The Ageing Dentition by Douglas Urban, DDS

Wouldn’t it be nice if our skin never aged, sagged, wrinkled, or got blotchy? These are all signs of ageing. Although teeth are the hardest structures in the body they also will wear, stain, and break.

Imagine polishing a silver plated spoon twice a day for 30 years. Eventually, the spoon will become thinner, lose the silver plate and become more susceptible to bending and breakage. Brushing teeth too hard (toothbrush abrasion) will have a similar consequence.

Grinding two stones together will eventually create a flat surface between them. Chewing can also flatten and weaken the enamel shell leaving yellow soft chewing surface that will pit and dissolve quickly under chewing stresses. Habitual night grinding or clenching teeth (bruxism) or annoying ice chewing are especially abrasive for tooth surfaces.

A diet high in acid content (sodas and fruit juices) will etch away at the enamel. This will thin the protective covering over the tooth. Apart from dental decay and periodontal disease premature wearing of teeth constitutes a large part of dental rehabilitation. As life expectancies increase teeth are required to remain around longer. Just when you are ready to retire and travel around you may be surprised to hear your dentist utter the words “worn dentition”. This is a common malady that occurs over a long period of time. Fortunately, this can be corrected.

Your dentist examines your teeth and oral structures for signs of premature wear and tries to root out the cause of the loss of tooth structure. It does not do any good to restore the teeth only to have everything fail in a few years.

Once the cause is determined corrective measures will be prescribed and discussed with you. This may include an oral appliance to protect the teeth from night grinding and clenching. Your dentist may suggest a visit with the orthodontist to correctly align your teeth so they will wear evenly and last longer.

Your dentist may suggest replacing large fillings with more substantial porcelain onlays or crowns to restore the color and beauty that your teeth looked when you were younger. This will also recreate the natural chewing contours of your teeth so they cut and chew food better.

Another way to restore the radiance of teeth is to undergo a bleaching process. Whitening teeth is easy and safe. Products can be found in your drug store or stronger bleaches can be provided by your dental team.

Remember that our goal is to “take our teeth with us”. Your dentist will help you decide what is best for you by giving you the results of the examination and choices of correction.

For answers to your dental questions, contact
Douglas Urban, D.D.S.
Cerritos, CA 90703
562 924-1523
DrDouglasUrban.com