teeth grinding Archives - Susan M. Dennis, D.D.S

Do I Have to Finish This Reconstruction on my Teeth?

Posted on October 9, 2024 by writeradmin.

I am in my forties and, after a lifetime of grinding my teeth, I have developed TMJ Disorder. She’s recommended a full-mouth reconstruction. She’s done the first half, which is all of my bottom teeth. The problem I am facing is that they are too white and too perfect. I know my smile wasn’t the ideal Hollywood smile. I thought of it as quirky and really liked that part of it. Is it necessary to do the upper part or can I keep my quirkiness. Or, maybe I can just do the back teeth to help with the grinding so I can keep the look of the front? What do you think?

Anne

Dear Anne,

Building up someone’s bite because of teeth grinding is quite an advanced procedure that requires not just a lot of training, but also a lot of planning. If your dentist planned this reconstruction, then she probably planned it to work together. If your main concern is the look of the smile makeover, that is an easy fix.

To be honest, most cosmetic dentists would jump at the chance to create a quirky smile. Most, if not all, of their clients want that “perfect” smile you see on celebrities. That can get kind of boring for them. You’d be a dream come true in allowing them to add some character to a smile makeover.

If you absolutely do not want to go through with all of the uppers, then you can talk to your dentist about it. It may be possible for her to just work with the teeth that are ground down in the back. What you don’t want to do is aggravate your TMJ Disorder any further. Otherwise, you could end up with a lifetime of pain and even have problems with your jaw locking up.

I hope this puts your mind at ease.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.
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My Smile Looks Empty

Posted on December 14, 2023 by writeradmin.

When my mouth is just relaxed, you can’t see my teeth at all. Even when I am trying to smile, I have to work super hard to get my lips up enough for them to be visible. I hate the way my smile looks and want to fix it. Plus, my jaw is starting to hurt. I do wear a night guard and when I do that my jaw hurts less. It’s even easier to see my teeth when I smile at that time. Would porcelain veneers be a good option to fix my smile?

Christie

Dear Christie,

TMJ Disorder can cause jaw pain.

Bear in mind that I have not examined you. However, based on your description, it sounds like you are dealing with a combination of a collapsed bite along with some TMJ problems that complicates things further.

You mentioned that you wear a nightguard. I am assuming that is because you have some teeth grinding going on. This will lead to the collapsed bite if the teeth are ground down quite a bit. That could explain why you are having a hard time seeing your teeth. It would also complicate your bite and lead to TMJ Disorder, which would explain the jaw pain you have been experiencing.

Porcelain veneers will not be the solution for you. They will only cover the surface of your teeth and it sounds like you may need more than that. I would first suggest seeing a TMJ Dentist. This is not a recognized specialty, so you will want to find a dentist who has invested in post-doctoral training.

A TMJ dentist can give you options. If your teeth are as small as I suspect, you are likely to need a full-mouth reconstruction, which is placing a crown on every tooth. This shouldn’t be a problem if you get a dentist with real training, but make sure they do it completely built up with temporary crowns first. They need to feel completely comfortable and natural in your mouth and you should have no problems speaking. Only then should the permanent crowns be made. Then, have them placed with a temporary try-in paste one more time, just to make sure. If they’re still good, go ahead and have them bonded in.

This blog is brought to you by Portage, MI Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Are CEREC Crowns Strong?

Posted on April 3, 2023 by Dr. Dennis.

I have to have two crowns. I went to a dentist my insurance lists, but he really wants me to get a CEREC crown. I went to an insurance dentist so the treatment would be covered, but they only cover traditional crowns. I do like the idea of getting both crowns in one appointment, but if I’m going to pay extra I want to know they’re as strong.

Larry B.

Dear Larry,

How strong are CEREC crowns?

When you’re talking about the strength and longevity of a dental crown, it depends more on the skill of the dentist than the crown. Though, there are some advantages to CEREC crowns.

They can be done in just one appointment, as your dentist mentioned. This saves you from having to take additional time off work. If you’re an hourly employee, that usually makes up for the additional cost.

They’re milled by computer. There’s something about the precision of computers which helps with crowns. They’re much more likely to fit properly the first time than their man-made counterparts.

No matter what type of crown you get, there are some things neither can stand up against. If you’re a tooth grinder, just like your natural teeth, they will crack, chip, or break. A simple precaution, such as a nightguard, will protect both your natural teeth and any dental work you have.

