As the years go by minor deviations can develop in the alignment of your teeth. This can cause the biting edge of one tooth to wear on the lingual surface of another. This can gradually start to affect the structural integrity of the localized tooth enamel.
It might also cause bacterial deposits to accumulate on the compromised surface. This could promote the development of a severe cavity. Even if you do not experience additional tooth decay, the compromised structural integrity could also increase your chances of suffering a dental fracture.
To effectively treat a case of a severe dental attrition, our dentists, Dr. Macon Sapp and Dr. Baxter Sapp, might recommend a dental crown restoration. Â
This mode of treatment starts with numbing the tooth and local gum tissues before meticulously removing the remainder of the tooth’s enamel layer. This leaves behind a small post of dentin. This abutment will eventually serve to anchor your new dental crown.
An impression will be created of the abutment and all other related teeth in your dentition. It will be sent to a dental lab where your dental crown will be produced from either gold, base metals, or dental porcelain-ceramic.
When it’s ready, our dentist will cement the dental crown onto the anchoring abutment with a special dental adhesive. If he has concerns a minor adjustment might be made to minimize the relationship with the tooth that caused the dental attrition. This might include a dental contouring treatment or even recommending orthodontic solutions
If you live in the Durham, North Carolina, area and you have a tooth that has been compromised by dental attrition, you should call 919-489-9171 to seek treatment at H.T. Macon Sapp, DDS.