Treating Worn Down Teeth
Sometimes, a person’s teeth wear down because of a pathology, like chronic grinding or clenching of the teeth or because of consistent exposure to dietary acids. In many cases, however, wear on the teeth is simply due to aging. As the teeth become smaller and appear darker, it can become embarrassing to smile, and newly shaped teeth can also affect a person’s bite and cause larger issues to occur. Thankfully, there are many ways to treat worn down teeth, and your dentist can help you determine which approach will work best for you. Regardless of the treatment you choose for your worn down teeth, make sure you also address the underlying causes of tooth wear to prevent additional wear from occurring and affecting your new dental restorations. Of course, if your teeth have worn due to aging, you can’t control that, but you can help maintain your oral health and overall health with good oral hygiene and a balanced diet, which will help keep your repaired teeth happily, healthily in your mouth for years to come.
There are several different treatments that can be used to treat worn down teeth, largely depending on the cause of the issue and the extent of the wear and damage the teeth have sustained. In some cases, the teeth themselves can be gently filed in cosmetic contouring procedures, removing rough areas or chips at the edges of the teeth. When the teeth are more substantially worn down, other treatments will be recommended. Crowns are a very common solution for significantly worn down teeth and involve a dentist reshaping the existing teeth and then capping them with prosthetic teeth, or dental crowns, which are bonded in place. Dental bonding is a minimally invasive solution that uses a composite tooth-colored resin that is sculpted over the teeth to cover wear or imperfections and that works best in cases of mild to moderate tooth wear. Porcelain dental veneers are another cosmetic procedure that can help restore the appearance and function of your teeth. While porcelain veneers are highly effective at repairing the appearance of mildly or moderately worn teeth, especially in the front of the mouth, they’re not recommended for more significant cases of tooth wear. Other ways to treat worn down teeth could include surgical methods like orthognathic surgery. If the situation is bad enough, extraction may be required.
In addition to the clearly visible symptoms of worn down teeth, teeth that have begun to wear down and lose protective enamel may become increasingly sensitive, especially when exposed to extreme temperatures or sugary foods and drinks. They may also appear translucent, especially at the edges, and be more prone to chipping. When the teeth wear down because of bruxism, orthodontic treatment or oral splints may be recommended to prevent damage from continuing. In other cases, dietary changes can stop the teeth from eroding, and treating medical conditions that accompany excessive acidity in the mouth can also help halt dental destruction. Sometimes, behavior-modification techniques can help reduce the causes of tooth wear by abrasion, and in all cases, addressing the underlying cause of dental wear is an integral part of maintaining the integrity and appearance of the teeth once they have been repaired. The materials used for porcelain veneers, bonding, and crowns vary in their durability and can be damaged just like the natural teeth, so maintaining newer, healthier habits can help you keep your smile strong and attractive over the long term and prevent more damage from arising.