What does this mean?
Enamel is the hardest tissue in the body, but not limitless. Years of night-time clenching flatten the incisal edges, wear down the cusps of the back teeth and eventually expose the yellow dentine beneath.
The most deceptive thing about wear is how quiet it is. The change is slow enough to go unnoticed; most people see it only when a tooth chips or when they compare old photographs.
The most common cause of wear is night-time clenching. Acid erosion and hard brushing accelerate it.
Likely causes
What helps at home?
- Reduce how often you have acidic drinks; force wears enamel more easily once acid has softened it
- Try to notice whether your teeth touch during the day
- Keep a chipped fragment; in some cases it can be bonded back
- Pain or hot and cold sensitivity alongside a chip
- A fracture extending down to the gum
- Wear that progresses quickly over months
- Noticing that your bite has changed
Frequently asked questions
- Do worn teeth come back?
- Enamel does not regenerate. Lost height is replaced with restorations; the real issue is bringing the force under control first.
- Can I have the teeth restored first?
- Restorations placed without protection fracture under the same force. Protection comes first, restoration second.
This content is for general information and does not replace an in-person examination. Symptoms overlap between conditions, and a diagnosis can only be made clinically.