Tooth Wear Solutions

We can help you feel fantastic again

If enamel wears away, the underlying dentine becomes exposed. This can make our teeth far more sensitive to cold, and even breathing in air or exercising can become uncomfortable. The teeth can become thin and fragile and more prone to fracture. They can also start to look chipped and broken, ageing our smile beyond our years and making us self-conscious. Teeth cannot repair themselves, and without help will continue to deteriorate.

It can be a knock to your confidence to sustain any degree of tooth wear, particularly when it becomes more advanced. Our experienced dentists can help restore your smile, improve your self-esteem and enable you to eat with confidence once more.

Types of tooth wear

Attrition

This is caused by excessive contact between the teeth. Our teeth routinely contact for just seventeen minutes per day – that’s not very much at all! If you grind their teeth during the night or clench your teeth during the day when you are stressed or concentrating, your teeth are in contact for much longer, causing tooth wear.

Patients suffering from attrition usually have shorter teeth than usual. The front teeth become flat with no individual outline, and the top and bottom teeth fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. The back teeth become very flat and smooth.

Erosion

This is caused by excessive acid in the mouth, due to a medical condition or diet. Patients suffering from erosion usually have pitted or jagged teeth. The front teeth become very thin, almost translucent and sometimes sensitive. The back teeth become pitted, causing small foods such as seeds and pips to get stuck.

Abrasion

This is caused by excessive rubbing of the teeth from an external source, usually the bristles of a toothbrush. Many years of overzealous brushing can cause your gums to recede and the root surfaces of your teeth to become exposed. Continued use of a manual toothbrush can cause grooves at the neck of the teeth, where they meet the gum.

Patients suffering from abrasion usually have gum recession and teeth will look longer. The root surfaces can become very sensitive and the grooves can become stained.

How can we help?

In recent years, there have been excellent advances in the technology and understanding of adhesive dentistry. This allows us to treat tooth wear with more conservative techniques than ever before, using a combination of composite resin and adhesive porcelain to create beautiful and natural-looking results. Bonding is now so powerful that even very broken down teeth can be fixed and restored back to their original shape.

At St James Dental, we have two dentists specifically trained in tooth wear. Dr Ollie Stew and Dr Chris Marston have both completed a Master’s degree in Restorative Dentistry at the prestigious Eastman Dental Institute. Their knowledge and experience in treating patients with tooth wear means you are in safe hands and can be confident in the results.

Patient Story:

Oliver Stew used a variety of restorative and prosthodontic treatments to restore this patient’s smile. PC was unhappy with the appearance and function of his damaged teeth and had worn a denture for many years.

We used a combination of white composite resin and adhesive porcelain to restore 19 of his teeth back to their original shape and appearance. We replaced his top denture with a large span porcelain bridge by lightly preparing three teeth, and we filled his bottom gap with a smaller porcelain bridge by replacing two old crowns.

We used a diagnostic wax up to demonstrate the proposed end result and ensure absolute accuracy when preparing his teeth (to ensure as little tooth was prepared as possible to achieve the desired goal).

After many years, PC can finally eat and smile with complete confidence, never having to take out his denture again or worrying about his teeth wearing away.

Please click on the images below to see the before and after photos of this incredible transformation.

Treatment Gallery: