Our Dental Blog

Tooth enamel is the hardest material in the human body. It has to be so it can stand up to daily use for biting and chewing, then still be able to have a healthy,beautiful smile? Unfortunately, sometimes our teeth cannot handle the stresses we subject them to, and they start breaking. Once they start breaking,they often don’t stop, with many teeth breaking one after the other. Here are some common reasons why your teeth might be breaking, along with insights to help you identify potential causes and prevent future issues. If you’re experiencing dental problems, don’t hesitate to contact Rochester,NY dentists for expert advice and care.

Genetic Factors

Sometimes, tooth problems are genetic. As with so many aspects of the body, tooth strength is not the same for everyone. There’s a wide range of strengths in dental enamel and dentin. At the extreme weak end,we have genetic conditions that weaken teeth. Dentinogenesis imperfecta is when the dentin, the middle layer of your tooth, doesn’t form correctly. Amelogenesis imperfecta is a genetic condition where the outer layer of the tooth, the enamel, doesn’t form correctly. Both conditions can make your teeth more likely to break.

Other people have weak dentin or enamel without meeting the criteria for an imperfecta diagnosis.

Medications

If you experience multiple broken teeth, check the listed side effects of your medications. In some cases, medicines might cause effects that weaken your teeth. They might, for example, make it hard for your body to absorb calcium. Or they might cause dry mouth. If you suspect medications contribute to your broken teeth, talk to your doctor about alternative medications, different dosages, or strategies to deal with risks.

Acidic and Sugary Food

Your tooth enamel is strong and hard, but it’s weak against acidic attack. If you regularly eat acidic foods like citrus or vinegar, it can weaken your teeth. Acidic drinks can be harmful, too. Wine, energy drinks,fruit juices, and more can all damage your teeth.

Sugary drinks and foods can cause similar damage because it feeds oral bacteria that excrete acid after eating. Bacteria clinging to your teeth put the acid directly on your teeth to create cavities where they can shelter.

Poor Oral Hygiene

If you’re not brushing and flossing regularly (brushing twice a day and flossing once daily), you might have acidic damage to your teeth, weakening them.

However, it’s actually just as bad to brush your teeth too often or too hard. This can erode your enamel as well. To avoid damaging your tooth enamel, you should:

• Use a less abrasive toothpaste
• Don’t brush too hard (some electric toothbrushes have pressure sensors to warn     you)
• Don’t brush with toothpaste more than twice daily

We can help you find the right balance with your oral hygiene. Just enough, but not too much.

Teeth Grinding

Clenching and grinding teeth can stress your enamel, causing it to crack and erode. Initially, this might not lead to cracked teeth, but once your teeth start chipping and cracking, multiple may be affected.

Bite Problems

Biting and chewing forces should be balanced in your mouth. However, if you have bite problems, potentially related to temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ or TMD), your bite might pressure certain teeth,causing them to chip and crack.

Having crooked teeth can also lead to uneven bite forces. Some teeth might be positioned to take the brunt of bite forces, while others are positioned to help. This makes some teeth more likely to crack and break.

Dehydration and Dry Mouth

If your mouth gets dry regularly, your teeth can suffer. Saliva helps with many potential dangers to your teeth. First, saliva has antibacterial properties to reduce the amount of harmful bacteria in your mouth. Second, saliva can neutralize acid, reducing the impact of acidic food sand drink on your teeth. Finally, your saliva has minerals that help your teeth strengthen themselves. It’s the closest thing we have to healing teeth. It’s as low process, but your teeth can weaken without it.

Try not to get dehydrated too often. If you regularly experience dry mouth, talk to your doctor or dentist about solutions.

Too Many Fillings (Especially Metal Amalgam)

Fillings can protect your teeth, but they aren’t as good as your natural tooth material.When your teeth have many fillings, they are weaker and more prone to breaking.

Metal amalgam fillings are especially problematic. These fillings are very hard and resistant to wear, but they expand and contract differently from your natural teeth. This means that when you drink hot beverages or eat hot foods, the fillings expand faster than your teeth, putting pressure on them. This can create cracks that cause your teeth to break. This is in addition to other concerns about metal fillings.

