Treating tooth wear
Understanding erosion, abrasion and attrition – protecting function and tooth structure
Tooth wear often develops slowly. Edges become shorter, surfaces smoother, teeth more sensitive or the bite changes. Causes may be mechanical, chemical or a combination of both.
Before rebuilding teeth, we therefore determine which form of wear is present and whether active risk factors are continuing. Only then can we decide whether monitoring, protection, additive reconstruction or a more comprehensive bite reconstruction is appropriate.
What does tooth wear mean?
Tooth wear is a loss of dental hard tissue that is not caused solely by caries. Depending on the cause, we may distinguish attrition from tooth-to-tooth contact, erosion from acids, or abrasion from mechanical influences. Several factors often act together.
When treating tooth wear in Basel, we therefore first look for the cause and assess whether function, bite height or aesthetics are already affected. Changes identified early can often be stabilised more conservatively than advanced loss of tooth structure.
Typical signs
Front teeth becoming shorter or flattened chewing surfaces.
Sensitivity in exposed or thin areas.
Chipping and recurrent small fractures.
Altered tooth shape or visible dentine surfaces.
Muscular overload or grinding as an accompanying factor.
Reconstruct while preserving tooth structure
When reconstruction is necessary, additive composite build-ups, partial restorations or ceramic solutions may be used. The aim is to remove as little additional healthy tooth structure as possible.
When is an increase in bite height considered?
With pronounced wear, additional space may be required for reconstruction. A change in bite height is not carried out routinely, but planned functionally and, where appropriate, assessed during a test phase.
Further information
Preserve tooth structure. In cases of tooth wear, we do not look for the largest possible intervention, but for a well-founded and as conservative a solution as possible.
Note: This information is for guidance and does not replace an individual examination and consultation.
