Have you ever looked in the mirror after drinking red wine or another tooth-staining food and noticed itsy bitsy vertical cracks on your teeth? Those small cracks are called craze lines and they’re actually a totally normal part of aging. Over a lifetime, your teeth endure a lot of stress from chewing and other activities such as biting your nails or grinding your teeth. The stress causes the surface of the enamel to crack.
The good news is that tooth enamel is the strongest material in the human body, so it’s very resistant to damage. These hairline cracks in your teeth may be displeasing to the eye, but ultimately they’re harmless. Unless your teeth encounter significant trauma or stress, the craze lines should not be anything to worry about.
What to do about Small Cracks in Teeth
In most cases, craze lines can be left as-is. Like we mentioned before, you don’t have to be too concerned about the craze lines turning into full-blown cracks. However, if you’re unhappy with the appearance of those small cracks in your teeth, there are a few solutions.
- Teeth Whitening – In most cases, the appearance of craze lines can be lessened with teeth whitening. The staining pigments in rich-colored foods and beverages gravitate towards the small cracks in teeth and cause the lines to appear more prominent. Talk to Dr. Wolnik today to learn about your teeth whitening options or read this blog to learn if teeth whitening is right for you.
- Veneers – If teeth whitening doesn’t do the trick, you may consider getting veneers. Veneers are placed on the front of your teeth to cover up imperfections. Veneers will be matched to your tooth color and shape and function just like a regular tooth!
Contact Dr. Wolnik Today!
If you’re concerned about small cracks in your teeth, contact Dr. Wolnik today! He has more than ten years of experience providing cosmetic dental services to patients in the Parma Heights, Ohio area. Give us a call at (440) 888-5055 or send us an email at [email protected]!
Connect with Dr. Wolnik on Social Media