Serious Chewing

Q: I’m a youngish adult, early thirties. I have family in Canada and the US so one year it seems I’m getting my teeth cleaned in one country and then the next year the other.

In one place they just clean my teeth, the dentist comes in and says, “Looks good, see ya.” In the other place the hygienist talks to me about the fact that I am wearing my teeth quite aggressively.

The dentist picked this up independently and said, “We’ve got to do a bite work up.” I know it’s happening but it feels too big to think about. Having said that, I don’t want to be looking at stubs in my mouth thirty years from now and having it be more expensive.

The “serious” dentist said I could be grinding my teeth at night, during the day, or even when I am chewing food. He told me how I could tell when I’m grinding and how to catch myself. He said if I grind when I chew my food I could tell because I chew through my food, feel my teeth and then grind, giving myself the “knowledge” that I’m chewing thoroughly.

At my next meal, I found I really do grind my teeth when eating. The thing is, it feels so natural and I like to feel like I’m really grinding my food up. Doesn’t everyone? When I went back, the dentist showed me that I grind at other times too. He said that to put my teeth back to their original shape I need a lot of crowns.

Is that the only way? Can I wear a guard?

A: Sooner or later you will have to have your teeth restored to their original size – definitive treatment demands that. Functional grinders do greater damage to their teeth than those who grind their teeth occasionally during the day or at night.

Having said that, front teeth are the guiding teeth to chewing so it is possible to correct them first and it’s important that you start there. Obviously if you make your front teeth their original length and thickness it will be like putting a prop in the front, thereby causing the back teeth to come apart.

Once your dentist establishes where your front teeth should be he/she can carefully add thickness to your back teeth so all your teeth meet at the same time. At first the “thrill” of grinding your back teeth will be missed but soon you’ll acclimate and know you’re no longer destroying your teeth.

When funds permit, you’ll be able to have your back teeth crowned, thereby finalizing the treatment. A bite splint is always a good measure to protect your teeth from their nightly workout.

If we can help, we’d like to. Call 778-410-2080 for a consultation or visit us today.

Based on actual patient cases

© Calvin Ross Crapo

Victoria Implant Centre 778-410-2080

www.VictoriaImplantCentre.com

Easy as 1, 2, 3

Question: Dear Dr. Crapo: I’m forty-five and have started a company that’s looking successful. I love the work and we’re growing. Up to this point I’ve had some good business training and decent jobs but not anything that gave me benefits or extra money to spend on myself.

A month ago I had a terrible toothache so I saw a dentist. He said I needed a root canal so I said “let’s do it and I think we need to look around because I know there are other things not right”.

When he got into the root canal he found the tooth was cracked and said I needed to have the tooth out and an implant placed. I saw another dentist who not only took out the tooth and put in the implant immediately but put in another one just in front because I had a space from a tooth I got pulled years ago.

He told me I was very hard on my teeth and I needed the same treatment on the other side, plus he said I was breaking down the edges of my front teeth so badly I’d need crowns on those teeth as well. I can handle the cost – at least I think I can, but in stages. I like to keep up with my bills. Is there a way this can be done? I’ve put myself off, not getting my teeth fixed but now I want to get the best job possible. I’d like to look better but I want back teeth to chew my food first.

He said once the crowns are done on these implants I’ll have good chewing ability on the left side but I need three implants on the right side to bring my back teeth up to function. He said my front teeth are very important too, so I need some direction. Answer: It sounds like you’ve got a number of challenges so let me offer some observations. In healthy individuals implants can be fitted with crowns after 2 ½ - 3 months. If your front teeth can be reinforced by filling them, then do that while you’re waiting for the implants to integrate with your bone. Front teeth are essential to guide your bite while you’re chewing your food and usually an appointment or two will allow the dentist time to remove decay and strengthen them to provide this important function. By April or May you could have your new back teeth on your implants so you’ll have one side to chew with. At this point you could have the three implants done on the right side. This will give you “cost spacing” that may work or you could take a few months to absorb and handle the costs and then place the implants, so that by Christmas of this year your mouth is in good functioning shape.

If we can help, we’d like to. Call 778-410-2080 for a consultation or visit us today.

Based on actual patient cases

© Calvin Ross Crapo

Victoria Implant Centre 778-410-2080

www.VictoriaImplantCentre.com