Six Causes of Damaged Dental Crowns
Dental crowns are restorations made from porcelain, zirconia, metal, or other high-quality materials. Designed to cover a tooth, a crown protects against future damage and helps preserve overall oral health. While these restorations are incredibly strong and durable, they are not invulnerable to cracks, fractures, or other issues.
Today, our team at Heringer Dentistry in Bismarck, ND explores six common causes of damaged dental crowns and explains how patients can avoid these problems from the start.
#1: Bruxism
Some individuals habitually clench or grind their teeth. Also referred to as bruxism, this can occur during the day, but it most often happens subconsciously at night. If left untreated, bruxism can seriously damage dental restorations as well as the natural teeth.
If you suffer from bruxism, we recommend wearing a custom oral appliance. This device can help cushion the teeth and protect them from wear and tear.
#2: Malocclusion
When the teeth are in proper alignment, forces are balanced across the entire bite. However, orthodontic malocclusion can exert excessive pressure in the wrong areas. Over time, a poor bite can cause a dental crown to crack, chip, or break.
If your teeth are crooked, overlapped, gapped, or rotated, orthodontic treatment can align your teeth for optimal oral health and aesthetics. Dr. Heringer can refer you to a trusted orthodontist to explore your options.
#3: Poor Oral Hygiene
While dental restorations are impervious to decay, the natural tooth structure underneath is not. Therefore, bacteria can still affect the tooth if proper oral health practices are not maintained.
Without appropriate oral hygiene, the risk for decay, gum disease, infection, and other issues increases significantly. Once these problems occur, any dental restorations will need to be removed so the underlying tooth can be treated.
Patients should brush twice a day and floss once a day, whether they have dental crowns or not. Additionally, regular dental visits can help maintain optimal oral health for years to come.
#4: Eating Hard or Chewy Foods
Eating extremely hard or chewy foods could cause your dental crown to break, chip, or become dislodged.
We recommend that patients steer clear from sticky caramels, and use caution when eating things like nuts, popcorn, or hard candy. For example, if you only have crowns on one side of your mouth, try chewing these foods on the other side to avoid potential problems.
#5: Trauma or Injury
Car accidents, sporting injuries, physical altercations, or other instances of blunt force trauma can potentially chip, break, or dislodge dental crowns.
While there are certain events that cannot be predicted, we recommend that anyone involved in contact sports wear a custom mouth guard to protect their teeth while on the court or field. This can significantly reduce the risk for cracked teeth and damaged restorations.
#6: Poor Dental Habits
Whether you have custom dental restorations or not, you should never, under any circumstances, use your teeth as tools. Opening packages or tearing off clothing tags with your teeth can seriously damage your dental crown, not to mention your natural teeth.
Contact Heringer Dentistry Today
With several years of experience, Dr. Heringer and our dental team are committed to providing top-tier dental care to those in our community. To learn more about dental crown maintenance and care, or to schedule an appointment at our practice, call us at 701-255-4850 or connect with us online.
