Protect Your Teeth! Unseen Forces Can Break Your Teeth

I have had several teeth break over the last few years. Why does that keep happening?

Teeth break for several reasons. Finding out why is important so it can prevent more serious and costly problems.

Teeth are meant to touch at even amounts of force going down the long axis of the tooth around the upper and lower arch. A tooth that is contacting the opposing teeth with force in the wrong place can cause a broken tooth. If there are any constant lateral (sideways) forces on teeth, those areas get weak over time and crack.

Teeth that have excessive forces through grinding or clenching can also become weak and break. People who grind or clench usually do so at such high forces that over time, it creates small fractures in the teeth, which weaken the tooth structure. Combine that weakness with teeth that have large, old fillings and the chances of breaking are even higher.

Also, a tooth with a root canal will fracture more easily if it is not covered by a crown. The tooth becomes brittle over time, but will last significantly longer with a protective crown.

Going to see your dentist regularly can help catch conditions before they become worse. Getting a protective crown or bite guard before something breaks can save money and possible emergencies.

 

 

Stacey Sparkman Hall, D.D.S.: Dr. Stacey Hall brings her unique outlook on dental care and her personable optimism to the Williamsburg Center for Dental Health. With nine years of solid dental expertise as a dentist in Williamsburg, she decided in early 2011 to branch out and open her own local practice. After completing her undergraduate degree from Virginia Tech in 1998, Dr. Hall graduated from VCU’s MCV School of Dentistry in 2002, receiving her D.D.S. She is a member of the Academy of General Dentistry, the American Dental Association, and was awarded member fellowship to the International Congress of Oral Implantology in 2008. She leads the elite Tidewater Dawson Study Club and is a scholar with the interntaionally renowned Dawson Academy. As a Dawson ambassador, Dr. Hall also assists in the training of students in the Dawson Academy. Stacey and her husband Michael have been blessed with three beautiful girls, Lanie, Gracie and Abbie. She is a loyal Virginia Tech Football fan, and enjoys Bible study and missions work.