The biting surface on each of your teeth has a specific shape that is intended to maximize contact with its partner in your bite pattern. The occlusal textures tend to change from the sharp lines of your front teeth to the pits and fissures on the molars and premolars that reside in the back of your mouth.
The mineral density of your tooth enamel provides your teeth with the hardness to handle a lifetime of biting, chewing and grinding the foods you consume. However, poor oral hygiene practices can start to demineralize your tooth enamel, which could leave you increasingly susceptible to tooth decay and potential dental fractures.
If you have a bad habit of crunching on hard candies, and ice or you frequently grind your teeth while sleeping, you could be at increased risk of risk of suffering a fracture on the occlusal surface of a molar or premolar.
The size and depth of the dental fracture will directly influence the mode of treatment that our dentist suggests. In a case where the damage is limited to the biting surface of the tooth and the other surfaces remain unaffected Dr. Milla Openko might be able to treat the problem by installing an inlay dental filling.
After the tooth has been fully treated, you might want to try sleeping with a dental guard in your mouth or make a mindful effort to curtail the activity that caused the dental fracture.
If you have a tooth with a chipped or fractured biting surface, and you are in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, area, you should call 412.885.5590 to seek treatment at Milla Openko, DMD.