Worn Teeth

Your teeth are meant to last a lifetime and in the normal course of events there is some attrition associated with age. Some people will grind or clench their teeth in an abnormal manner. This may be due to stress, hereditary issues, and even as a result of medication use. Tooth grinding is called bruxism which places heavy stresses on filled teeth and the jaw muscles including the chewing joints. When left untreated it causes excessive tooth wear, strains on the temporomandibular system of muscles and joints and has even been connected to morning headaches and TMD.

We can rebuild a worn tooth with a single crown and many worn teeth with multiple crowns. In that way we can help your mouth to regain its natural harmony, health and function.

Bruxism cannot be cured! What is necessary to do is to prevent the wear associated with this problem. If crowns are made to restore teeth, they will need the protection of an appliance which will cover the restorations. Then when grinding occurs, the plastic on the appliance will wear and not the new restorations. The grinding forces are three to five times as great as normal chewing forces and can easily fracture or crack new restorations.

There are many devices available to deal with bruxism. While these do not prevent bruxism, they do have two positive effects: they prevent tooth wear and also redirect the grinding activity so that the least amount of stress is placed on the muscles associated with jaw movement.

While decay can cause broken teeth, bruxing is the most often culprit, especially if the teeth involved have large restorations. In its most severe form, bruxing can be responsible for occlusal disease. Occlusal disease can create extraordinary wear on teeth. Unfortunately, when a significant number of teeth are involved then a comprehensive mouth reconstruction may be required to restore the mouth to health, form and function.