As you get older, you might start to notice tiny hairline cracks on the surface of your teeth. These cracks are usually craze lines or fractures. Read on to learn about the differences between the two and what you can do about them.
Craze Lines: What to Know
Craze lines are common. As your teeth age, they can develop these tiny hairline cracks on their surfaces. This is usually down to general usage and natural wear and tear.
Regular craze lines don't need any treatment. These lines don't usually go deep enough into the teeth to cause problems.
However, in some cases, excessive crazing can be a sign of an underlying dental or oral problem. People who grind their teeth or bite their fingernails are more likely to develop craze lines early. Their habits cause surface stress and damage.
Some people also don't like the way crazing looks on their teeth. This can be a bigger problem if the lines stain and become more visible. This will happen if you smoke or drink a lot of dark drinks like red wine, tea, and coffee.
Your dentist can help you make these lines look less visible. For example, a professional cleaning can remove stains. Tooth whitening treatments also sometimes help. If you have a lot of crazing, then your dentist might agree to use bonding or veneer treatments to cover the lines.
Craze Fractures: What to Know
The majority of craze lines don't cause dental problems. However, some people occasionally develop craze line fractures.
These lines go deeper into teeth. They sometimes develop in areas where you have had previous dental work such as around a filling. You can usually tell if you have a deeper fracture because you'll have some symptoms.
For example, a craze fracture on a tooth can make the area more sensitive to hot and cold drinks and food. The tooth might even hurt when you bite down on it. In some cases, it might start to ache even when you aren't eating or drinking.
Craze fractures are more problematic because they open up the tooth and allow bacteria to get inside. This can cause problems with decay and infections. Your dentist will want to investigate a fracture even if you don't have any symptoms yet.
If you're worried about crazing your teeth, talk to your dentist. They can help make general crazing look less obvious and fix more serious damage.
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