I HAVE to get veneers?

LauraMax

LauraMax

Cathlete
OK I just got back from the dentist to get my chipped tooth fixed. He told me that b/c I brush my teeth too hard & b/c I grind my teeth at night I have no enamel left & very soon my roots will be exposed & I'll start losing teeth.

Now, this is not the first time I've heard I brushed too hard & that I should wear a night guard (tried it but just couldn't sleep w/it). I honestly thought these were fairly common problems (probably especially w/you guys since most serious exercisers seem to be OCD) & had no idea they'd eventually cause such trouble.

He said he'd work w/me w/the cost & such, he'd show me his cost, what he'd normally charge, what he'd charge me, & figure out some kind of payment plan.

But I'm curious--has anyone ever heard of this? Veneers for dental health reasons rather than for cosmetic reasons?
 
Don't know about the veneers, but I was also told a few years ago from my dentist that I was brushing too hard, but it was affecting my gums, not the enamel. He and the hygienist recommended switching to an electric toothbrush, which has worked out fantastically.

I think I'd get a second opinion on the veneers. That sounds sort of drastic to me.
 
No, never heard of that so I'd get a second opinion. Getting the veneers won't fix your problems though...wouldn't you just continue to brush and grind them down too??
 
I agree with a previous post, I was told the same thing by my dentist a number of years ago. He said I was brushing too hard, too often, etc. I switched to a Sonicare electric toothbrush and the erosion of enamel stopped. I'd try that first and see if you can hold off on a more expensive remedy for a while.
 
Gayle, I have the same problem w/the gums--they've receded significantly & are very sensitive. But you should've seen the Xrays--there was seriously no enamel left at all. A couple of teeth have a thin layer but the rest have basically nothing.

Meredith, not sure about the durability of the veneers. I think they're probably much stronger than natural enamel but I'm not a dentist so I'm not sure. I'd imagine anything would wear down with time regardless of how hard one brushes. I have no idea how long they'd last, all I know is I don't want my roots exposed! Ouch!
 
I have a couple of veneers and then crowns in front. I am a night grinder I guess and in my situation I had a couple of crowns already in the front but was grinding done my one real tooth in between them. I got all 6 in front done as the grinding down one and different crowns started looking odd. I think veneers are very durable, I have had mine for about 10 years. I also have sensitive teeth too and if I were you, I would definitely consider veneers so you don't have to go thru the exposed root pain...:)
 
Hi, Laura! :)

I highly recommend that you get a custom made night guard when your dental work is complete (actually I would get something store bought in your mouth tonight to prevent further damage). I am a clincher and I know that this will wear down enamel just as bruxing does. If it is custom, you will get used to it much easier than a store bought guard. You may also find that the guard will alleviate headaches, this was my experience.

I know that I brush my teeth too hard also - scrubbing them like a tile floor. When I went to dental school, I learned the proper method. I also use very hot water to get my toothbrush bristles soft in the very beginning. It more of a massaging action. Here is a great description on proper brushing I pulled from a website:

Brush at a 45 degree angle to your teeth. When brushing your teeth, always direct the bristles of your toothbrush between the neck of the tooth and the gum. Use a gentle, circular motion up and down, trying to massage your gum at the same time.

Do not scrub your tooth enamel. Brushing your teeth too hard can cause gums to recede visibly. Brushing your teeth hard does not equal a thorough cleaning.

I hope that helps - please remember to floss each day.

xoxo, neicebug
:) :) :)
 
The veneer process is pretty grueling, from what people have told me. They grind your teeth down to little nubs before they apply the veneer. They are durable, but they do crack and break like regular teeth and are very expensive to replace. Even knowing that, if I could do it ($$), I would in a second. My teeth are very crowded, braces didn't really help. As far as enamel is concerned, isn't there a "coating" they can apply to protect your teeth?

Sally
 
I just got veneers and they do not have to grind your teeth down anymore. They are called Lumineers. Great. They last about 20 nyears I think.
LD
 
I've been told I have the same problem. The alternative (according to my dentist) if I didn't have the work done (and contineued with losing enamel) would be to eventually have a crown placed on the tooth -- which does require grinding down the tooth -- and is expensive. I called around for 2nd opinions ... every dentist office I called said the same thing. Good luck. Deb
 
I had the Lumnieers and they kept breaking off, so I finally bit the bullet and my wallet and got my whole mouth replaced with porcelain veneers. They have been okay so far, I did break one last month because I was chewing ice like mad, but they just glued it back on and all is well.

