Cracked Tooth Syndrome

What is Cracked Tooth Syndrome?

Cracked Tooth Syndrome- a tooth that has a crack and may be painful when biting or chewing in a certain way. The pain may be mild or intense and can last for a brief moment or a long time.  The pain is caused by the pressure of biting onto the cracked tooth; the crack opens and irritates the pulp.   The crack in a tooth is often undetectable by the human eyes.  The crack is usually too small to show up on dental x-rays. The treatment of a tooth that has the Cracked Tooth Syndrome depends on the size and location of the crack.  Treatment options may be a filling, a crown, root canal therapy, an extraction or no treatment.

Symptoms of Cracked Tooth Syndrome

·       No pain

·       Mild or intense pain

·       Sharp pain when biting down that quickly disappears; pain when biting down a certain way

·       Pain that comes and goes but does not hurt all the time; pain lasts for a brief time or a long time (months).  Pain is unpredictable.

·       Pain when eating or drinking; hot or cold temperature, or eating foods that are sweet, sour or sticky

The crack in a tooth is often undetectable by the human eyes.  So, look out for localized pain that flares up when biting down into food or when exposing the tooth to hot or cold temperature.

Diagnosis

Patients with Cracked Tooth Syndrome may have symptoms for a long time (months). It is one of the most difficult dental problems to diagnose.

·       Complete oral examination

·       Dental history

·       Symptoms

·       X-rays, fiber optic handpiece  assists the detection of the crack, stain crack with a special dye

·       Patients who have cracked teeth are likely to have other cracked teeth

Treatment depends on:

·       Location of the crack

·       The size of the crack

·       How deep the crack is

Dentist recommendations:

·       If the crack is tiny and superficial (craze line), there may be no treatment and just observation

·       Restore the tooth with a filling

·       Restore the tooth with a crown to protect further cracking of the tooth

·       Endodontic (root canal therapy) may be needed if the crack has extended into the pulp

·       Extraction of the tooth  may be necessary if the crack has extended below the gum line and into the root

Prevention

·       Avoid chewing on hard objects or foods like ice, nuts or hard candy

·       Avoid accidents: biting into frozen foods, tripping/falling on an uneven sidewalk, hitting by a hard object and others

·       Teeth grinding and clenching can increase the risk of Cracked Tooth Syndrome.  Talk to the dentist about wearing a night guard.  The night guard can be worn during sleep and other times if clenching happens during the waking hours.

Prognosis

Treatment of Cracked Tooth Syndrome may not always be successful.  Consult with the dentist about the treatment options.  In some patients, a crown may solve the dental problem.  In others, root canal therapy solves the problem.  And there are some patients who need an extraction of the tooth if the crack is deep and extensive.

Dr. Anna Lee is a general & cosmetic dentist in Glendora, CA.  She has been practicing dentistry for more than 30 years.  If you have any questions about the symptoms of Cracked Tooth Syndrome, call our office for a consultation at 626-335-5114. Or visit us at www.annaleedds.com.

Sleep Apnea

                                                  

Sleep apnea is a serious medical condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts while the patient is asleep.  There are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central and complex.                        

 Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is caused by a blockage of the airway, usually when the soft tissue in the rear of the throat collapses and closes during sleep.  Central sleep apnea occurs when the brain does not send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. Complex sleep apnea is a combination of the obstructive and central sleep apnea.  Of the three, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common. People with sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer. In most cases the sleepers are unaware of these breath stoppages because they don’t trigger a full awakening.

It is estimated that 22 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, with 80 percent of the cases of moderate and severe obstructive sleep apnea undiagnosed.  Untreated sleep apnea can lead to high blood pressure, chronic heart failure, atrial fibrillation, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems. OSA is also associated with type 2 diabetes, liver problems, depression and daytime fatigue.

OSA can strike people of any age, including infants and children, but it is most frequently seen in men over 40, especially those are overweight or obese.

For more information, contact Dr. Lee & her team today.

Caring For Primary Teeth:

Helping your child care for their primary teeth can be difficult. They may fight to brush their teeth or be afraid when they visit the dentist, or even refuse to floss. But dental health is critical in children. Here are 4 tips Dr. Anna Lee recommends, to help your child take care of their primary teeth.

·      Children younger than 3 years old, should use only a “smear” of toothpaste (about the size of a grain of rice) on the bristles of toothbrush; brush 2x daily

·      Children of 3-6 years old, use pea-size amount of toothpaste; brush 2x daily

·      Children should spit out any excess toothpaste to avoid swallowing it

·      Floss daily

For more information on how to help your child or other dental tips, contact Dr. Lee & her staff today.

Protecting Primary Teeth:

  

 Your child's primarily teeth are significant to their overall dental health. Dr. Anna Lee recommends these tips to help protect these significant teeth. 
 

