  We prove that any function in $GSBD^p(\Omega)$, with $\Omega$ a
$n$-dimensional open bounded set with finite perimeter, is approximated by
functions $u_k\in SBV(\Omega;\mathbb{R}^n)\cap L^\infty(\Omega;\mathbb{R}^n)$
whose jump is a finite union of $C^1$ hypersurfaces. The approximation takes
place in the sense of Griffith-type energies $\int_\Omega W(e(u)) \,\mathrm{d}x
+\mathcal{H}^{n-1}(J_u)$, $e(u)$ and $J_u$ being the approximate symmetric
gradient and the jump set of $u$, and $W$ a nonnegative function with
$p$-growth, $p>1$. The difference between $u_k$ and $u$ is small in $L^p$
outside a sequence of sets $E_k\subset \Omega$ whose measure tends to 0 and if
$|u|^r \in L^1(\Omega)$ with $r\in (0,p]$, then $|u_k-u|^r \to 0$ in
$L^1(\Omega)$. Moreover, an approximation property for the (truncation of the)
amplitude of the jump holds. We apply the density result to deduce
$\Gamma$-convergence approximation \emph{\`a la} Ambrosio-Tortorelli for
Griffith-type energies with either Dirichlet boundary condition or a mild
fidelity term, such that minimisers are \emph{a priori} not even in
$L^1(\Omega;\mathbb{R}^n)$.
