   Taking tetracycline in childhood, excess fluoride and enamel formation defects cause discoloration inside the tooth, so ordinary whitening has a limited effect and laminates or crowns are considered.

5. 05

   Discolored old resin Glossary (Korean) →

   Resin on front teeth changes color over several years and its edges become visible. It is solved by replacing it.

6. 06

   Gaps · uneven shape

   Gaps between teeth and differences in size are adjusted with resin bonding or laminates.

How does Joy Dental Clinic Bongcheon check it?

1. 1

   We check the extent of the chip and whether the nerve is exposed, and use X-rays to see that there is no root fracture.

2. 2

   For discoloration, we identify the cause by whether it is on the surface or inside, and whether it affects one tooth or all of them. Pulp vitality testing is done at the same time.

3. 3

   An intraoral scanner records the shape of the teeth, and when needed, a mockup shows you the shape after treatment in advance.

4. 4

   In the order resin → laminate → crown, we suggest the most conservative method that can achieve the goal, and explain each method’s amount of tooth reduction, lifespan and cost side by side.

How our equipment works is explained on the equipment page.

Which treatment does it lead to?

• Aesthetic prosthetics → Resin bonding, laminates and crowns. Most chips, discoloration and gaps are addressed here.
• Teeth whitening → Surface staining or general yellowish discoloration. The effect on internal discoloration is limited.
• Root canal treatment → Done first when the nerve has been exposed by a chip, or the tooth has discolored because the nerve died.

What can I do at home before my appointment?

• If there is a broken fragment, do not throw it away; keep it in water or milk and bring it with you. Reattachment is sometimes possible.
• If the chipped edge is sharp, you can temporarily cover it with dental wax or sugar-free gum so it does not hurt your tongue and lips.
• Habits such as opening bottle caps with your front teeth or biting your nails are common causes of fractured resin and laminates.
• If you are concerned about staining, drink dark-colored drinks through a straw and rinse with water afterward.

Frequently asked questions

1. Q1. Do laminates mean drilling away a lot of tooth?

   Generally, the front surface is thinly shaped by about 0.3–0.7 mm. Depending on the arrangement and color of the teeth, sometimes almost nothing is removed and sometimes more needs to be, so we check in advance with a mockup. A tooth that has been reduced cannot be restored, so we first see whether resin can do the job.

2. Q2. How much whiter will whitening make my teeth, and how long does it last?

   There is large individual variation, but professional whitening usually brightens teeth by 2–3 shades and lasts 1–2 years. It depends on diet and maintenance, and prostheses and resin do not whiten, so there may be a color difference.

3. Q3. Can a chipped front tooth be fixed on the same day?

   Small fractures are often finished the same day with resin bonding. If the nerve is exposed or a large piece has broken, we do a temporary treatment, check the condition of the nerve, and then decide on the final treatment.

※ This page is for general information and does not replace a diagnosis. Causes and treatment differ from person to person, and treatment can have side effects. Last reviewed 2026-09-11 · Director Jeong Jinwoo (board-certified prosthodontist and specialist in integrated dentistry)

Related treatments

• Treatment Aesthetic prosthetics
• Treatment Teeth whitening
• Treatment Root canal treatment
• Guide Symptom checker

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The same symptom can have different causes. After diagnosis, we explain only the treatment that is needed. Contact us through Naver Booking or by phone.

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