Hard Foods

Ideally, you shouldn’t eat anything much harder than a raw carrot. If you are eating very hard foods like un-popped popcorn kernels, it can contribute to breaking teeth. Crunching ice with your teeth, cracking nuts, or using your teeth for other tasks can also similarly affect your teeth.

Nutritional Deficiency

Your body needs important nutrients to be able to maintain your teeth. First, you need to get enough calcium, which is an important element for your tooth enamel. Second, you need to make sure you’re getting the vitamins that help your body absorb calcium and use it, including vitamins D and K.

Chain Reaction

Your teeth work together to handle their difficult tasks of biting and chewing. Ideally, they distribute the force between them, but once one of your teeth breaks, the forces get redistributed among the other teeth, and some teeth might be missing support from their neighbors, which are chipped or cracked. This means that after one tooth cracks, you might see a chain reaction among your other teeth.

Help for Breaking Teeth in Rochester, NY

If you are experiencing cracked, chipped, or broken teeth in Rochester, NY, let the dentists at Contemporary Dentistry help. We take a holistic dentistry approach to your problems and help you address the multiple causes that might be behind your tooth problems. We can also repair damaged teeth with dental crowns when necessary.

To learn how we can help with your cracking teeth, please call (585) 244-3337 or email Contemporary Dentistry today to schedule an appointment at our office in Rochester, NY.

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While not necessarily common, decay under a crown can happen.

Dental crowns are excellent for protecting damaged or weakened teeth, but they aren’t invincible shields against decay. Many patients are surprised to learn that crowned teeth remain vulnerable to the same decay processes that affect natural teeth.

Understanding Crown Decay – The Hidden Threat

Think your crowned tooth is completely safe from decay? Unfortunately, that’s not quite true. Decay under crowns can happen even when that protective cap seems to be doing its job perfectly. In fact, developing a cavity under crown restorations is more common than most patients realize—and it often goes undetected until significant damage has occurred.

When we place a crown on your tooth, we’re giving it armor, but like any armor, it can have weak spots. The risk of decay under your crown depends on several things—how well you brush and floss, what you eat, if that specific tooth has had a cavity or decay prior to the crown, and even how well the crown fits in the first place.

The gum line is where most of the trouble starts. That tiny seam where your crown meets your natural tooth (we call this the crown margin) can be a perfect hiding spot for bacteria. It’s like having a tiny gap under your front door—even the smallest space can let unwanted visitors sneak in.

The edges of the crown are particularly tricky spots. These areas tend to collect plaque buildup more easily since they’re harder to clean. Think of it like trying to clean in the corners of your kitchen – those edges just naturally collect more grime.

And then there’s the problem with food particles. Those tiny bits of food can get trapped around your crowned tooth, especially at the gum line. When this happens, the bacteria have a feast on your tooth enamel and any exposed root surfaces. It’s like leaving crumbs on your counter and coming back to find ants—those bacteria are just waiting for the opportunity!

That’s why we always stress good brushing habits and regular check-ups. Your crowned tooth needs just as much attention as the rest of your smile—maybe even a little more!

Warning Signs That Signal Decay Under Your Crown

Your crowned tooth might be hiding a secret problem. Recognizing the signs of decay early can save you pain and costly treatments down the road.

The first clue is often tooth sensitivity. If you wince when drinking hot coffee or eating ice cream, your crowned tooth might be telling you something’s wrong. This sensitivity to cold temperatures happens because decay can reach the nerve of your tooth as it progresses beneath the crown.

Noticed bad breath that won’t go away despite brushing? This could be your body’s way of signaling dental infections brewing under your crown. The bacteria causing decay produce sulfur compounds that create that unpleasant odor.

Pay attention to your gums, too. Sore gums around your crown aren’t normal, especially if they’re red, swollen, or bleed easily. This inflammation often points to bacteria working their way under the crown in the affected area.

Tooth pain is perhaps the most obvious warning, but it comes in different forms. You might experience a dull ache, sharp pain when biting down, or constant throbbing. These are all common signs that shouldn’t be ignored.

