How Can I Prevent Broken Teeth?

We are asked this question quite a bit; how can I prevent broken teeth? These patients may explain that they brush two to three times daily, they may floss daily, and they maintain their regularly scheduled preventive appointments. However, even with all this, patients may still have problems with broken teeth. There a number of things that can be addressed.
First, are there teeth with large fillings? In teeth with larger fillings, the resultant tooth structure is thinner because of the size of the filling. With a thinner tooth, the tooth is weaker. So with the tooth being weaker, it is more likely to break. Teeth with larger fillings should be considered for partial or full crowns to enhance their strength.
Second, are there teeth with multiple cracks or severe wear? If teeth do have multiple cracks or severe wear, there is a very good chance that the teeth are exposed to heavy biting forces. These forces alone can cause teeth to crack or to break. These forces increase the risk of decay as well since the teeth are weaker due to the constant load on them. In these situations the bite may need to be evaluated, existing fillings may need to be evaluated, and there may be a need for a night guard to lighten the load on the teeth during sleep. In these cases the eating habits should be considered as well. Some patients may get accustomed to eating very hard foods like ice, nuts, unpopped popcorn,  or tougher foods like beef jerky. These foods may increase the load on the teeth as well.
Naturally, it is important to maintain your regularly scheduled preventive visits so the dentist can evaluate the teeth for these issues. It is also important for patients to follow the preventive program your dentist or dental hygienist may recommend for home, and to follow the plan of care your dentist or dental hygienist recommends. Some actions like these can prevent much more major damage which may lead to treatment like root canal therapy, gum surgery, and extraction and dental implants.
If you need assistance and are in need of a dentist you can trust, we invite you to contact us at (972) 250-2580, or we invite you to contact us in any other manner you see available within this web page.