Cosmetic dentist armchair diagnosis and treatment plan.
- History:
As time passes teeth can become misshapen by wear. The biting edges of this person's center two teeth have lost their original rounded contours and have worn straight. The next tooth over on this person's upper left (her lateral incisor) has worn even more extensively, to the point of being noticeably shortened. As teeth wear in this fashion it is typically considered that a smile's appearance looses some of its "youthfulness".
- Cosmetic dentistry treatment plan:
Tooth wear like that evidenced here is typically a symptom of a person's bruxing habits and their occlusion. "Bruxing" is a term dentists use to refer to tooth clenching and grinding. A person's "occlusion" refers to the way a person's teeth come together when they close. Any treatment suggestions we make here would have to defer to this person's dentist's interpretation of her occlusion and bruxing habits.
The changes we've illustrated in our "after" picture could be accomplished by the placement of
dental crowns on the three teeth that show the most wear. Dental crowns are very strong restorations and would probably be the only type of dental restoration that could withstand the forces generated by this person's occlusion and bruxing. The crowns would restore the length and contours of the teeth to proportions similar to those that existed before they had worn.
The "before" picture shows that this person has a diastema. A "diastema" is the term dentist use to indicate that there is a space between two teeth. This diastema has always existed (ever since the two teeth flanking it initially came into place) and is unrelated to the previously described wearing of these teeth.
In our "after" picture we have illustrated how this person would look if her diastema was closed. Whether her diastema was closed, left open, or just partially reduced would simply be a matter of personal preference for this person. From a dental aspect it is of no consequence.
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