Have you recently noticed the formation of tiny, thin and discoloured markings on your front teeth? They are most likely craze lines on your teeth. While craze lines generally aren’t a major concern, they can sometimes be symptomatic of bad dental habits you may have developed over the years or other impending problems with your teeth. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the causes and solutions for craze lines on your teeth.
What Are Craze Lines on Teeth?
Craze lines are typically shallow cracks that appear on your teeth over time and are mostly a cosmetic issue. A lot of dentists usually don’t consider craze lines an urgent issue that needs to be remedied right away unless they’re directly associated with a specific dental or oral health problem like cavities. In most cases, your dentist might not even require you to treat craze lines at all. Despite their lack of urgency, many patients still opt to have craze lines repaired because they simply don’t like the way their teeth look. The good news is that there are a great deal of effective treatment options that can help reduce the look of craze lines on your teeth, but first it’s important to know what causes them and how you can avoid them from happening to you.
What Causes Craze Lines on Teeth?
Craze lines are typically caused by normal wear and tear on your teeth over the years. Think about all the ways in which you use your teeth on a daily basis and you’ll soon realize that your teeth deal with a lot of pressure.
Chewing food, switching from cold to hot beverages at a moment’s notice, and even using your teeth as tools or bottle openers (which is definitely not recommended) can put a great deal of strain on them. Eventually, they’ll literally begin to crack under the pressure.
Even certain types of traumatic dental work you have done can cause tiny cracks to form, but that’s not to say that you should avoid seeing the dentist. It’s better to get your oral health properly taken care of rather than neglecting it.
How to Prevent Craze Lines and Get a Perfect Smile
As craze lines cannot be 100% prevented, especially those caused by the natural aging process, here are some preventive steps you can take to reduce the appearance of the lines.
- Practice Good Oral Hygiene: Brushing and flossing twice daily can help reduce appearance by preventing staining of teeth.
- Limit Acidic Foods and Beverages: Acidic foods and drinks wears down the tooth enamel over time, allowing craze lines to be more visible.
- Wear a Night Guard: Teeth grinding while sleeping can contribute to craze lines as it adds pressure to the enamel.
- Use a Soft-Bristled Toothbrush: This is a vital preventive measure for craze lines as soft-bristle brushes are gentler on the enamel.
- Avoid Chewing Ice and Hard Objects: Reduce stress and pressure on the teeth by avoiding excessive force.
- Schedule Regular Dental Check-Ups: Your dentist can identify potential signs of craze lines developing before they becomes a serious issue.
Discover Comprehensive Craze Line Solutions for the Perfect Smile
If you have noticeable craze lines on your teeth, there are several solutions that can restore your perfect smile. Treatment for craze lines on your teeth may address the immediate cosmetic issue, boost your self-confidence, and protect the tooth.
- Regularly Monitor Your Teeth: Existing craze line issues may develop into a more serious condition if not monitored regularly.
- Dental Bonding: Dental bonding involves applying a tooth-coloured dental resin to mask the lines.
- Porcelain Veneers: This treatment can hide the craze lines as a thin layer of porcelain is attached to the tooth.
- Dental Caps: Dental crowns are permanent “caps” molded to the tooth with dental cement to conceal and protect the affected tooth.
- Abrasion Treatment: This involves the use of an acid-abrasive substance and a mechanical dental device to gently remove microscopic layers of enamel.
FAQ about Craze Lines on Teeth
1. Are craze lines normal?
The short answer is yes, craze lines are perfectly normal, and many people develop them as they get older. Craze lines can develop over a lifetime of chewing hard, crunchy foods, drinking hot and cold liquids or as a result of poor dental health. The point is that everyone at some point in their lives is likely to develop craze lines on their teeth, but it’s mostly a superficial cosmetic issue rather than a serious one.
2. Are craze lines a serious dental problem?
Not necessarily. In most cases, craze lines are caused by regular use of your teeth. Sometimes, they can be caused by dental trauma or as a result of using your teeth in a way you’re not supposed to such as opening bottles or ripping tags off of clothing. Certain bad habits you may have formed over time can contribute to the appearance of craze lines.
3. Can you feel craze lines in your teeth?
Craze lines are far too shallow for you to be able to feel them by running your tongue over the surface of your teeth, but you’ll definitely be able to spot them while smiling in front of a mirror. Depending on how discoloured they are, it’s unlikely that other people will be able to notice them as much as you do.
4. Are craze lines sensitive or painful?
Since craze lines are merely shallow cracks on the enamel or surface of your teeth, you shouldn’t experience any discomfort, sensitivity, pain or symptoms of any kind other than being able to see them on your teeth.
5. Do craze lines go away on their own?
Much like cavities, there’s no permanent cure or method of removing craze lines. Once you have them, they’re permanent. However, it’s possible to reduce the appearance of craze lines by either having them filled in, undergoing a tooth whitening procedure, or placing dental veneers over the affected teeth.
6. Can braces cause craze lines?
Craze lines are sometimes associated with having an uneven or crooked bite. Whether you have a severe underbite or overbite, the asymmetrical formation of your jaw can cause your teeth to rub up against one another every time you eat or speak. This places immense pressure on certain teeth which can cause cracks to form. Dentists will usually recommend braces or Invisalign treatment as a viable solution to correct this issue and align your teeth so that your bite is more consistent.
7. Do craze lines weaken teeth?
Craze lines don’t affect the internal or external structural integrity of your teeth in any way. They’re strictly a cosmetic issue.
8. Can a cracked tooth heal on its own?
Cracked teeth and craze lines aren’t necessarily the same thing, although it’s understandable why a lot of people might confuse the two with one another. When you tooth gets cracked, you’ll usually feel a series of symptoms like pain, sensitivity, and severe discomfort. Cracked teeth cause structural damage to both the dentin beneath the surface of the tooth and the external enamel of the tooth, sometimes reaching as far down as the root and exposing it. Craze lines are just shallow lines on the surface of the tooth. The one thing cracked teeth and craze lines on teeth have in common is that neither one can be healed, only remedied and made inconspicuous.
Ready to Transform Your Smile? Consult with a Professional Dentist at Princeview Dental Today!
If you are concerned about existing or the potential development of craze lines, talk to our friendly staff at Princeview Dental Group. In addition to being experienced in treating craze lines, Dr. Janice Mummery has been performing cosmetic and general dental procedures to enhance her patients’ oral health and smile for more than 30 years.
