Dental restorations, such as crowns, veneers, and fillings, are essential for restoring damaged teeth and maintaining a healthy smile. Despite their usefulness and durability, they can still break over time. It is important to understand the common causes of broken dental restorations and how to prevent them.
In this blog, we’ll explore the most common causes of broken dental restorations and offer tips to protect and extend the life of your dental investments
Common Causes Of Broken Dental Restorations
There are several common causes of broken dental restorations, each related to lifestyle habits, material quality, and oral health.
Bruxism (Teeth Grinding)
Sometimes constant teeth grinding or clenching exerts excess pressure on your dental restorations and lead to cracks or fractures. It mostly occurs when you sleep, and makes it difficult to control without proper intervention.
Chewing Hard or Sticky Foods
Hard foods like nuts, ice, or popcorn, and sticky foods like caramel or gum can put excess strain on restorations and cause them to crack, break, or become dislodged.
Biting on Non-Food Items
Many people bite on objects like pens, fingernails, or open packages with their teeth. This puts undue pressure on their dental restorations and causes damage.
Trauma or Accidents
Physical trauma, such as a blow to the face during sports or an accident, can easily chip or fracture dental restorations. This type of damage is often sudden and severe.
Improper Fit or Placement
A dental restoration with poor fit leaves gaps and makes the restoration more vulnerable to pressure and decay over time.
Decay Underneath the Restoration
Despite dental restorations, your teeth can decay underneath which weakens the tooth structure and cause restoration failure. Poor oral hygiene can accelerate this process.
Age and Wear
Over time, dental restorations wear down due to normal chewing and daily use. Older restorations are more prone to cracking or breaking.
Low-Quality Materials
Cheaper or lower-quality materials used in dental restorations may not be as durable as premium options. This can result in quicker wear or an increased risk of breakage.
Tips To Prevent Breakage Of Dental Restoration
Use a Nightguard for Bruxism
If you have a habit of grinding or clashing your teeth, wear a customized nightguard to protect your dental restorations by minimizing pressure during sleep. Consult your dentist to get a nightguard to avoid breakage of your dental restoration.
Avoid Chewing Hard or Sticky Foods
Limit or avoid foods like ice, hard candies, popcorn kernels, and sticky treats such as caramel and taffy as it puts unnecessary strain on dental restorations and may cause breakage.
Break Bad Oral Habits
Habits like chewing on pencils or pens, biting your nails, or using teeth to open packages can weaken or damage dental restorations. So, avoid using your teeth to do anything other than chew.
Wear a Mouthguard During Sports
Wear a mouthguard to protect and support your dental restorations from a facial injury. It will shield your teeth and dental restorations from trauma during accidents.
Maintain Excellent Oral Hygiene
Brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss daily, and use fluoride toothpaste to prevent decay. Keeping your teeth and gums healthy to maintain the strength of the supporting structure under dental restorations.
Schedule Regular Dental Checkups
Visit your dentist regularly to examine your dental restorations. They can catch early signs of wear, decay, or fit issues and make necessary adjustments or repairs before significant damage occurs.
Choose High-Quality Materials
Invest in good quality materials for your dental restorations like porcelain or zirconia, which are known for their strength and longevity. While these premium materials may come with a higher initial cost, they significantly reduce the risk of breakage and provide longer-lasting results.
Takeaway
It is important to understand the common causes of broken dental restorations and how to prevent them from breakage to protect your smile. From avoiding bad habits like teeth grinding and biting hard objects to maintaining excellent oral hygiene and investing in high-quality materials, these preventive measures can significantly reduce the risk of damage.
Protect Your Smile with Dental Restorations
If you’re looking to restore your smile with high-quality dental restorations, contact Diamond Dental in Bellingham, WA. Whether you need a quick repair, a replacement, or a completely new restoration, our experienced team is here to provide expert care. Book your consultation today—new patients can call (360) 516-4610, and returning patients can reach us at (360) 734-1999.
FAQs
Dental restorations can break due to teeth grinding (bruxism), biting hard or sticky foods, trauma to the mouth, poor oral hygiene, or the use of low-quality materials.
Dental restorations like crowns or fillings can last from 5 to 15 years.
If your dental restoration breaks, it’s important to contact your dentist right away for repair or replacement.
