An individual who chronically grinds his or her teeth during sleep has probably been told by a dentist that doing so causes serious damage to the enamel over time. The teeth are gradually worn down and become progressively shorter, which is medically known as attrition. Unfortunately, preventing habitual teeth grinding often proves to be very difficult. Dentists fit patients with mouth guards to wear during sleep, but the patients commonly remove them without consciously realizing they’re doing so. If a person ever does overcome this problem, a Dental Restoration Clinic in Vancouver WA can make the teeth look aesthetically appealing again and prevent them from becoming even smaller. Bruxism is the medical term for habitual, unintentional teeth grinding.
Even if the patient cannot stop this habit, having teeth restored at a Dental Restoration Clinic in Vancouver WA may be advisable. The dentist typically adds crowns to the affected teeth, bringing them back to a more appropriate length. Depending on how much damage has occurred, the teeth may not be as long as they once were, but they will look better. After years of bruxism, teeth are not only shorter, but flattened along the bottom and often all the same length. That looks odd since it’s not normal. Restoration at a clinic such as Lewis Family Dentistry takes into account that some teeth are naturally shorter than others. The two front teeth, for instance, should be a bit longer than the others.
Crowns are the most common dental device used to restore teeth when the patient suffers from bruxism. Veneers would cover the front of the teeth, but they are not as durable as crowns, and habitual grinding damages them more rapidly. The same is true for the application of bonding material to the ends of the teeth. Patients must keep in mind that if they never overcome the habit of teeth grinding, the crowns will eventually wear down also. Some patients eventually need to have teeth extracted as the enamel wears down all the way to the softer inner parts. Now a new issue develops as to whether the person can have dental implants installed or whether bruxism will wear those down also. You can also visit them on Facebook for more information.
