Tooth wear
Worn, chipped and cracked teeth
Teeth that are flat, chipped, cracked or sensitive at the gum line can show how hard and how often your jaw works, and this visit is for adults who have noticed any of it.
We look at why before we repair what. A filling on a tooth that is still being clenched down on can break again, so a plan usually includes protecting what we repair.
What happens
One or two visits for the exam and the plan. Repairs are scheduled by what the teeth need.
- 01
Step 1: We look at the pattern
Where the teeth are worn, how deep, and whether the wear matches how your teeth meet.
- 02
Step 2: Photos and measurements
We photograph your teeth and record them, so we can compare at later visits and see whether wear is moving.
- 03
Step 3: Repair what needs it
Bonding, a filling or a crown only where a tooth needs it, using the least that will hold.
- 04
Step 4: Protect what is repaired
Often a night guard, so the repairs don't take the same force the teeth did.
Comfort, choices and care
Comfort
Repairs usually use a local anesthetic, which numbs the tooth. We explain what we use and you can ask for a break at any point.
If you wait
Worn teeth don't grow back. Small wear can be watched. Deeper wear or a crack can reach the nerve and cause pain, or call for a bigger repair.
Risks and after-care
Fillings and crowns can chip or loosen, especially under heavy clenching. A guard lowers that risk and doesn't remove it. A repaired tooth may be sensitive for a few days; call us if it lasts.
How it's billed
Dental plans often cover repairs in part and a guard less. We check what your plan says and give a written estimate before treatment.
How fees work
What we look at, and when we refer
What we look at
Where the wear is and how deep
Cracks, by sight and by how the tooth feels when you bite
Gum recession at the necks of the teeth
How your teeth meet when you close
When we refer
A crack that reaches the nerve: an endodontist
Gums pulling away from the teeth: a periodontist
Wear that points to acid reflux or an eating problem: we raise it with you kindly and send you to your doctor
Questions about worn, chipped and cracked teeth
Can worn teeth be rebuilt?
Often they can be repaired. Dr. Mukherjee explains the options, what each is likely to need later, and which she would choose.
Why photograph my teeth?
So we can compare later and see whether the wear is changing. The photos stay in your record.
Do I need a crown?
Not always. A crown is for a tooth that is cracked, badly worn or heavily filled. We show you the tooth and say why.
Provided by a general dentist
Dr. Radha Mukherjee, DDS, general dentist, licensed in Michigan. This is not specialty care.