Other red flags include visible discoloration at the edge of your crown, a metallic taste, or feeling rough edges with your tongue where the crown meets your tooth. All these hints might mean tooth decay under the crown is developing, and it’s time to call your dentist.

Why Decay Happens Under Crowns

Your daily habits matter enormously when it comes to crowned teeth. Poor oral hygiene is the number one culprit behind crown decay. When you skip brushing, flossing or rush through your routine, bacteria build up around that crown, just waiting to cause trouble.

The fit of your crown plays a crucial role, too. Improper crown placement creates tiny gaps where bacteria can sneak in. An old crown that’s worn down or damaged may have microscopic cracks or loose margins that expose your tooth to decay risks. Think of it like a roof with small leaks—eventually, water finds its way in.

Your overall dental health creates the environment where your crown either thrives or fails. If you’re dealing with gum disease, the inflammation can expose the tooth roots near your crown, creating new vulnerable areas. It’s like trying to build a house on shifting soil – no matter how good the house, the foundation matters.

Many patients make the mistake of ignoring small dental issues until they become major problems. That small sensitivity or slight discomfort around your crown might seem minor, but when left untreated, these issues can develop into significant decay, requiring extensive treatment.

Even the highest quality new crown or beautiful ceramic crowns can’t protect your tooth without proper care. They’re tools, not magical solutions. I’ve seen perfectly placed, top-quality crowns fail within a year due to poor home care, while older metal crowns last decades in patients who take meticulous care of their teeth.

The truth is, your crown’s success depends more on what happens after you leave the dental office than what happens in the chair. Your daily habits are the real determining factor in how long your crown stays healthy.

Treatment Options for Decay Under a Crown

Discovering decay under your crown can be disappointing, but we have several effective ways to address the problem. The right approach depends on how far the decay has progressed and how much healthy tooth structure remains.

Minimally Invasive Repairs with Composite Resin

For minor decay caught early, we can sometimes remove the crown, clean out the decay, and fill the area with composite resin. This tooth-colored material bonds directly to your tooth, restoring its strength. The best part? We can often reuse your existing crown if it’s still in good condition, saving you time and money.

Root Canal Therapy: Saving Deeply Affected Teeth

When decay reaches the pulp (nerve) of your tooth, root canal therapy becomes necessary. During this procedure, we remove the infected pulp, clean the canals thoroughly, and seal them to prevent future infection. Root canal treatment has an unfair reputation—with modern techniques and proper anesthesia, it’s about as comfortable as getting a filling. After your root canal, we’ll place a new crown to protect the treated tooth.

Tooth Extraction for Severe Cases

In severe cases where decay has destroyed too much of your natural tooth structure, tooth extraction may be the only viable option. While always our last resort, removing a badly damaged tooth can prevent infection from spreading to neighboring teeth and eliminate pain. Extraction can actually prevent further tooth loss by protecting your overall oral health.

Restoration with Dental Implants

If extraction becomes necessary, dental implants offer the most natural-looking and functioning replacement option. These titanium posts serve as artificial tooth roots, providing a permanent foundation for replacement teeth. The field of restorative dentistry has advanced tremendously, allowing implants to look, feel, and function just like natural teeth.

Efficient Replacement with Same-Day Solutions

Concerned about walking around with a gap in your smile? Thanks to advanced technology, we can offer same-day crowns in many cases. Using CAD/CAM technology, we can design, mill, and place a new crown in a single appointment. This streamlined approach minimizes disruption to your life while quickly restoring your affected tooth to full function and appearance.

When to Seek Professional Help

Don’t wait until you’re in pain to check on your crowned teeth!

Warning signs like sensitivity that lingers, visible changes at your crown’s edge, or gums that bleed need immediate dental attention. The beauty of regular dental visits is catching problems when they’re small—before they become painful or expensive. During your dental check-ups, we’ll carefully examine your crowns, take periodic X-rays to see beneath them, and gently probe the margins to detect any openings. This thorough crown evaluation takes just minutes but can save your tooth.

Regular checkups typically reveal crown issues years before you notice symptoms yourself. Think of these regular visits as maintenance for your smile – just like changing your car’s oil prevents engine failure, consistent dental care prevents crown failure. Most patients with crowns should be seen every six months to ensure optimal oral health, though some conditions might warrant more frequent monitoring.

