Can Worn Down Teeth Be Fixed?
There are three types of dental afflictions that cause your teeth to wear down faster than average daily wear and tear including abrasion, attrition, and erosion.
Abrasion is simply the wearing down that happens due to an external force like brushing too aggressively. Attrition is wear that occurs with tooth on tooth contact, such as clenching and grinding. Erosion is tooth wear that happens due to prolonged exposure to acids. Patients with gastric reflux or bulimia have a lot of trouble with tooth erosion as do those who eat and drink products with a high acidity.
What are treatment options for worn down teeth?
Cosmetic dentistry can rebuild worn down teeth and restore them to their original length, shape, and function! Listed below are a few ways that modern dentistry can restore your smile.
Cosmetic Contouring
Minor wear can be moved by simple cosmetic contouring! Teeth with small chipped areas that are worn flat can be restored with reshaping which is very conservative, cost-effective, and does not require anesthesia.
Dental Bonding
Composite bonding is a resin material that can be tinted to match your natural tooth color; it is the same material that is used to restore a cavity. Bonding also does not require anesthesia and is generally reserved to restore posterior teeth. Bonding is very durable but the extent of bite force that is applied to interior teeth when biting and speaking can lead to chipped bonding. Bonding does not require additional loss of tooth structure and is simply applied on top of existing surfaces.
Porcelain Crowns and Veneers
Severe tooth wear can be restored with porcelain crowns and veneers. Crowns are typically reserved for posterior teeth and veneers can be applied to anterior teeth. Veneers are not appropriate for posterior teeth because they only go on the front surface of the tooth, therefore, only the teeth that show when you smile. Crowns cover the entire surface of the tooth above the gum line.
Patients that suffer from bruxism would benefit from a night guard, especially if they have worn teeth restored. Bruxism of the unconscious clenching and grinding that many of us do in our sleep and it is often an unfortunate side effect of stress. Grinding your teeth can damage enamel, cause job pain, irritate your gum tissue, and wear down your teeth. Night guards are custom-made to fit properly and provide a buffer between teeth during sleep.
Tooth wear can lead to more severe and harder to treat issues. It is important to visit your dentist as soon as you notice any flat areas on the occlusal surface of your teeth (the surface used for biting and chewing). Without treatment, tooth wear can progress and lead to fractures in the teeth, inflamed gum tissue, and even infection in the tooth.