horizontal "crack" across lateral incisor?

[georgegeorge15]

hey guys, noticed something when I was brushing my teeth this morning and it really freaked me out. I noticed a horizontal line that perfectly divides my lateral incisor in two. It is almost unnoticeable to the naked eye but when I place a phone flashlight behind the tooth it is easily visible. It does not cause me any pain and appears to be greyish in color. I was hoping it was a craze line, but that doesn't seem to be the case based on the fact that a) it stretches across the entire tooth and b) it is horizontal. i chipped my front tooth pretty badly from falling face first into concrete a few months back and fear that i may have additionally fractured this tooth without realizing it, although I would hope my dentist would have noticed and notified me if that were true. Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mohsin Patel]

Hi George,
Horizontal cracks on incisor teeth is more common than one would expect. In most cases, this is usually a 'hairline' cracking which only propagates through the enamel. Hence, it is usually harmless.
Unfortunately, the biggest concern is that over time it tends to pick up staining which makes the cracking appear more obvious and unsightly. Therefore, in the future you may decide to have a composite restoration or veneer to improve the aesthetics of this tooth.
Visit my page on composites and veneers if you want more information on these treatments for the future.

[link removed by admin]

I hope this helps.