Erosion and Tooth Wear

Explore our dedicated tooth wear site for expert insights and educational resources, all authored by our lead dentist and internationally recognised tooth wear expert, Dr Andrea Shepperson. https://www.toothwear.co.nz/

How Can You Treat Tooth Wear & Dental Erosion?

At Lumino City Dental at Quay Park, we are trained and experienced in recognising tooth wear and offering a range of solutions. These include detailed analysis of the cause, guidance on lifestyle changes, reparative products and rebuilding worn teeth with a variety of techniques to suit all budgets.

Dr Andrea Shepperson has advanced training in anti-ageing dentistry and rebuilding worn bites. A Graduate and Mentor at the Kois Center in Seattle, she has restored many worn mouths and lectures internationally on Dental Erosion and Tooth Wear.

What Does Erosion & Tooth Wear Look like?

Erosion creates enamel loss on either front or back teeth, or both.  The result is exposure of yellow dentine, creating sensitive areas that cause pain.  Sometimes just a colour change to more yellow teeth, or the development of thin, transparent edges can be a sign.

To help you recognise erosion, and see how we treat tooth wear, we’ve put together some examples.

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Beautiful porcelain restorations were crafted to restore length to 8 upper teeth. The result is stunning, and these are hard wearing, very durable material.

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“I’ve been getting so many compliments and I’m all smiles. I’m no longer hiding my smile. I just want to show off my teeth.”

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Beautiful ceramic restorations were crafted to restore length to 10 upper teeth.

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Tooth wear is common and acid erosion from a variety of sources in our diet is a big factor in enamel loss.

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Our patient had significant enamel loss which occurred over a long period of time. Acid drinks, such as herbal tea, wine and juice will cause gradual enamel loss. Teeth get darker as enamel thins and fragile edges may break or chip. Beautiful ceramic restorations were crafted to restore the 10 upper teeth.

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All cases begin with Digital Smile Design to develop ideal shapes and proportions. Beautiful ceramic restorations were crafted to restore the 10 upper teeth. The result is stunning, and these are hard wearing, very durable materials.

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Not just confined to older patients, teens and young adults are also vulnerable, as we lose tooth enamel to modern living.

Tooth Wear Affects Quality of Life

Worn teeth create major issues for patients. The effects range from mild sensitivity, to difficulty eating and facial collapse. We often see patients when pain, broken teeth or concerns about appearance prompt a consultation. There is often a loss of confidence as teeth shorten, the smile disappears and the patient becomes self-conscious..

Managing tooth wear requires more from your dentist – empathy, vision, engineering, design and artistry, precision, communication and compassion.

What Causes Tooth Wear and Erosion?

One of the biggest issues dentists and patients face today is the impact of lifestyle and diet which dissolves and damages tooth enamel. When it comes to Tooth Wear and Erosion, making lifestyle  changes is the number one solution.Tooth wear occurs when teeth lose their hard outer shell, exposing a soft inner layer. It can be caused by a variety of factors:

Acid Erosion: Modern diets are high in food acids which readily dissolve teeth. Gastric reflux also has a major role to play in tooth wear. Acid from the stomach bubbles into the mouth, often during sleep, and causes teeth to rapidly dissolve.

Dry Mouth: Caffeine, medication, aging and stress all contribute to lower saliva flow, creating Dry Mouth syndrome. Saliva helps protect teeth from acid erosion.

Grinding and Clenching: Excessive forces on teeth, caused by stress, medication and some recreational drugs can cause grinding habits.

How Can You Prevent Tooth Wear?

Prevention is key when it comes to Tooth Wear and Erosion.  Dr Andrea Shepperson  has written a blog where she shares her top recommended products to protect from further Tooth Wear and Erosion. You can read her recommendations here.

If you have concerns about your Erosion and Tooth Wear, please contact our experienced team.

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Severe wear of front teeth as a result of vomiting and reflux. Six front teeth were restored with porcelain crowns, based on Digital Smile Design and a gum lift.

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Digital Smile Design and careful measurements formed part of the case planning for this case.