Last week a new patient came to my office seeking a second opinion on 4 front veneers that were done. Her concern was that they did not match (too white/opaque) and did not look real. Well, she was right, the veneers did not look real, and they were cemented with opaque white cement, blocking out all light and creating a white-out like tooth. The sad thing was, these 4 front teeth were the least of her problems…
DISCLAIMER: This is NOT my dentistry!
After doing a complete exam, radiography’s, digital photos and a tooth by tooth analysis it became apparent that she has almost completely worn out her teeth. Bone loss was present on all teeth, pointing towards an advanced stage of gum disease. Soon she could loose all her teeth, and the aesthetics of her 4 front teeth would not matter…very sad.
Normal tooth wear usually results in us wearing out our teeth in our early to mid 50’s. The enamel, the strong outside layer of our teeth, will be worn through and the soft dentin, the underlying layer, wear out 7 times as fast. This results in quick loss of tooth structure and event loss of function and esthetics. Who wants to go through that? You won’t be able to chew very well, and your smile will be anything but good looking.
Living a long and healthy life is everyone’s goal. Once we retire we want to do all the things we could not do before. That will not be the time to spend a lot of time and money on your teeth. At that point you want to live your life to its fullest!
So, here at Ideal Dentistry I rebuild smiles and mouths every single day. I do not put blinders on and focus on only your 4 front teeth. I am a mouth “doctor”, not a tooth mechanic. This means it is my duty to help you live a long and healthy life, focusing on how your teeth relate to that. Being able to chew and smile is something we take for granted until it goes away.
Rebuilding a smile is difficult and requires experience. Smile “rejuvenation” is something I enjoy and have been doing for many years. I combine aesthetics and function with every case, making sure you do not run into the same trouble that this patient did. You can have a beautiful lasting smile, it is completely up to you.
If you are wearing out your teeth and would like a consultation on how to keep your teeth for the rest of your life, call Ideal Dentistry today and schedule a Quick Look Consultation to get an idea of where you stand.
502-228-4585
3 comments on “Cosmetic Dentistry: CASE STUDY – Wearing Out Your Teeth”
Are You Outliving Your Teeth | Ideal Dentistry – Dr. Christian W. Hahn
[…] Here is a case study about a patient that came to my office with worn out teeth: WORN OUT TEETH […]
Vimal Mittal
I have front upper three teeth and lower 4 teeth which are completely worn out. There is a tremendous sensitivity has increased and none of tooth paste (including provident) is not helping anymore. I need some other alternative so I can eat and drink hot and cold food.
I am willing to go for anything feasible options.
Thanks.
hahndds
Dear Vimal,
First, you need to find out why your teeth are worn out otherwise all treatment will fail.
1. Correct the reason behind the wear (function issue?)
2. Rebuild teeth – the second and 3rd layer of your tooth is exposed, dentin and root. These are always going to be more affected by acid and very sensitive. Restore the teeth with the proper restoration after fixing the reason behind the breakdown and you should feel a lot better.
In short, find a dentist that can solve problems, not just patch things. Toothpastes won’t help very much anymore.
Hope this helps.
Keep smiling,
Dr. Chris