Braces as an adult? No way. At least, that was what I thought when my dentist told me that I was going to have to see an orthodontist about my crooked teeth. But my teeth were so misaligned that they were causing me pain when I chewed, so I decided to at least look into it. Turns out braces today are nothing like the ones my friends had when I was a kid. Mine were practically invisible, and I didn't need to wear them that long. I started this blog to encourage other people like me who are nervous about the prospect of wearing braces as an adult. My straight smile is so worth the trips to the orthodontist, and wearing braces was nowhere near as bad as I thought. Read on to find out more about how you can straighten your smile.
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If you have the habit of grinding your teeth, some of your teeth may be damaged. When you grind your teeth, you wear down the enamel. This changes the shape of some of your teeth. Your front teeth may become flat across the top, like they've been filed down. Your teeth could also develop chips and sharp points. This damage can be repaired, but you should also address your grinding habit so further damage is prevented. Here are some treatment options for protecting your teeth and repairing the damage.
Use A Mouth Guard
The first step is to stop further damage to your teeth. Since you may grind your teeth at night while you sleep, it is very hard to break the habit. The best alternative is to protect your teeth so they are not damaged when you grind in your sleep. Your dentist can make a custom mouth guard for you to wear. Then when you grind your teeth in your sleep, you grind against a soft plastic material and your enamel is protected. You can also wear the guard during the daytime if necessary, especially at times when you are tense or nervous and grind your teeth more.
Place Crowns On Damaged Teeth
While you could also restore the appearance of your teeth with veneers, veneers tend to be weaker than crowns, so they have a higher risk of chipping when you grind your teeth. Crowns are a good solution because they are strong and durable. Even so, you should still wear a mouth guard when needed to protect them from the forces of grinding. Crowns are expensive, so you don't want to risk breaking or chipping one.
Metal crowns are the strongest, so you may want a gold alloy crown for a back tooth. For a front tooth, porcelain fused to metal is a good choice because it has the strength of metal with the appearance of a natural tooth. The other option is a porcelain crown, which is probably not the best choice for you if you grind your teeth, as it is not as strong as a crown that is metal or partially metal.
Covering a damaged tooth with a crown protects it from further chipping and reduces the risk of decay. It can also change the shape of your tooth. You may need to have some of the length restored, or have the lower edges contoured to look more natural. If you've had a bad grinding habit for a long time, you may need to have several teeth repaired. If you haven't talked to your dentist about your grinding habit, you should do so as soon as possible. Even if you don't want to undergo dental work for cosmetic reasons, you should still take action to prevent further damage, or you may face expensive dental repairs in the future if one of your teeth gets a big crack that leads to pain or decay.
For more information about crowns or tooth repair, contact a business like A Q Denture Services.
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