Toothwear can give way to a myriad of dental issues.
Here at Lakewood Dental, we can swiftly diagnose tooth wear and create a tailored plan to strengthen the anatomy of each affected tooth.
Introduction to Tooth Wear Treatment
- Addresses acid erosion.
- Builds back one or more affected teeth.
- Restorative treatments such as implants, inlays, overlays crowns and composite are used to enhance your smile and improve its functionality.
Tooth Wear Treatment In a Nutshell
Tooth wear treatment encompasses restorative solutions to address the anatomy of a tooth.
The 3 elements of a tooth (enamel, dentin and pulp) can become compromised by tooth wear, affecting your quality of life and smile.
Tooth wear can occur when:
- Overzealous tooth brushing has worn the enamel (the protective coating) on your teeth.
- A diet high in acid and sugar has eroded your tooth enamel. Once your enamel is eroded, the weaker dentine structure underneath it cannot stand up to the risk of cavities effectively.
- A tooth becomes chipped or worn as a result of bruxism (grinding and clenching of the teeth).
How Our Patients Can Benefit From Tooth Wear Treatment
- Strengthen individual teeth to protect yourself from the risk of decay.
- Improve chewing and biting capacity.
- Improve the aesthetic condition of your teeth (shape, shade and translucency of each tooth).
- Learn the cause of your tooth wear and receive tailored advice to prevent it in the future.
- Reverse signs of ageing by building back the shape and structure of a tooth.
Your Patient Journey
Consultation
Comprehensive photos and X-rays are taken to identify the condition of your tooth. Your dentist will be able to spot the smallest issue with a tooth, so that no opportunity is missed to diagnose an issue and move forward with a clinical solution to prevent further wear.
Restoring your tooth
Your treatment plan will depend on the cause of your tooth wear. Causes of tooth wear include dietary erosion, attrition, abrasion and injury. Your dentist will suggest a restorative treatment that corresponds to a solution to the cause. They will also provide lifestyle advice to prevent tooth wear in the future, such as changes to your diet and making alterations to your at-home hygiene routine.
Aftercare
During your routine dentist appointments, we will give you personalised guidance on how to prevent reoccurring instances of tooth wear. Your dentist will continue to ask questions about your lifestyle, diet and brushing habits, which are the three factors influencing the condition and functionality of individual teeth.
FAQs
How does my dentist treat tooth wear?
This will depend on the cause of the tooth wear and how it has affected your tooth’s structures.
Some of the methods used include:
- Building your tooth up using composite resins.
- Creating a crown, onlay or overlay to fortify the tooth.
- Performing full mouth rehabilitation to address multiple worn teeth.
What happens if tooth wear goes untreated?
Although tooth wear may not sound like a severe issue, it can give way to a host of problems when it is left untreated:
- Aesthetics: loss of tooth enamel is characteristic of tooth loss. As the translucency of your tooth enamel starts to deplete, your teeth will appear discoloured.
- Chewing Function: tooth wear that compromises the shape of your teeth can lead to difficulties when you chew to break down your food. When this affects multiple teeth, you may even struggle to chew and digest harder and tougher foods.
- Pain & Sensitivity: once tooth wear has penetrated deep into a tooth, bacterial colonisation can occur, leaving you vulnerable to sensitivity and cavities.
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