Dental problems are not always associated with caries and dangerous microorganisms. The smile can become unaesthetic, and the incisors can become fragile and sensitive due to the wedge-shaped defect of the teeth. Why it appears and how to deal with it – we will tell in this article.
What is a wedge-shaped tooth defect
A wedge-shaped defect appears in the cervical part of the tooth and initially looks like a small speck of a yellow tint. Such pigmentation has nothing to do with infected tissues and caries. The change in color is due to the fact that the enamel in this place is gradually erased and the dentin, which naturally has a yellow tint, becomes more visible.
As the enamel layer is erased, a defect appears in the neck of the tooth – a wedge-shaped deepening. The deeper the wedge, the darker its color. Usually such changes occur with canines and premolars, and it does not matter on which jaw they are located.
Diagnosis of a wedge-shaped defect
A wedge-shaped defect of the teeth cannot be overlooked. To make this diagnosis, the dentist just needs to carefully look at the teeth and listen to the patient’s complaints.
As a rule, the clinical picture looks like this:
There is a change in shape in the cervical part of one or more teeth. Depending on the volume of damaged tissues, this may be a small step or a well-defined wedge.
The patient has increased sensitivity of the teeth when he eats or drinks hot, cold or sweet.
There are complaints of discomfort during brushing.
Any change in chewing load can lead to a wedge-shaped defect. Therefore, the dentist needs not only to restore the shape of the tooth, but also to find out the reason for its change.
Why does a wedge-shaped defect appear on the teeth?
- Incorrect position of the upper and lower teeth when closing the jaw. As a result, the so-called bending stress occurs, which leads to the loss of potassium ions and the destruction of the enamel.
- Increased tone of the masticatory muscles (for example, due to bruxism). As a result, the force of pressure on the teeth increases, as well as its duration.
- Strong pressure of the tongue on the inner surface of the teeth. This happens, for example, with a non-standardly small size of the oral cavity or a deep bite.
- Using toothpaste with a high amount of abrasive particles (RDA). As a rule, their concentration is very high in whitening pastes.
- Brushing teeth with a hard bristle brush. By itself, it damages the enamel, scratches it, and if you make horizontal movements with it along the front surface of the teeth, then because of such cleaning, the enamel layer will gradually become thinner.
- Eating foods with a high level of acidity. This leads to the fact that calcium is washed out of the enamel and it becomes porous.
- Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. They often cause heartburn, due to which highly acidic gastric juice enters the oral cavity.
As a rule, the main cause of the appearance of the wedge-shaped defect is the problems of the dentoalveolar system, but negative factors such as a hard toothbrush or products with a high acid content worsen the situation. That is why the dentist first collects a complete clinical picture, and then builds a treatment plan.
Wedge-shaped tooth defect: treatment
Treatment of a wedge-shaped defect is always the restoration of the normal shape of the tooth in the cervical part, the search for the causes of the defect and their elimination.
The method of treatment and the method of restoring the surface of the tooth is selected by the dentist-therapist, depending on the volume of damaged tissues.
With minor changes at the enamel level, remineralization and fluoridation are carried out. These procedures saturate the surface of the tooth with minerals. Thanks to them, it becomes denser, stronger and more resistant to mechanical and chemical factors.
If the size of the wedge-shaped defect exceeds 0.5 mm, then the treatment plan must include filling with fluid and composite materials. However, if the cause of the increased chewing load is not removed, then the fillings will fall out very quickly. In addition, after a few months, the restored teeth will lose their aesthetics in the cervical part, since the border between the filling and the tooth will become noticeable.
Treatment of large wedge-shaped defects (deep from 4 mm), when the wedge has gone deep into the dentin layer and there is a risk of fracture of the crown part, is handled by an orthopedic dentist. With the help of crowns or veneers, he not only restores the shape of the tooth, but also protects it from the effects of negative factors from the outside.
However, the treatment does not end there, because it is important to eliminate the cause of the wedge-shaped defect of the teeth. Usually these are various malocclusion. As a rule, at this stage, an orthodontist is involved in solving the problem. In addition, the patient is definitely recommended to visit a hygienist in order to learn the correct technique for brushing their teeth.
A wedge-shaped tooth defect is a threat to the smile line. It not only makes it unattractive, but also causes pain, and over time can cause a fracture of the tooth crown. Therefore, even if you are not embarrassed by the aesthetics of the dentition, you still need to seek help from a dentist. It will restore the shape of the teeth and the beauty of the smile, as well as eliminate the cause of the appearance of wedge-shaped defects on the teeth.