Wear on front teeth is a common problem that is seen every day in dental offices. As you can see from these photos, this can range from moderate (photo above) to quite severe (see photo below). The patient in the first photo has wear on her lower front teeth which was caused by veneers on her upper front teeth that were too bulky. As the teeth wear down, the bite or occlusion becomes more and more closed, which leads to more wear and shorter teeth.
This problem is exacerbated by the fact that the layer below the enamel (dentin) wears 7 times faster than the enamel…which is the hardest substance in the body. If left untreated, the problem becomes more severe and significantly costly to correct. (as in the second photo). To prevent this effect, the patients’ type of natural bite has to be considered when choosing a material and shape of crowns, bridges, and veneers placed in the mouth. Contact or call us if you have any questions.
