A Tough-on-the-teeth Habit
There’s nothing like enjoying a nice cold refreshing glass of iced tea, lemonade or ice water after a hot afternoon outside.
But some people have a habit of sucking or chewing on the ice that’s left over after their drink.
Here’s why you should avoid that habit:
The cold temperature can damage your dental restorations.
Ice can cause materials to expand or contract, even your fillings.
If you chew on the ice over and over, the constant expanding and contracting may cause the materials to start cracking apart.
Hard textures can crack your teeth.
If you have weak tooth enamel or old fillings, chewing on hard things like ice (or even candy) could cause your tooth to break and make you need more dental treatment in the future.
If you think you’ve cracked a tooth by chewing ice, call us right away!
Bond with Your Smile
Dental bonding is a great way to correct minor irregularities that interfere with the way your teeth look.
These are areas where teeth are chipped, have gaps between them, or exposed root surfaces that are sensitive.
The actual bonding material matches the natural color of your enamel. This allows the restoration to blend in with your smile without other people knowing that it’s even there.
Having a tooth bonded is relatively simple and requires only one visit to our office.
First we prep the tooth and condition it to encourage the composite material to bond directly with the pores.
The composite is applied and shaped to the tooth so it appears to be whole again. Finally, a bright light bonds the material permanently into place.
Depending on the size and location of the bonding, it could last for several years.
If you’re concerned with the way a specific tooth looks – ask if bonding is right of you.
Suspect a Fractured Tooth?
A fractured tooth is a tooth that has split, cracked or broken. It can happen during an accident, biting down on something, or just from an old restoration wearing out.
Sometimes a tooth may fracture because a cavity wasn’t treated in time, or a filling wasn’t replaced when it started to show signs of age.
Some types of fractures may not be evident or visible unless they are closely examined using special tools or X-rays.
Have your mouth examined as quickly as possible, if you suspect you have a fractured tooth.
Waiting too long could cause the tooth to experience additional damage that causes severe pain, dental abscesses, or even results in the need for a root canal.
Quick treatment can reduce the type of care necessary and allow your tooth to last for several more years.
Call us today if you suspect you have a cracked or fractured tooth.
