When you chip a tooth, you feel a strange mix of panic and denial. You keep running your tongue over the rough edge, as if it will smooth out on its own. No, it doesn't. The taste of enamel dust stays in your mouth, a faint chalky reminder that something is wrong. Next, you check the mirror. You tilt your head, open your mouth wide, and maybe curse under your breath. The chip looks worse than it really is.