Armchair diagnosis and cosmetic dentistry treatment plan.
- History: From this picture a dentist would surmise that this person has a bruxing habit. The term "bruxing" means that the person undergoes periods where they clench and grind their teeth. As a result of this bruxing activity this person's center four front teeth have worn down to a point where they are even with each other.
Usually a person's center two teeth (their central incisors) will be slightly longer in length than the teeth adjacent to them (the lateral incisors). The teeth next to the lateral incisors (referred to as: eyeteeth, canines, or cuspids) are usually somewhat similar in length to the central incisors. When upper teeth have worn to a point where their biting edges are even a person's smile looses some of its "youthfulness".
- Cosmetic dentistry treatment plan: The contours of the center four teeth might be restored with either dental bonding, porcelain veneers, or else dental crowns. The dentist providing the treatment would have to determine which of these dental procedures could best withstand the forces generated by the patient's bruxing habits.
|
