Do You Have Tooth Wear?

Teeth are often worn down or chipped because of a poorly positioned bite and/or due to natural wear and tear on teeth over time.  While a certain amount of tooth wear is normal as we age, our dentists are very concerned with the presence of accelerated tooth wear.  This premature wearing down of the tooth structure means that the dentine of the tooth can become exposed which if left untreated can lead to tooth pain and eventually tooth loss.

Tooth wear can be accelerated by:  a poorly positioned bite which causes teeth to hit together incorrectly; consuming too many fizzy carbonated drinks which can erode tooth structure; persistent clenching and grinding of the teeth which can often happen when we are sleeping and which can cause teeth to chip and crack; and also incorrect or very aggressive tooth brushing techniques which can cause notching at the junction of the crown of the tooth and the roots near the gum line.    Regardless of the source of your tooth wear our dentists at Barker Dental Care can provide treatments both to remedy the cause of tooth wear as well as to correct the detrimental effects of tooth wear on your smile.

In all three cases above, Tim has completed composite restorations to rebuild the chipped and worn away tooth structure on the upper front teeth.  It is important to note that not every dentist will be able to create as aesthetically pleasing and natural looking results as Tim was able to do for these patients.  His ability to do this treatment comes from many years of experience and a great deal of continuing education to perfect these techniques.  In a matter of hours, Tim is able to reconstruct the missing tooth structure using composite which is indistinguishable from the remaining natural tooth.  This composite reconstruction treatment provides quick results at a lower cost to potential alternative treatments of multiple veneers or crowns.  The downside however is that the composite reconstructions will deteriorate (i.e. chip/stain) more quickly than porcelain restorations and therefore will need “touching up” from time to time.  If you are concerned about the chipping or wearing down of your teeth, give our reception team a ring to book your free consultation.  Our dentists can get to the root cause of your tooth wear and advise you on the treatments available.