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Front Tooth Erosion

asked 2 years ago by Deb1975 in St. Cloud, MN
Latest answer by Randall LaFrom, DDS
Question viewed 915 times
Tags: teeth

My top 2 front teeth are eroding a little bit from grinding them in my sleep. I am wondering what I should do with them. I need to get them fixed fairly quickly though.

I have always had wonderful, white and straight teeth, and over the last year or 2 from back pain flaring-up I have been having the problems with my 2 front teeth and don't want to look like a hillbilly.

I don't have a lot to spend, but really need to do something before worse happens I fear. Please help. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks :)

9 answers to Front Tooth Erosion

+1

Save your teeth from wearing down...

There are several reasons you could be wearing down just your front teeth. If you have been in bed more because of back pain, it is possible you might be more of a 'mouth-breather'. If you breath more through your mouth, either from laying on your back or plugged sinuses, it dries out your teeth. The saliva buffers acid from foods and drinks we ingest. If you have no or less saliva from either mouth breathing, medications, or smoking, the saliva stays acidic and this can also... more
Randall LaFrom, DDS

San Jose Cosmetic Dentist
+1

Bruxism

Grinding at night is called bruxism and it can be because of many reasons including uneven bite, stress, etc. The best treatment will be to get a nightguard which will try to reduce the impact of grinding on your teeth. The damage that had already been done can be corrected by restorations  , crowns, etc but the importance of Nightguard cannot be neglected even after the damage has been fixed. Also , if you experience any kind of pain in your Jaw joints, TMJ, you should see... more
Dalvir Pannu, DDS

San Jose Cosmetic Dentist
+1

Your teeth are in the way.

Your body wants to position your lower jaw in a more forward position and your front teeth are in the way.  Believe it or not this is most likely contributing to your back pain.  Think about your head as a ten pound bowling ball that needs to be balanced on your neck to not overwork any muscle groups.  Your bite most likely causes a forward head position which can strain  the neck and shoulder muscles.  You need to fix your bite first with an orthotic and then... more
Tom Hedge, DDS

Cincinnati Cosmetic Dentist
+1

Protect your teeth.

Your dentist can make you a nightgaurd that will protect your teeth from further wear.  If you would like to correct the damage that has already been done, you may need boding or a veneer.  If you choose to restore the teeth a nightguard still must be worn.  This will also help protect the restorations.  Wearing a nightgaurd is an important preventative tool.
Kimberly Johnson Genc, DDS

Newport Beach Cosmetic Dentist
+1

Teeth Grinding at Night - Your Bite!

The grinding or "brusxim" you are experiencing at night is usually caused by an uneven bite. The grinding is body's nautral way of tryig to fix your bite that is off!  First and foremost you need to fix the problem, which is the bite, and than worry about a protective plastic bite guard to wear at night to make sure you do not cause any more erosion to your front teeth. We use a device called " the best bite discluder" in our office which is very ... more
Robert Fields, DDS

Los Angeles Cosmetic Dentist
+1

Erosion from Nighttime Grinding

Damage from grinding teeth is very common. The real issue is the way the teeth come together (occlusion) is out of harmony with the bones, muscles and joints. A thorough analysis should be conducted to determine how to best get that system back into harmony.
Mickey Bernstein, DDS

Memphis Cosmetic Dentist
+1

Grinding Can Destroy Otherwise Healthy Teeth

First of all you are not in the minority when it comes to grinding.  Many people grind their teeth at night, but the good new is there is an answer that is conservative.  Your dentist can take impressions of your teeth and fabricate an appliance that you wear when you sleep that will protect your teeth.  Over time you may see significant wear in the appliance itself, but at least you won't be damaging your teeth any longer.  Also if you are wanting to repair the... more
Gregory Allen Kerbel, DDS

Dallas Cosmetic Dentist
+1

A protective night time appliance can help prevent further destruction of teeth

Many dentists can create a plastic device to wear at night, allowing you to wear out or destroy IT instead of your teeth.  This will be replaced over time, and the frequency will depend on each person. There may be some underlying TMJ issues that should be addressed, so don't be surprised to find that this is only the first sign of something much larger.
Lance Timmerman, DMD

Seattle Cosmetic Dentist
+1

Nightguard for Grinding

If you are grinding your teeth, you must do something to protect them at night. If you are committing to any restoration or don't want your existing teeth to get worse, get a dentist to make a hard upper-only nightguard.
Jennifer Jablow, DDS

New York Cosmetic Dentist

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