If you have a broken tooth or if the expression “my teeth are breaking into pieces” resonates with you, then this article will be useful for you. We will explore the main reasons why teeth break, how to prevent it, and how to address the situation if it has already occurred.

Teeth are breaking into pieces: the most common causes

If your tooth has crumbled or a part of it has broken off, it is very unpleasant. To address the issue, make an appointment with a dentist promptly for tooth restoration. But why did this happen to you? Here are a few reasons why teeth may crumble.

Biting into hard objects

Remember that unpleasant feeling when you’re watching a movie, and you accidentally bite into a piece of popcorn that’s “not to your liking”? It’s painful and unpleasant, and in frequent cases, it can lead to one or several of your teeth falling apart.

Tooth decay and cavities

Sometimes, a crumbled tooth is a real surprise and quite unpleasant. The cause of this could be the “silent disease” of teeth—cavities. It’s a destructive process that slowly (but mercilessly) erodes tooth enamel. For a while, you might not even feel anything. Then, in one unfortunate moment, the tooth crumbles or breaks. That’s why timely treatment of cavities is a must for dental health.

The effect of acidic and sugar foods

Everything you eat directly affects the health of your teeth. A diet high in calcium strengthens tooth enamel. On the other hand, an abundance of highly acidic and sugary foods in your diet has the opposite effect. This leads to the thinning of tooth enamel and, as a result, a reduction in its strength and an increase in tooth fragility.

Teeth grinding (bruxism)

Bruxism, also known as teeth grinding, is as harmful to dental health as habits like smoking or excessive sugar consumption. Excessive and systematic teeth clenching leads to enamel destruction and is one of the reasons for teeth breaking.

Poor oral hygiene

Cleaning your teeth in the morning and evening, using dental floss, and using mouthwash is a super team that supports dental health every day. Neglecting these practices can lead to cavities and gum diseases, eventually resulting in the breakdown of tooth integrity.

Age

Did you know that up to 95% of a tooth is made up of calcium? However, as people age, calcium tends to deplete from the body. This is precisely why older individuals are more prone to bone fractures, and not surprisingly, their teeth may also crumble, both when chewing hard foods (such as apples) and during regular eating.

Trauma and accidents

Misfortunes happen. Sometimes, teeth can break even if we take good care of them. Unfortunately, insurance won’t protect against accidental injuries – it can only help cover the costs of treatment. Accidental injuries and unfortunate incidents are also reasons why teeth break. This is especially common among athletes and individuals engaged in active sports during their leisure time.

How to protect teeth from breaking

As mentioned in the previous section of the article, there can be numerous reasons for the appearance of chips and the breakdown of teeth. In some cases, it happens unexpectedly, while in others, chips occur as a result of following certain rules (or lack thereof). Let’s focus on the latter category. Let’s consider simple rules that can help protect teeth from damage.

5 rules that will help prevent tooth decay:

1. Regularly visit the dentist. Systematic preventive examinations help detect surface cavities in a timely manner and treat them. For instance, professional oral hygiene aids in removing dental plaque and preventing the development of cavities.
2. Thoroughly clean your teeth at home. Daily oral hygiene helps prevent dental and gum diseases, thereby avoiding damage to tooth enamel due to cavities.
3. Review your diet. Reduce or eliminate highly acidic foods, excessively hard foods, and sweet treats from your diet. Avoid overindulgence. Add calcium-rich and fibrous foods to your menu.
4. Use a protective mouthguard during sports activities. This prevents the occurrence of microcracks, chips, and tooth damage due to mechanical injuries.
5. Reevaluate your habits. Smoking, regular wine consumption, and teeth grinding are acquired or innate habits that, over time, lead to a reduction in enamel thickness and its deterioration. If you have such habits, don’t be surprised if you eventually ask yourself, “Why are my teeth breaking all of a sudden?” The best way to avoid this is to give up harmful habits and use a sleep guard (helpful for bruxism).

Treatment and Repair for broken teeth

What happened, happened. When unpleasant incidents occur, you want to fix everything as quickly as possible. If one or several of your teeth have broken or a part of a tooth has chipped, here are a few ways to help rectify the situation and restore the aesthetics and integrity of your teeth.

Dental Bonding:

Dental Bonding is a popular technique that allows for the restoration of a tooth’s integrity after chipping or minor damage. The essence of the procedure involves reconstructing the anatomical shape of the tooth using durable composite materials. To achieve this, the dentist removes damaged and fragile parts of the dental crown, then selects a special composite material that matches the color of the patient’s tooth. Afterward, the dentist “fixates” the material onto the damaged tooth, giving it the necessary shape. Under the influence of a special lamp, the material solidifies and adheres to the tooth. As a result, the tooth looks as good as new. This method allows for the restoration of tooth integrity after chipping or breakage in a single session.

Dental Crown Installation:

This method is applied in cases of significant damage to the external part of the tooth and when a tooth breaks completely. For this, the tooth is reshaped, and a dental crown is fixed onto it—a structure that fully replicates the anatomical shape of a natural tooth.

Depending on the material used, crowns can be metal-ceramic, ceramic, or zirconia. Ceramic and zirconia dioxide are materials most commonly used for tooth prosthetics along the smile line. Metal-ceramic (as well as zirconia dioxide) can be used for prosthetics of masticatory teeth due to their strength and durability, as they need to withstand significant loads. Dental crowns allow for the restoration of tooth integrity after damage over several sessions, as the dental crown is custom-made based on a dental impression, which takes time to manufacture.

Veneers:

Veneers are favorites among many patients who need to restore partially damaged teeth, including those with chipped front teeth.

These are thin plates made of ceramic or zirconia that replicate the frontal part of the tooth. Porcelain veneers are attached to the front of the teeth using dental adhesive, effectively “covering imperfections.” To install veneers, the tooth is prepared: the thinnest outer layer of the problematic tooth is removed, and the veneer is fixed in its place. This construction not only allows for the restoration of tooth integrity in a single session but also enables the adjustment of its shape and color.

Summary

These methods can help address the situation if a part of your tooth has chipped or if a tooth has significantly crumbled. However, if your tooth or several teeth are breaking into pieces, don’t hesitate to consult a dentist promptly. They can assist in rectifying the situation and restoring the integrity of the tooth if possible. Additionally, the dentist will provide effective methods to prevent this in the future. At our clinic, Vip Dental Care, we can also help address this issue. Give us a call, and we will schedule an appointment for you at the earliest available time slot.