Protecting Your Dental Investment

Your crowned teeth need consistent care to prevent decay, but you’re not in this alone. Regular professional care combined with diligent home hygiene gives your crowns the best chance for a long, problem-free life.

Don’t wait for symptoms to appear—schedule your check-up today to ensure your dental work stays in top condition for years to come. Your smile is worth the investment!

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Spring is surely upon us, and summer is steadfastly approaching. Despite a recent forecast of a frost advisory in Monroe County (with temperatures in the 30s – in May!), with the warmer weather upon us, we are ready to get out in the sun and enjoy some time with family and friends. 

This means you want to look your best, whether going to a corporate picnic, family event, or a casual wine tasting at the Canandaigua Wine Trail.

Losing a veneer can put a heavy damper on your confidence and make you panic. A visit to your cosmetic dentist in Rochester, NY will have you looking and feeling great again – just in time for some sun, fun, and relaxation for summer.

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We Know How Much You Love Your Veneers

You already know: porcelain veneers in Rochester, NY, are a great way to replace missing teeth and enhance your smile. Whatever dental cosmetic issues you have suffered from – such as crooked or discolored teeth or gaps between your teeth – chances are, your porcelain veneers were life-changing to your smile. Porcelain veneers in Rochester can last up to 15 years – or longer – if you care for them properly – and they are highly stain-resistant! It doesn’t get much better than that. 

But what happens on the off-chance a veneer falls off? No need to panic over a porcelain veneer replacement in Rochester, NY. Your first step? Schedule an appointment with one of our dentists at Contemporary Dentistry in Rochester, NY. Drs. Messer, Belous, Calcagno, Geminiani, and Palacio will have you on the fast track to a stellar smile again.

Contemporary Dentistry Offers Effective Cosmetic Dentistry In Rochester

A porcelain veneer falling off may seem like life or death – but for an experienced cosmetic dentist in Rochester, NY – it is just another opportunity to keep a patient smiling. Our doctors are no strangers to dental emergencies, and they have extensive experience in porcelain veneers and veneer replacement. Dr. Anna Belous and Dr. Adriana Palacio will serve all your porcelain needs.

When you realize your veneer is missing, please call us at (585) 244-3337. Our doctors and office staff will give you specific instructions on protecting your natural tooth underneath the veneer. Please do not try to reattach the veneer yourself – leave this up to the professionals at Contemporary Dentistry! Once you schedule the soonest appointment, we will ensure your porcelain veneer is replaced using the latest and most advanced technology of Rochester cosmetic dentistry available – so you can leave the dentist’s chair feeling and looking your best! You will also receive a thorough examination of the tooth, to determine if it can be recemented or is needing to be replaced as well as a glance at the entirety of your overall oral health to make sure all is well.

Buffing your tooth, sending scans to the lab, and bonding your new veneer to your tooth will take approximately three weeks from start to completion (and just a couple of office visits.) Once you have your beautiful new veneer placed, please give yourself a few weeks to adapt to this new restoration. The result will be just what you are looking for: your veneer will very much resemble and function like your natural tooth.

Can I Save My Broken Veneer and Reuse It?

The simple answer is: getting the broken veneer replaced with a completely new veneer is the best option for you. Our team of doctors aims for perfection in cosmetic dentistry in Rochester – providing you with a new porcelain veneer to complete your smile.

Keep Smiling Bright With Porcelain Veneers in Rochester, NY

Your smile is one of your greatest assets. Whether you are enjoying a juicy burger at Jim’s on Main or perusing the produce at the Rochester Public Market, you want to make sure your smile is something to write home about. It will boost your confidence and, thus, improve your mental health as a result! Contemporary Dentistry offers cosmetic dentistry in Rochester, NY, utilizing the most natural and holistic approach to restoring and protecting your smile. 

If you have lost a porcelain veneer in Rochester and need it replaced ASAP, please call (585) 244-3337 to schedule an appointment or use our online form. Here at Contemporary Dentistry, we are ready to have you leaving our office thrilled with your smile – and your entire experience with us!

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