Question, not advise

Flange/Flanders

Hi, not looking for dental advice or anything but would it be reasonable to expect a dentist to have picked up on a tooth that is about to fracture if the check up took place a few days before it?

davo10

Flange/Flanders wrote: »

Hi, not looking for dental advice or anything but would it be reasonable to expect a dentist to have picked up on a tooth that is about to fracture if the check up took place a few days before it?

No. Unfortunately it is no more possible to predict when a tooth will fracture than it is possible to predict when a fall will result in a leg fracture. All teeth have craze/fracture lines on the surface as a result of the loads placed on them when chewing/grinding but those lines are mostly on the surface. Dentists have no way of knowing how deep those lines penetrate the enamel/dentine so have no way of knowing how weak or strong the cusp of the tooth is. Also, biting certain foods on some susceptible surfaces can increase the risk of fracture, like unpopped popcorn or hard nuts. Grinding can also lead to increased risk of fracture as can the size of existing fillings, the larger the filling the thinner the surrounding enamel/dentine therefore the more likely the tooth is to fracture.

Remember, it is not always what you are eating when the tooth breaks that has done the damage, that may just be the final push needed to get the piece to break off.

Oral Surgeon

bureau2009

Out of interest, when a tooth fractures what are the clinical options?

Dianthus

bureau2009 wrote: »

Out of interest, when a tooth fractures what are the clinical options?

Depends on the type& extent of the fracture.
Filling, crown, or extraction.