There is no perfect solution at all, all veneers can break, just like teeth. I agree with the poster that suggested switching toothbrushes for awhile and see how that goes first.:)
 
Porcelain crowns opposing natural teeth is a deadly combo. Porcelain will wear enamel down in a heartbeat. :-(
 
Many dentists who have studied occlusion don't believe that brushing can cause what you are describing.

The name they use for the lesions are "abfractions". It's kind of technical, but here is a link to an article.

http://www.brianpalmerdds.com/hypothesis_abfractions.htm

At a minimum you should invest in a custom made nightguard, preferably made by a dentist that knows how occlusion and jaw joint disorders affect your teeth.



Veneers sound aggressive to me. Why not use a composite to fill in the spaces? I'd get a second opinion.

Edited to add that I have no relationship to the person who wrote the article. I was just looking for an article on abfractions, because I have them.
 
Obviously diagnosis via email is impossible. There are many many factors that could lead to gingival recession, mechanical force of an aggressive brusher is just one (others include over crowding, malocclusion, chemical forces, calculus, bacteria etc). If you, Miss Laura, have been forcefully brushing your teeth the way I was taught as a child, typical back and forth scrubbing motion, this can lead to recession very often. Once the cementum is exposed at the junction of the root and the enamel of the tooth, it is very very easily destroyed with a brush. Cementum exposure causes major sensitivity issues. Often times root exposure make patients seek out comestic restoration due to the yellow appearance of the cementum.

For sure malocclusion is one mode of acheiving recession. My husband is a classic example of this. He has retained all of his 3rd molars (wisdom teeth), he does have a large mouth, his teeth are very straight, but the pressure of all those teeth and his tongue have caused slight recession.

Make certain that your denist or assistant is noting the gingival depths in your sulcus each visit. If the depths increase, it may be sign of bone loss. And then you will be faced with a bigger decision - implants or bridges. And believe me you don't want those options if you are interested in saving tooth structure. Make sure that you are getting a proper teeth cleaning twice a year to minimize the amount of calculus build up. Some people have more of an issue of this than others.

Of course, please do yourself a favor and seek a 2nd and even a 3rd opinion...it will ease your mind and you will gain an education in the process.

The use of composite might not be a viable option depending on location and load that will be placed on the tooth.

If you 'extra time' to spare (haha), you can always go to a dental school to get the work done for less money...you just pay with your time. x(

Sorry to be long winded...

Best wishes in your journey! xoxo, neicebug ;-)
 
Oh, I already need crowns & bridges. A couple of my back teeth have chipped significantly, fortunately on the sides so the roots aren't exposed. Apparently my teeth are a mess. Who knew you could be TOO conscious of dental hygeine & end up w/all these problems? :-( And even after the first dentist told my I brushed too hard I couldn't stop. WAY OCD! I mean, even when I'm aware I'm doing it I can't help myself! I do order extra soft toothbrushes online, but they're so soft I go through one every week or so.

The last dentist I saw wanted to basically fill in all the ridges in my back teeth the same way you'd do with cavities. I can't even imagine--the woman filled 2 cavities & it took 3 hours! How long would it have taken her to fill in the back of ALL my teeth? :eek:

You know, this guy is the first dentis I've seen since my childhood dentist that I actually like. I told him I'd just moved & didn't have 2 pennies to rub together. He said he didn't care about the money, he wanted to see me have healthy teeth for the rest of my life. He's putting together a "treatment plan" b/c apparently there are other issues too--when I bite down my top & bottom teeth touch & he said something about how your top & bottom teeth are only supposed to make contact when you're chewing, something like 6 minutes a day, & that eventually we'd have to find a way to correct this & create some space betw. top & bottom.

So I guess I'm looking forward to months of dental visits & shelling out some money. I see him again in 2 weeks to discuss my options. Hopefully it'll be affordable & I can get all this crap taken care of.

I'm thinking I'm never gonna brush my teeth again! :p
 
Lauramax, I can see that you are trying to ease your way into my territory and swipe my crown. So just know from the start: I am The Queen Of All Things Dental and so shall remain. Just know that and no one will get hurt. ;)

Seriously, though, it's great that you found someone you really like. Most of my disposal income goes to dentists, oral surgeons, periodontists, etc., so I know how important it is to find someone you trust.

I also thought I was doing great because I brushed and flossed every day, but meanwhile I was grinding away at my poor not-so-strong-to-begin-with teeth every night. I have finally learned to wear my nightguard most nights (some nights it makes me gag) and I'm doing much better now. At this moment in time, I actually don't have any implants scheduled, which is the first time in a long while. :D
 
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