Tooth enamel is the thin, clear outer layer of your teeth. It shields your teeth from damage from chewing, biting and grinding, and protects them from the acids that can cause tooth decay and sensitivity.
Unfortunately, unlike broken bones, enamel doesn’t have living cells and cannot repair itself once it’s damaged. However, if your enamel has become worn or chipped, there are several ways your dentist can help repair it.
Prevent Enamel Damage
Tooth enamel is very tough — in fact, it’s the hardest tissue in your body and stronger than bone. However, this doesn’t mean it’s indestructible. Over time, tooth enamel can erode due to acidic foods and drinks, hard brushing, dry mouth, clenching, teeth grinding, and more. This can cause sensitivity, pain, and even tooth loss. 韓国ホワイトニング
There are a number of steps you can take to protect your enamel. Eat low-sugar foods and drinks to prevent the buildup of sugar that can damage enamel. Limit acidic foods and drink to mealtimes so your saliva has a chance to cancel out the erosive acids in your mouth. Try drinking your acidic food or beverage through a straw to push the liquid away from the front of your mouth.
If you notice any signs of thinning or damage to your enamel, see a dental professional right away. Depending on the extent of your damage, your dentist may recommend treatments like dental bonding or veneers.
Brushing
A healthy oral care routine can help prevent the loss of tooth enamel, as long as you follow your dental professional’s recommendations. This includes avoiding acidic foods, brushing your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste that contains fluoride, using a mouthwash with fluoride, eating a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water, chewi 韓国ホワイトニング ng sugar-free gum to stimulate saliva production, and visiting the dentist for regular checkups.
If you are suffering from tooth enamel erosion, it’s important to schedule a dental appointment as soon as possible. Your dentist will examine your teeth and recommend a treatment plan to reduce your symptoms.
It is impossible to grow back lost tooth enamel, as the enamel has no living cells. However, minor damaged enamel can be strengthened through re-mineralization treatments. These include fluoride treatments, tooth-colored resin bonding, remineralizing toothpastes and applications, calcium and phosphorus intake, staying hydrated, and a range of other methods that your dentist may suggest.
Flossing
Most people know that flossing is important, but many are not diligent about it. Flossing removes plaque from places that are hard to reach with a toothbrush. It’s also a good idea to use a mouthwash that fights enamel loss and decay.
In the later stages of tooth erosion, enamel becomes brittle and susceptible to cracks and chips. You may also experience sensitivity to hot or cold foods and drinks.
To help prevent this from happening, try to avoid acidic beverages such as soda and fruit juices. If you have to have these, use a straw so the liquid touches less of your teeth and rinse immediately afterward. A good oral care routine, coupled with visiting your dentist regularly, is the best way to protect your enamel. It’s also helpful to eat calcium-rich foods.
Dental Bonding
Dental bonding is a quick and minimally invasive procedure that can correct a number of cosmetic issues, including chips, cracks, and discoloration. It can also fill in a gap between teeth and lengthen short teeth for a more symmetrical smile.
Your dentist will start by cleaning the affected tooth, and then use a shade guide to select a composite resin material that matches your natural tooth color. Then, the dentist will roughen the surface and apply a conditioning liquid for better adhesion. Then, they will put the resin on your tooth and mold it into shape before using a high-intensity curing light to harden it.
The dentist will then trim and polish the bonded area. Bonded teeth need the same care as your other teeth, which includes daily brushing and flossing and routine dental checkups twice per year. However, bonded teeth are more susceptible to staining than your natural teeth, so it is important to avoid habits like biting fingernails or chewing on pens and ice.
Veneers
Veneers are wafer-thin porcelain or resin composite shells that cover the front of stained, chipped, discolored, gapped, or crooked teeth to produce a more beautiful smile. Your dentist will customise the shape, size and colour of your veneers to ensure they look natural. The procedure for applying veneers is very similar to bonding: your dentist will wash and dry the tooth surface and then etch it to roughen the enamel before bonding a tooth-coloured composite resin directly to the tooth.
After the composite resin is applied to the teeth, your dentist will use a bright light to harden it. They may apply multiple layers to ensure the tooth looks completely natural.
Like bonding, veneers require regular oral care and routine professional teeth whitening to prevent staining. Unfortunately, composite resin does not resist long-term stains as well as enamel. If you choose to have veneers, your dentist will recommend you avoid foods and drinks that can stain your teeth, including ice and coffee.
Dental Crowns
If your tooth is damaged beyond what dental bonding or porcelain veneers can fix, a crown is often recommended. These are made-to-order caps that completely encase your tooth, and they can be crafted from porcelain, ceramic, or metal alloys like gold.
Unlike bonding, dental crowns cover and protect your whole tooth, and they are stronger than veneers. However, they are not immune to decay or other problems. This is because the underlying tooth is still at risk, and your dentist will need to continue taking good care of it.
Composite resin is applied to the tooth, shaped and cured with a special curing light. All-ceramic or porcelain-fused-to-metal crowns look more natural, but they are not as strong as traditional crowns. They also have a tendency to develop new cavities around the edge, or margin, of the crown faster than a natural tooth. This is a result of the weakened underlying tooth being exposed to more aggressive mastication forces than it would be in a natural tooth.