Dental Erosion – This is non-erosive pathology that is characterized by abnormally rapid erosion of enamel. Often the problem can be seen on the convex exterior of the tooth.
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Features Dental Erosion
Tooth erosion begins with the destruction of the uppermost layer of enamel. Its color fades, and the damage below – is very hard and smooth. It begins to manifest very unpleasant symptoms.
It is worth noting that many dentists can identify this problem cosmetically. However, this is not true. Without treatment, the problem progresses rapidly. In addition, enamel can be affected by dentin – hard tissue of the tooth. Then there should be talk about the complete disease of the teeth, which can lead to hair loss.
In most cases, small molars, incisors, and canines are damaged. However, in the absence of medical pathology spread to other teeth. Treatment of the disease is not difficult, but it should be timely. The first thing to do – is to look for an emergency dentist.
Are Erosions Kept Apart from Other Deformities?
The prognosis is to be careful and attentive because it can be confused with other jaw problems.
Dental erosion is very similar to caries and wedge-shaped defects. However, in the first case, the associated disease is characterized by a rough surface enamel. When it is smooth erosion. A wedge-shaped defect is found in the root region. Teeth, at the same time, lose their normal shape.
Causes Disease
Dental erosion can be triggered by factors such as:
- Mechanically damaged enamel can be obtained due to improper maintenance, bruxism (grinding teeth), gastritis, and bleaching of incorrectly matched toothpaste.
- Dental erosion provoked tissue pathology of the thyroid or endocrine system.
- High load on the enamel, which is achieved due to malocclusion, an insufficient number of teeth in the mouth (the load is distributed unevenly). Incorrectly installed prostheses can also lead to the fact that the enamel on the “native” teeth wears out much faster.
- The use of some of the drugs has aggressive action on enamel.
- Work in production with difficult conditions. For example, the patient has been working in a shop where there is metal or mineral dust. Getting on the enamel, a strange abrasive material damages it.
- Chemical Effects: Use of carbonated drinks with high amounts of acid products. It is advisable to use them so that they do not touch the tooth surface.
Disease Outcome
It is worth noting that erosion of the enamel of the teeth appears mainly in middle age. He can develop for about 15 years. Naturally, the disease leaves some consequences:
- Teeth wear out very quickly. About a couple of weeks, you will see changes on the surface of the crown.
- The color becomes a dark crown. This is especially noticeable if the erosion reached hard tissue.
- Increased sensitivity of the teeth, which causes problems with the chewing of food. Since the barrier surrounding the nerve, becomes very thin, tooth brushing and the use of cold (hot) utensils will cause pain.
- Thin the edges of the damaged tooth so that it looks transparent.
- In addition, if untreated, erosion of the dental hard tissues can occur. This, in turn, provokes the appearance of pain, as well as tooth decay.
Development Platform
There are only three:
- primary. The damage to the tissues at this stage is not very noticeable. You can’t even suspect that a problem exists. Even an experienced doctor cannot be seen at this stage of development of the disease.
- average. There already worn-out tooth tissue reaches the dentin but does not affect it. However, the flaw gets through with the naked eye.
- Deep. At this stage, the hard tissue (dentin), too, begins to break down. There may already appear discomfort and pain. In addition, the discomfort intensity can vary.
Disease Stage
Process enamel destruction is uneven. In this regard, such developmental stages can be identified:
- Active. In this case, the enamel is erased at high speed. This stage is characterized by excessive sensitivity of the crown to various stimuli. If the process is not suspended, the tissue is rapidly destroyed.
- steady. This stage is characterized by a very slow flow of destructive processes. During this period a person can feel pain, but it is expressed very weakly. The fact is that the body is trying to fight the destruction of its own process, and tertiary dentin begins to appear as a defect is formed in the wound. It produces pulp. In a way, this layer is protected from the destruction of the dentin. This stage is carried out in a gradual strengthening of the enamel. The doctor is obliged to make sure that the stationary phase lasted as long as possible.
As you can see, the process of enamel loss is not so easy to observe. But delayed treatment can lead to tooth loss.
Symptom Pathology
Erosion of the teeth (the reasons for this, you have already examined) is expressed in different ways. The symptomatology depends on the stage and characteristics of the disease. We can distinguish such its features:
- The first stage is characterized by a loss of enamel luster. Often, the teeth are white but dull. There is no pain at this stage.
- In the second stage, there is discomfort, the complexion becomes darker.
- The third stage is well characterized by perceptible pain that occurs during feeding or brushing. Hue varies in fall sections. When the enamel is completely worn away, brown spots are visible at this point.
PECULIARITIES OF THE DIAGNOSIS
If you suspect that you have increased erosion of the teeth, treatment should be started only after a careful examination and a doctor’s advice. Otherwise, you can make the wrong choice of therapy and injure yourself even more. Diagnosis involves the following process:
- Visual inspection of teeth. Thanks to him, the doctor will determine the existence of the problem, and enamel and dental tissues will be able to distinguish it from other pathological conditions. Perhaps, at the stage of examination, the doctor can determine the cause that provoked the process of destruction.
- Air jet drying was damaged with the application of iodine. This procedure will help determine the location of the site of erosion.
- Thyroid hormone analysis and ultrasound. This research is needed to confirm or refute the fact that the disease is associated with endocrine disorders.
Features of Treatment
Recently, dental patients have a common form of tooth erosion in which the defect is not reaching the dentin. In this case, the disease is most easily cured.
Usually when a disease regenerative medicine is conducted. It provides for the implementation of such procedures:
- Remineralization of enamel. The patient must apply it each day the application of the tooth means containing calcium and fluoride. You will have to carry out the procedure for 2-3 weeks (depending on the degree of damage to the surface). Fluorinated applied lacquer is required after the enamel is complete. Thanks to this procedure, the patient has the opportunity to get rid of a lot of tooth sensitivity.
- Mineralization of enamel using physical therapy. For example, it is effective for electrophoresis using calcium. In this case, the material is quickly absorbed and assimilated into the enamel.
- restoration procedures. They are used only if other treatments have proved ineffective. There used to restore veneers, crowns, or composite light cured.
- General therapeutic measures are conducted in a stationary phase. For example, the patient should take a multivitamin and mineral complexes. Naturally, the doctor should take care of the discoloration of enamel lesions in areas of erosion. For this polishing, a bleaching medium can be used.
Note that tooth fillings when erosion do not give a positive effect. You must restore the enamel layer, but not close the eroded hole.
Preventive Measures
Despite the fact that the treatment of this disease is not complicated, it is better to warn him. If you value your teeth, try to follow such prevention measures:
- Avoid or minimize the use of products that contain a large number of food acids. If you like fizzy drinks, try drinking them to avoid contact with the enamel. To do this, you can just use a straw.
- It is not eating food that is too hot or too cold, especially in a single phase. A sharp temperature drop can cause cracking of the enamel.
- To rinse the mouth after meals required a special or traditional warm water rinse. This will allow neutralizing the negative effects of some products.
- Try to brush your teeth properly. Use a soft toothbrush and toothpaste without abrasive particles. Better cleaning starts with the inner surface, don’t press it too hard on the hair. Brush desirably after each meal, however, the mode remains the best option – twice a day.
- Every six months, see your dentist. This will provide an opportunity for the identification of abnormalities at an early stage of development.
If you have yet to see the pitting of the tooth, then the treatment will allow you to avoid total destruction. stay healthy!