No dental work, whether it’s a crown or porcelain veneers, will whiten once they’re made. So, if you’re considering taking some years off your appearance, by giving those chompers a boost, do it before your crowns are designed. That way they can be made to match the bright new color of the rest of your teeth.

Dental Crowns Versus Porcelain Veneers

We often get asked what is the difference between crowns and porcelain veneers and can you get a smile makeover with either one of them. I can answer both of those now.

Porcelain crowns are generally used after a root canal treatment or when the decay on a tooth takes up too much surface or goes too deep. Unfortunately, they require a significant amount of grinding down of tooth structure in order to fit the crown.

Porcelain veneers are strictly cosmetic. Some mild shaving on the front of the tooth is generally done, but it’s only about the depth of a fingernail. They’re used to change the cosmetic appearance of your teeth.

While both can be used for smile makeovers, you generally only use a crown for one when the tooth you’re making over already has one. That’s because a veneers saves much more of your natural tooth structure.

Either way, make sure whoever does your smile makeover has a beautiful smile guarantee.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Susan Dennis.

Will CEREC Crowns Handle Grinding?

Posted on October 17, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

I have a tooth which has cracked and my dentist wants me to get a CEREC Crown. The only thing I’m worried about is I grind my teeth at night. How do crowns hold up with teeth grinding?

Cory S.

Dear Cory,

CEREC Restorations

CEREC crowns are a great solution when you need a dental crown, but they won’t hold up long under the stress of tooth grinding. It’s not because there’s anything defective in the crowns themselves. Your normal teeth aren’t going to hold up with grinding either. In fact, that is likely why your tooth cracked to begin with.

Your dentist should have warned you about this. I’m concerned this didn’t happen. In fact, it puts you at risk not just of needing a mouth full of crowns, but of losing your teeth too.

A grinding habit can loosen your teeth to the point they even come out. Then, you’re not just looking at crowns but possibly a dental implant as well.

This can be solved simply. All your dentist has to do is fit you with a mouth guard designed to protect your teeth from grinding. It won’t cost that much and certainly will cost you significantly less than replacing your teeth from cracks or extractions.

Two things to be aware of if your crown is in a visible place. The color the crown is made with is permanent and cannot be whitened. If you’ll eventually want whiter teeth, now is the time to whiten them so the crown can be made to match your new white color.

Secondly, if it’s a very front tooth, you may consider getting a traditional porcelain crown. CEREC crowns, while beautiful and convenient are milled out of a single block of porcelain which makes the color rather flat. An artistic cosmetic dentist will create the crown for a front tooth out of different porcelain to give the tooth the same subtle variations you find in a natural tooth.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

TMJ Disaster

Posted on July 29, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

I’m 38 years old and had crowns placed on all of my teeth because of a rather bad teeth grinding habit. They put my teeth at a slant, but my dentist told me that’s how they’re supposed to go I just didn’t realize that because of how ground down mine were. But, I’m not sure that is true. I’ve got serious jaw pain and now there is clicking every time I use my mouth. I haven’t even started talking about how bad they look. I read that this could be a sign of TMJ disorder so I went to a dentist who said he was a TMJ Specialist. He put me in an orthotic device but I think he had me in it too long because my mouth feels weird like it’s been opened up too much. On top of that, all those badly done crowns are now worn down because of my teeth grinding habit.

What do I do?

Callie

Dear Callie,

You have been put through the ringer with dentists who are in over their head. The first thing you should know is there isn’t a recognized specialty in TMJ. Any general dentist can treat TMJ regardless of the amount of training they’ve received. A case such as yours is very complicated and needs a dentist with a great deal of experience and post-doctoral training.

I’m a little surprised your dentist never suggested that you wear a night guard in order to protect your teeth and then your dental crowns from your teeth grinding. That one suggestion could have saved you thousands of dollars. However, that is water under the bridge and you need to go from here.

The first thing you are going to need is a TMJ Dentist who has done real training in TMJ Disorder. They will need to re-do your crowns as they have been ground down along with your teeth. Here is where the training and experience of the dentist will be important, so they can find where your natural bite is supposed to be.

Some things that will be important as you move forward are as follows:

They need to fit you in temporaries first. Working from provisionals will save you a lot of grief.
Those temporaries need to feel completely comfortable and natural to you. You should have no jaw pain at all and the crowns need to come together comfortably both when your mouth is in repose and when you bite down.
You need to like how the temporaries look. Don’t let them tell you the permanent ones will look or feel better than the temps. That is not true. The permanent results are built completely off the provisionals. Everything should be just how you want it.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo TMJ Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.