• Do not put the baby to bed with a bottle of juice or milk
• Talk to the doctor about weaning the infant from the bottle or breast at age 12 to 14 months
• During the day, do not use a bottle to comfort the baby unless it is filled with plain water
• Do not dip the baby’s pacifier in sugar or sugary liquids
• Do not add sugar to the child’s food
• Clean the baby’s teeth and gums with a damp cloth or a soft toothbrush after each feeding
• Try not to share saliva with the baby through common use of feeding utensils
• Take the baby to the dentist as soon as the first tooth comes in, or no later than the first birthday
• Teach the baby to drink from a cup by his or her first birthday
• Make sure the baby is getting the right amount of fluoride

For more information on how to protect and keep your child's primary teeth, contact Dr. Anna Lee & her team today. 

Management of Bad Breath

In order to manage Halitosis there are several options:

-Oral hygiene-brush your teeth, tongue and gums after meals-floss daily, use mouthwash and visit your dentist for an exam and teeth cleaning regulary

-Dental problems-restore tooth decay, restore faulty dental work, eg. ill-fitting dentures, and consult with the periodontist for gum disease.

-Dry mouth-drink plenty of water. Chewing sugarless gum can help with the production of saliva and reduce bad breath.

-Avoid strong and spicy foods. This is because the odor from these foods is expelled from our lungs after the foods are absorbed into the bloodstream.

Lifestyle changes and choices are also contributing factors for bad breath, especially with teens. Tobacco use, eating disorders and braces are some examples of these changes and choices.

-Don't use tobacco products
-Eat a healthy and nutritious diet
-Visit the dentist for regular check ups
-Floss at least once a day
-Brush your teeth and tongue twice a day

It is essential for teenagers to learn the benefits of good oral hygiene early in life. Good oral hygiene is often the key to preventing and eliminating bad breath, along with many other dental problems. 

Anna Lee, DDS

What is Bruxism?

Bruxism is a condition that people clench their teeth during the day time or grind their teeth at night. 

Clenching occurs when the upper and lower teeth are held tightly together. Grinding occurs when upper and lower teeth slide back and forth over each other. 

Many people clench and grind their teeth from time to time and do not have any problems. 

Occasionally bruxism (teeth clenching and grinding) does not usually cause harm, but when the condition occurs on a regular basis the teeth can be damaged and other oral health complications can arise.

Can teeth sensitivity be prevented?

Teeth sensitivity can be painful, and it can impact daily activities, such as eating, drinking, brushing teeth, or even breathing cold air. Teeth sensitivity can be triggered by hot or cold food and drinks. Some people describe the pain to be sharp, sudden, and shooting deep into the nerve endings of their teeth. 

Studies have shown that over 40 million Americans have teeth sensitivity. 

What are the causes? 

What are the treatments? 

Understanding the anatomy of the tooth may help to answer some of the questions. There are four major tissues that make up the tooth. They are: enamel, dentin, cementum, and dental pulp (nerves).

-Enamel is the most outer layer of the tooth. It is the part of the tooth you see when you open your mouth, talk and smile.


-Dentin is the layer of tissues underneath the enamel and cementum. Dentin contains a large number of pores or tubes called dentinal tubules. When they are exposed to the outside stimuli, such as the hot or cold food and drinks, they stimulate the nerve of the tooth and cause teeth sensitivity. 


-Cementum is the layer of tissues that cover the root of the tooth


-Dental pulp is the center of the tooth that is filled with blood vessels and nerves.   

Anna, Lee D.D.S.

Preventing ECC/BBTD

In order to prevent ECC/BBTD: 

- Remove the bottle when baby falls asleep

- Put water in baby's bottle at nap/bed time

- Wipe off baby's teeth/gum with a damp washcloth at least twice a day and when the baby is done eathing

-Stick to a feeding schedule and limit between meal snacking 

- Try not to share saliva with the baby through common use of feeding utensils (spoons)

- Lift the child's lip to look for signs of decay

- Take the child to a CDA member dentist by age one

ECC/BBTD is an infectious and transmittable disease. The good news is that the disease is preventable. The American Academy of Pedodontics and the American Academy of Pediatrics recognizes that prevention of ECC begins in the prenatal and perinatal period. 

Anna Lee, D.D.S

Cause of ECC/BBTD

There are many factors which can cause tooth decay. One common cause is the frequent and prolonged exposure of the baby's teeth to drinks that contain sugar. An example would be infants or toddlers who snack with a bottle (juices) between meals frequently. Research shows that about five minutes after teeth are exposed to the sugar, bacteria produce the acids to begin the destruction of the enamel.

Tooth decay is also a transmissible disease. Studies show that bacteria are transmitted from mothers to children through saliva. Mothers with untreated cavities have higher levels of bacteria in their mouth and are more likely to pass bacteria to their children. An example would be the mother who puts the baby's feeding spoon in her mouth and then into her baby's mouth passing bacteria to the baby.
 

  Dr. Anna Lee, D.D.S.