Over time our teeth are prone to lots of external forces that can cause tooth wear. Clenching, grinding, and erosion are just to name a few. If this is left untreated for long enough it can cause severe damage to the teeth and change the bite in the mouth. This cannot only affect your appearance but the way you speak and eat.
What does it involve?
Using restorative materials our dentists aim to give you back what you have lost both functionally and aesthetically. Depending on what is required will depend on what is used. It is not uncommon to start with a weaker material like glass ionomer cements or composite resins to see how you find it in terms of the look and feel of your new mouth before changing over to strong more durable porcelain. This is not always the case as it is case dependant. If you are actively wearing away your teeth, then it is advised to end up with porcelain. However, if the damage is done and it does not appear to still be active glass ionomer cements or composite resins are still classified as permanent restorative materials and are used in daily practice by dentists across the world. It is not limited to this though and can also involve crowns, bridges, and implants. Missing teeth may need to be replaced and unfortunately dentures and partial plates may or may not be an option.
Once your mouth has been rebuilt, we want you to keep what you have. These can encompass a few different things.
- You may need a night guard if you are clenching and/or grinding your teeth at night and that is causing the wear and tear on your teeth.
- You may need to modify your diet if it is too aggressive on your tooth, for example lots of acidic food and beverages, lots of hard nuts and bones.
- You may need to speak to you doctor or specialist if you are having problems with medications or medical conditions in terms of reflux, vomiting, sleep apnoea and similar problems.
- You need to make sure you brush and floss your teeth well twice daily with a good technique and for the correct amount of time.
- You need to come in every 3, 4, or 6 months are recommended for your routine maintenance appointments.
- You may need some serving on your dental work, just like our cars need serving every so often to keep them running smoothy.
Please make a consultation with one of of friendly dentists today to find out more about what we can do for your smile.