What Is Buccal Erosion?
"My gums are receding! Help!!"... I get this a lot..."Are my teeth going to fall out? What can we do, Doc?"
People often complain that their gums are receding, but more often this is a problem of enamel having worn away from the tooth, exposing the softer underlying dentin. Sometimes both enamel wear and gum recession occur together. Of course there is also actual gum recession due to loss of attachment to the tooth root usually accompanied by bone loss, but that is a discussion for another time.
What is buccal erosion or abrasion? Often teeth get dished out or notched areas at the gum line. These are usually, but not always on the outer cheek or lip side of the tooth. They are sometimes, but not always sensitive to touch or temperature.
There are three main causes of this condition. Often a combination of the three causes have contributed to the problem over time. The first cause is abrasion. Abrasion is actual wear on the tooth surface caused by an overly abrasive toothpaste or aggressive brushing habits. The most common areas for this problem to occur are at the gum line in the corners of the mouth, both upper and lower and the front teeth.
The second cause is acid erosion. This can be from citric or carbolic acids in fruit and soft drinks or other acidic foods. It can also be from regurgitated stomach acids, a condition known as acid reflux. Many people suffer from mild acid reflux and don't even realize it. This type of erosion can occur almost anywhere on the teeth, including the cusp tips and inside surfaces if acid reflux is the cause.
The third cause is called abfraction. Abfraction is the flaking away of the thinner enamel at the gum line that occurs from heavy stress on the teeth caused by bruxing (grinding) or clenching the jaws. This type of problem will usually show up more in the molar areas on the outer gum line surfaces of the teeth.
It is important to identify the causes of the problem and not just to fix the dished out or sensitive areas with bonding. This is of course the first step, but it is also important to try to remove the cause of the problem. In the case of abrasion, a careful study of tooth brushing patterns, toothpastes used and toothbrush hardness will help eliminate overly abrasive habits.
Acid reflux is a more complex problem and a referral to a physician can be helpful in identifying and treating this condition. Treatment for bruxism or tooth grinding and clenching can range anywhere from simple occlusal guards (often called night guards) to complex restorative and even surgical intervention. This is because the problem can be caused by both psychological and physical factors and can range from mild tooth damage to severe jaw joint problems. Almost all treatments for this condition will involve an occlusal guard at some point, however, so this is a good starting point when this condition has been identified since it is very easy to make and non-invasive. It requires only a simple impression with no tooth preparation.
People often complain that their gums are receding, but more often this is a problem of enamel having worn away from the tooth, exposing the softer underlying dentin. Sometimes both enamel wear and gum recession occur together. Of course there is also actual gum recession due to loss of attachment to the tooth root usually accompanied by bone loss, but that is a discussion for another time.
What is buccal erosion or abrasion? Often teeth get dished out or notched areas at the gum line. These are usually, but not always on the outer cheek or lip side of the tooth. They are sometimes, but not always sensitive to touch or temperature.
There are three main causes of this condition. Often a combination of the three causes have contributed to the problem over time. The first cause is abrasion. Abrasion is actual wear on the tooth surface caused by an overly abrasive toothpaste or aggressive brushing habits. The most common areas for this problem to occur are at the gum line in the corners of the mouth, both upper and lower and the front teeth.
The second cause is acid erosion. This can be from citric or carbolic acids in fruit and soft drinks or other acidic foods. It can also be from regurgitated stomach acids, a condition known as acid reflux. Many people suffer from mild acid reflux and don't even realize it. This type of erosion can occur almost anywhere on the teeth, including the cusp tips and inside surfaces if acid reflux is the cause.
The third cause is called abfraction. Abfraction is the flaking away of the thinner enamel at the gum line that occurs from heavy stress on the teeth caused by bruxing (grinding) or clenching the jaws. This type of problem will usually show up more in the molar areas on the outer gum line surfaces of the teeth.
It is important to identify the causes of the problem and not just to fix the dished out or sensitive areas with bonding. This is of course the first step, but it is also important to try to remove the cause of the problem. In the case of abrasion, a careful study of tooth brushing patterns, toothpastes used and toothbrush hardness will help eliminate overly abrasive habits.
Acid reflux is a more complex problem and a referral to a physician can be helpful in identifying and treating this condition. Treatment for bruxism or tooth grinding and clenching can range anywhere from simple occlusal guards (often called night guards) to complex restorative and even surgical intervention. This is because the problem can be caused by both psychological and physical factors and can range from mild tooth damage to severe jaw joint problems. Almost all treatments for this condition will involve an occlusal guard at some point, however, so this is a good starting point when this condition has been identified since it is very easy to make and non-invasive. It requires only a simple impression with no tooth preparation.
