Dental abrasions occur when your teeth are worn down by external forces repeatedly applied to the surface of your teeth (as opposed to tooth-on-tooth contact). Over time, dental abrasions may not just impact the appearance of your teeth but put you at risk for serious and costly dental issues. At Dentist of Cerritos, we can treat dental abrasions to keep your smile whole and healthy.
A dental abrasion occurs when the tooth’s surface is worn away by something consistently rubbing or scraping against it. The result is typically a V-shaped notch on the lower two-thirds of the tooth near the gum line.
Closely related to dental abrasions is enamel erosion. The two are similar but erosion presents itself as a sort of scooped-out indentation in the enamel, not the V-shape of dental abrasions. Erosion is caused by acids from:
Note: Dental abrasions are not the same thing as air abrasion. The latter is a dental technique your Cerritos dentist uses to remove stains and even shallow decay.
Besides the V-shaped notches along the gum line, you might also notice:
Dental abrasion is caused when external forces wear down the enamel on a tooth. Following are some of the most common causes of this type of wear.
Brushing your teeth at least twice daily is important, but you can overdo it. Over-brushing is when you brush too vigorously, for too long, or with the wrong kind of toothbrush. Overly abrasive toothpaste can also contribute to dental abrasion.
Using your teeth as tools can wreak havoc on your enamel over time. Additionally, constantly chewing on toothpicks, pencils, fingernails, or other items can cause dental abrasion.
Dentures or retainers that don’t fit properly can cause dental abrasion as well. If you notice any changes in your mouth while wearing appliances or any of the symptoms of dental abrasion, contact your Cerritos dentist right away.
Since dental abrasions aren’t caused by dental decay, you might assume there’s either no rush to treat them or that you don’t have to treat them at all. Unfortunately, dental abrasions aren’t just a cosmetic issue.
Constant friction against your enamel weakens it until it finally wears away, making you more susceptible to cavities, gum disease, and even infection. Teeth that have suffered dental abrasion may become increasingly sensitive to heat and cold, too, making eating sometimes painful.
Left untreated, the nerve of your tooth can become inflamed and irritated. Oftentimes, the only way to treat a damaged nerve is with root canal treatment.
So much of the enamel can wear away that a tooth is no longer able to sustain regular bite pressure. In some cases, a tooth will break off at the gumline because of this weakened state. Sometimes we can restore the tooth with a dental crown. In other cases, we have to extract the tooth and place either an implant, a fixed bridge, or a removable partial denture.
For mild dental abrasions, your Cerritos dentist will apply a fluoride treatment to strengthen the enamel. More advanced abrasions may require a composite filling or dental bonding, which can repair and replace lost tooth structure.
If your dentist decides that a filling or bonding is necessary, they’ll first evaluate the health of your tooth and the surrounding gum tissue. They want to make sure they remove decay and treat any gum inflammation if needed.
Once the tooth is free of decay (if there was any to begin with), they’ll place the composite filling material into the concavity and shape it so that it dovetails with your natural tooth structure.
The filling/bonding looks completely natural and provides the tooth with added strength.
Another treatment option for more severe dental abrasions in Cerritos is to place a porcelain veneer on the front of the tooth. This is a beautiful, stabilizing, and long-lasting treatment option.
Thankfully, yes, you can prevent dental abrasions. Even if you’ve been treated by your Cerritos dentist for enamel abrasions, you can take the following precautionary steps to reduce the likelihood of developing more abrasions on otherwise healthy teeth.
The cost to treat dental abrasion depends on the extent of the damage. Fluoride treatments are very inexpensive and may be covered by your dental plan as a preventative treatment.
Restorative dental treatments such as crowns, fillings, and bonding may be necessary in severe cases. These treatments require more time and costlier materials.
Our helpful staff will discuss your treatment options with you. They’ll also give you an idea of how much your insurance will pay and discuss affordable payment options as well.
Our goal is to help you prevent dental issues before they start. We’re well-equipped to provide you with exceptional restorative dental treatment but why get it when you can prevent problems in the first place.
This is why we urge all our patients to visit their Cerritos dentist regularly. When Dr. Omid sees you twice a year, he can monitor the health of your teeth and gums. He can monitor anomalies that could turn into costly issues and provide recommendations (like fluoride treatments) to help keep problems from developing.
If it’s been a while since your last appointment, call our team to schedule an appointment. We look forward to seeing you!
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