Did Luis Suarez ever damage his own teeth when he bit opponents, and has he had dental work? Those two questions drive most searches for Luis Suarez teeth. A Reuters factbox published by Ahram Online lists three biting incidents between 2010 and 2014, and none of its entries mentions any injury to his mouth. About his teeth, he has made no public statement.
In this article from Prof Clinic we look at the three incidents and their bans, what is known about his teeth, what to do when a tooth chips or cracks and how the damage is repaired.
What Are the Three Biting Incidents Behind the Searches?
On 20 November 2010 Suarez, then playing for Ajax, bit PSV Eindhoven’s Otman Bakkal on the shoulder and was banned for seven matches. On 21 April 2013 he bit Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic on the arm and was banned for 10 games.
Luis Suarez in two photographs side by side, one in a Uruguay shirt holding a match ball and one smiling in dark training kit.
The third came on 24 June 2014, in the goalless World Cup match between Uruguay and Italy, when he bit Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder. FIFA banned him for nine international matches and four months from football-related activity and fined him 100,000 Swiss francs. On 14 August 2014 the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld the ban but allowed him to train and attend matches with his new club, Barcelona.
Did Suarez Damage His Teeth, and Has He Had Dental Work?
No source reports damage to his teeth, and there is no public statement from Suarez about dental work. No dentist, clinic or date has been named for any treatment, so claims that he has had porcelain work are not facts. We have also left out dentists’ opinions on his photos, because a photo shows how a smile looks, not why.
Suarez smiling in an Atletico Madrid training top.
A close-up of Suarez smiling.
What Should You Do If You Chip or Crack a Tooth?
The American Dental Association and the NHS give the same short sequence for a chipped or broken tooth:
- Rinse your mouth with warm water and hold a cold compress on your face to keep the swelling down.
- Put any broken piece in milk or saliva and take it with you.
- Call your dentist and describe the damage in as much detail as you can.
Call first, because most dentists set aside time each day for emergencies, and don’t go to a GP, who cannot give dental treatment. The NHS adds that the dentist may be able to glue the fragment back on. A tooth knocked out whole is more urgent: the ADA says to keep it moist, put it back in the socket if you can without touching the root, and get to the dentist right away.
Read as well: Roman Reigns Teeth: Ring Damage, Repairs and Smile Today
Why Does a Front Tooth Crack, and How Is It Repaired?
Cleveland Clinic lists the causes: ice, candy and popcorn kernels, large fillings or root canals that leave a tooth weak, grinding over time, and trauma such as falls and sports injuries. It also advises against chewing ice, hard candy or fingernails and against using your teeth to open plastic packaging, and it recommends a mouth guard for contact sports. A crack can be hairline craze lines in the enamel, which don’t hurt, or it can run down the tooth, split it in two or start below the gum line.
Suarez in a sleeveless training top, with two other people behind him.
The repair follows the damage. Bonding, tooth-coloured resin shaped onto the tooth, treats chips and minor cracks, usually in one visit, and Cleveland Clinic says it lasts three to ten years. When a tooth is weak or broken, a crown covers the whole tooth: the dentist fits a temporary while a lab makes the permanent crown, which takes two to three weeks, and the average crown lasts five to 15 years. A veneer covers the front of the tooth, and a root canal removes infected pulp when the crack reaches it.
Some teeth cannot be saved. Cleveland Clinic says extraction is considered when a crack causes severe root or nerve damage, and the tooth is then replaced with a bridge or an implant. The ADA describes an implant as a titanium post in the jaw that carries a custom crown. Dental X-rays can show fractures and related bone loss, and the dentist decides after examining the tooth.
Prof Clinic: Dental Restoration in Istanbul, Turkey
Our dental restoration is planned from 3D imaging, and crowns in E-max or zirconia, implants and whitening are done at the same clinic, so your case isn’t passed between providers. Our coordination team answers your questions on WhatsApp and handles follow-up once you’re home. Before recommending anything, we check:
| Factor | What we assess | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Depth of the crack | Whether it stays in the enamel or runs toward the root | Decides between bonding, a crown or extraction |
| Nerve health | Sensitivity to biting, heat and cold | Shows whether root canal treatment comes first |
| Remaining tooth | How much sound tooth is left, on a 3D scan | Separates a bonded repair from a crown or an implant |
| Bite and grinding | How the teeth meet, and signs of clenching | Grinding can crack a repair again, so a night guard may be part of the plan |
Every case is different, so we plan each one separately. If you’d like our opinion on your own mouth, send an X-ray or photos through our contact page, or see real cases in the Before & After gallery.
Luis Suarez Teeth: Your Questions Answered
1. Did Luis Suarez damage his own teeth biting?
No source reports it. The Ahram Online factbox on the three incidents mentions the bans and the opponents, not any injury to his mouth.
2. Has Luis Suarez had dental work?
He has made no public statement about it, and no dentist or date has been named, so there is nothing to confirm.
3. How is a chipped front tooth repaired?
A small chip is usually bonded with resin in one visit. A weak or broken tooth gets a crown, and a crack that reaches the nerve may need root canal treatment first.
4. What should I do straight after chipping a tooth?
Rinse with warm water, hold a cold compress on your face, keep any fragment in milk or saliva and call your dentist the same day if you can.
Medical note: News reports can’t show whether any treatment lies behind a smile, and none describes dental damage to Luis Suarez. Luis Suarez has no known connection to Prof Clinic, and his dental appearance should not be read as a Prof Clinic case.
References / Sources
- Cleveland Clinic — Fractured Tooth (Cracked Tooth)
- Cleveland Clinic — Dental Bonding
- Cleveland Clinic — Dental Crowns
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy) — Dental Emergencies
- American Dental Association (MouthHealthy) — Dental Implants
- NHS — Chipped, broken or cracked tooth
- Ahram Online (Reuters) — FACTBOX: Luis Suarez’s sins and sanctions
