WORN DOWN TEETH

WHAT ARE WORN DOWN TEETH?

Wear and tear of teeth is normal and natural with everyday use and as we age. But sometimes brushing your teeth too hard, grinding your teeth at night or consuming acidic foods and drinks makes it worse. Worn teeth can have a huge affect on your self esteem as teeth can become smaller, darker in colour, sensitive and cause discomfort. See one of our experienced dentists at Heritage Dental Group to discuss your dental treatment options to save your teeth and improve the quality and functionality of your oral health.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF WORN TEETH?

HOW TO FIX AND MAINTAIN WORN DOWN TEETH?

Your Dentist will find out the cause of your worn-down teeth by checking your everyday eating or drinking habits, your bite, your brushing technique, biting or grinding teeth. With all the information the dentist will prepare a treatment plan to suit your individual goals and needs. Our experienced dentist will suggest one or more of the following treatments.

Dental Crowns

Dental crowns are a common treatment for worn down, broken or damaged teeth. Our dentists will use the latest CADCAM technology to scan your teeth and make crowns on site to protect and cover your damaged teeth.

Dental Bonding

Dental restorative composite tooth coloured material is used to cover the teeth and shape them. This is a quick and cost-effective options but has a limited life.

Dental Veneers

Veneers are for aesthetic look, function and feel of your teeth. This involves placing a thin piece of porcelain over the front of teeth. Veneers are mostly used to repair the front of the teeth and improve the appearance of teeth.

Occlusal Splint

Your dentist will fix your worn-out damaged teeth and suggest making an occlusal splint to stop you from grinding or clenching your teeth and damaging them again. The dentist will scan your teeth or take impressions of your teeth to make a an occlusal splint.

WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF WORN-DOWN TEETH?

Bruxism

Bruxism is one of the main causes of worn-down teeth. Some people grind or clench their teeth due to stress or anxiety. Some people do it at night even without realising that they are grinding their teeth. Your dentist will suggest an occlusal splint to stop you from clenching or grinding your teeth.

Erosion

Erosion can affect the functionality and appearance of the teeth. It weakens the structure of the tooth from acidic foods and drinks. Some people experience acid reflux which can affect and damage your tooth enamel. Fizzy drinks cause more dental erosion than any other drinks. Saliva in your mouth neutralizes the acids in your mouth but still overconsuming fizzy acidic drinks, not cleaning your teeth properly can result in tooth erosion. Acidic drinks containing lemon, lime or vinegar should be avoided.

Dental Attrition

Attrition usually occurs on the biting edges of teeth (teeth to teeth). This is caused by excessive grinding and clenching and can occur at any age. Tooth wear is a part of aging, but more rapid dental attrition may be due to more major dental problems. People suffering from Bruxism or bite misalignment experience dental attrition. You have dental attrition if you notice loss of tooth structure, change in tooth shape, tooth sensitivity, sore gums, damage to your natural teeth or fillings. Seek advice from our dental professional on treating this condition.

Abrasion

Abrasion is caused by external forces like brushing your teeth too hard with a hard toothbrush, biting your nails, or chewing on something like pen or pencils. Tooth abrasion takes a long time, at the start you may not even realise its happening but over time you will notice enamel wearing down, inner layers of teeth becoming visible, your teeth might look darker. You will start experiencing sensitivity while eating hot, sour, sweet or cold foods.

WHAT IF I LEAVE MY TEETH UNTREATED?

If worn down teeth left untreated it can deteriorate the condition of teeth and affect the everyday eating or drinking and result in long term:

SEE YOUR LOCAL INDOOROOPILLY DENTIST FOR THE TREATMENT OF YOUR WORN TEETH

Our experienced team at Heritage Dental Group will work with you to restore your damaged teeth and prevent further damage. Our Indooroopilly dentist will provide composite bonding, cosmetic contouring, crowns and an occlusal splint to save your teeth from further damage.

For more information, please feel free to contact our team on 07 38783384 or Book online here.