Many people who notice chipped or cracked teeth don’t remember when the injury occurred. Many damaged their teeth while they were sleeping. Grinding or clenching your teeth during the night can cause your teeth to chip, crack and even break over time. New research shows that you are able to exert up to five times the amount of pressure on your teeth while sleeping than you do while awake.
Silver (Mercury) fillings appear to be one of the primary causes of tooth fractures. Silver fillings are placed in the center of the tooth where the forces from the upper tooth are centered during chewing. The silver filling acts as a wedge to split the tooth in half. Similar to a wedge used to split wood.
Cracks and fractures are also caused by unknowingly biting on hard objects in your food. Often the discomfort will ease over a few weeks. Some cracks are just in the enamel, which is not a major concern. However, sometimes cracks form in the underlying dentin, which may or may not be sensitive.
Diagnosing Cracks in Teeth
Often you only notice cracks, or fractures, in your teeth once in a while when chewing something hard that hits just right. These cracks have the potential to cause you to lose a tooth. We evaluate your teeth for these cracks with intraoral cameras that can pick up these cracks before you become aware of them. Once a tooth becomes sensitive or painful it may indicate a more complicated treatment.
Treatment
Depending on the location and the severity of the fracture, the treatment can be different. Some cases may require a small filling or porcelain onlay/inlay, or an all-porcelain crown. In more extreme cases, a root canal may be necessary. If the crack is neglected for a long enough period of time, it can lead to removal of the tooth entirely. Your best option is to visit Dr. Phillips as soon as you may detect a crack in your tooth so that it can be taken care of properly from the beginning in an effort to save the tooth. Also, regular visits to Dr. Phillips will help him to find cracks in your teeth before they become more significant concerns.
Prevention
To keep you from seriously damaging your teeth when you are sleeping, we recommend a dental appliance called a night-guard. A custom fitted night guard protects your teeth from grinding & clenching in your sleep. Dr. Brit Phillips takes great care in making sure you have a proper fit to prevent pain in your jaw joint.
If you suffer from headaches you may find that it is caused by the extreme pressure generated as you grind and clench your teeth. Ask us about having a night-guard custom created for you.
Cracks and fractures are also caused by unknowingly biting on hard objects in your food. Often the discomfort will ease over a few weeks. Some cracks are just in the enamel, which is not a major concern. However, sometimes cracks form in the underlying dentin, which may or may not be sensitive. Often you only notice them once in a while when chewing something hard that hits just right. These cracks have the potential to cause you to lose a tooth. We evaluate your teeth for these cracks with intraoral cameras that can pick up these cracks before you become aware of them. Once a tooth becomes sensitive or painful it may indicate a more complicated treatment.