Ideally, each of your teeth should meet up with their partner in your bite pattern for maximum efficiency and the required degree of contact to bite and chew food. Uncorrected alignment issues with two or more teeth can cause excessive wear and tear. In time, this tooth enamel attrition can compromise a tooth.
While the damaged area of tooth enamel might seem minor at first, it could eventually lead to tooth sensitivity and even tooth decay. If it’s caught early, and the area of enamel attrition is small, the dentists at Chicago Osteopathic Hospital Dental Clinic PC in Chicago, Illinois might be able to repair the problem with a simple amalgam or composite filling.
An area of enamel attrition that has grown in size, or threatens a critical location of the tooth might call for a crown. This is an even more likely course of treatment if the tooth has previously had a cavity repaired by a filling.
A crown is essentially a replica of the original tooth enamel layer, anchored onto an abutment made from the healthy dentin layer within the tooth. The material our dentist recommends for the crown will depend on the tooth’s location in your mouth and its primary function.
Dental crowns are typically made from porcelain, gold, or a metallic alloy. Our dentists will usually recommend a porcelain crown for a tooth that will be visible in your smile. This special dental material can be shaded so that it will match all the other teeth in your mouth giving it the appearance of a completely natural tooth.
If you live in the Chicago, Illinois area and you have a tooth suffering from enamel attrition, we invite you to call 773-947-4665 to have it examined and treated at Chicago Osteopathic Hospital Dental Clinic PC. Dr. William Wilson, Dr. Gary Wegmann, and Dr. Daniel Choo look forward to helping you smile!