I have a grey vertical line on my front tooth that I’m a bit worried about
Q. Dear Rob I know this may not be exactly your speciality but I have a grey vertical line on my front tooth that I’m a bit worried about. One dentist has told me that it’s nothing, a natural feature of enamel (or something along those lines!) and another dentist said that it might need root treating in the future. Obviously this second opinion has scared me a bit. I do sometimes feel a tingling sensation in the tooth but it is *never* sensitive to hot/cold or touch of any kind. I think the line was caused by clenching my teeth at night and I’m now looking at getting a night guard. Could you let me know what these vertical grey lines tend to be and whether treatment or cosmetic improvement is necessary? Best wishes,
A.
Dentists commonly see lines in the enamel that are surface fractures and quite harmless. To treat them all would cause many more problems than it solved. Unfortunatley Xrays are seldom a good way to diagnose which are significant. The best way is to follow the symptoms over time, it is an art not a science. Many other things can confuse eg the tingling may be a response to habitual grinding or clenching.
If you are aware that you might be clenching try the night gaurd first because it is non invasive & simple. If the problem persists a veneer may have 2 advantages, it will had the mark and splint the tooth across the fracture.
An initial consultation at StJohns Birmingham is free if you would like to discuss this in more detail
Rob
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