Worn teeth are common these days, not only in older people but also in adults. Teeth erosion can be prevented, and the teeth can be rebuild and reshaped using different cosmetic and general dentistry methods. First of all it is necessary to find the cause for appropriate treatment because a teeth may be worn down for many reasons.
Some wear to teeth is a natural side effect of aging, with worn teeth becoming smaller and darker in colour. This is mainly an aesthetic problem, unless it starts to affect your bite or contribute to a temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) which can lead to headaches, earaches, neck or back pain.
Dr. Swastik Satpathy, BDS
Dentist – Specializes in teeth worn treatment
Cosmetic Dentist & Surgeon, Implantologist, 10 Years Experience
Innovative Smile Dental Clinic Khandagiri, Bhubaneswar,
Other locations – Phulnakhara, Tangi (Khordha)
Causes of Worn Teeth
Tooth wear is majorly the result of three processes; attrition, abrasion and erosion. These forms of tooth wear can further lead to a condition known as abfraction, where by tooth tissue is ‘fractured’ due to stress lesions caused by extrinsic forces on the enamel.
Attrition – Attrition is loss of tooth substance caused by physical tooth-to-tooth contact.It has been associated with bruxism or teeth grinding.
Abrasion – Abrasion is loss of tooth substance caused by physical means other than teeth. Causative factors may include vigorous, horizontal tooth brushing, pipe smoking or nail biting. It has also been shown that improper use of dental floss or Toothpicks can lead to wear on the interproximal (in-between) surfaces of the teeth.
Erosion – Erosion may occur with excessive consumption of acidic foods and drinks, or medical conditions involving repeated regurgitation and reflux of gastric acid.
Bruxism – a major cause of worn teeth
One of the main factors that can lead to worn down teeth is involuntary tooth grinding or clenching, known as bruxism. Although often brought on by stress, in many cases it is an unconscious action performed during the day and/or whilst asleep.
While there are several cosmetic dentistry procedures that can deal with teeth worn down by excessive grinding, it is ideal to try to control bruxism first before getting any kind of restoration done.
Many dentists recommend using a mouth guard or a mouth splint, especially during sleep. A clear, thin, plastic appliance, a mouth guard is designed to be worn by the patient at night to protect teeth from all that grinding. A mouth splint, on the other hand, is quite similar to the mouth guard, except that it’s thicker and longer-lasting.
Some patients, however, opt for Botox injections, which help relieve the muscle of the jaw to prevent it from clenching. The effects of Botox can last from one to four months.
Treatment Options
If any of the above treatments work and the bruxism is already under control, then you can go to a cosmetic dentist to undergo procedures that would restore the beauty and function of your teeth. Here are some of the cosmetic dentistry procedures available to a bruxism patient.
Dental Crowns – Since the grinding can cause the enamel to crack or break, installing dental crowns can preserve and protect the remaining teeth. A dental crown is a tooth-shaped cap that is placed over the tooth to restore its shape, size, strength, as well as to improve its appearance.
Porcelain Veneers – Just like dental crowns, veneers restore the beauty and strength of the teeth, but they still do differ in some ways. Veneers, which are wafer-thin sheets of shells glued onto the tooth to restore its size, shape, and strength, are only attached to the front of the tooth except the molars.
Dental Bonding – Dental bonding is the easiest and the least expensive of all the procedures that can help patients with bruxism. The dental bonding process involves the use of a composite resin to bond and shape the cracked tooth. It can be polished to easily match the teeth and their surroundings, thus making the difference barely noticeable once the procedure is done. Dental bonding can also be used to close gaps between the teeth or correct tooth discoloration.
