01
Diagnose
We examine your teeth, bite and jaw, take photos and scans, and find out what is causing the wear.
Restorative dentistry · Tooth wear
Worn and chipped teeth
Tooth wear is one of our special interests. We find the cause, protect what you have and rebuild your teeth as conservatively as possible.
Special interestAt Sedgemead House Dental
Trial smileTry it before you commit
Night guardsMade in-house
ReferralsWelcome from colleagues
What is tooth wear?
Find the cause, then rebuild
Tooth wear is the gradual loss of tooth surface. It can leave teeth short, chipped, sharp, sensitive or yellow as the enamel thins.
Some wear is a normal part of ageing. But fast or heavy wear can change how your smile looks, how your bite meets and how strong your teeth are. It is one of our particular interests: Dr Siegfried Aylward manages front tooth wear and complex restorative cases, and Dr Gona Ali also provides tooth wear management.
Treatment always starts by finding the cause, because rebuilding worn teeth without dealing with what wore them down rarely lasts.
- A full assessment of your teeth, bite and jaw
- A trial smile so you can see the result first
- The most conservative option that will last
Why teeth wear
Four causes, often together
Erosion
Acid dissolving enamel: fizzy and sports drinks, fruit juice, citrus, wine, or acid reflux and sickness.
Attrition
Tooth grinding on tooth, from clenching or grinding, often at night or when stressed.
Abrasion
Wear from outside forces: brushing too hard, abrasive toothpaste, or habits like nail biting or pen chewing.
Abfraction
Notches at the gum line where teeth flex under heavy biting forces.
If it's left
What can happen over time
Tooth wear is usually slow, which is why it is easy to miss. Left alone, it can lead to:
- Sensitivity to cold, hot or sweet as the enamel thins and the softer dentine underneath is exposed
- Shorter teeth, and a smile that looks older than you are
- Chips and fractures, as thin edges break more easily
- A collapsed bite, where the teeth wear so much that the face looks shorter and there is no room left to rebuild without opening the bite
- More complex treatment later, because the less tooth there is, the harder it is to restore
The earlier wear is spotted, the simpler, cheaper and more conservative the treatment.
How it works
How we manage tooth wear
02
Protect
Advice to slow erosion, and a hard night guard made in-house if you grind or clench.
03
Plan & try
A digital wax-up shows how your teeth could be rebuilt, which you can try as a printed trial smile.
04
Restore
Bonding, 3D printed veneers, overlays or crowns, often using the Dahl approach to make space.
Treatment options
Ways to rebuild worn teeth
Most people need a combination. We choose the most conservative option that will last for your bite.
| Protect and monitor | Composite bondingOften the first step | 3D printed veneers & overlays | Ceramic overlays & crowns | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Diet advice, a hard night guard and regular photos and scans to track the wear | Tooth-coloured composite added to rebuild worn edges, often with the Dahl approach | Ultra-thin printed restorations, 0.1 to 0.15 mm, designed from your scan | E.max ceramic or gold restorations made in a lab |
| Best for | Early wear, or alongside any treatment | Front teeth with mild to moderate wear | Moderate to severe wear, opening a collapsed bite | Heavy wear and high biting forces, especially back teeth |
| Drilling | None | None | Little or none | Some |
| How long it lasts | Ongoing | Around 5 years before maintenance | 7 years or more expected; newer material | 10–15 years or more |
| If it chips | Not applicable | Usually repairable in one visit | Usually repairable | Usually replaced |
| Investment | More affordable | More affordable | Higher investment | Highest investment |
Protect and monitor
- What it is
- Diet advice, a hard night guard and regular photos and scans to track the wear
- Best for
- Early wear, or alongside any treatment
- Drilling
- None
- How long it lasts
- Ongoing
- If it chips
- Not applicable
- Investment
- More affordable
Composite bonding
Often the first step
- What it is
- Tooth-coloured composite added to rebuild worn edges, often with the Dahl approach
- Best for
- Front teeth with mild to moderate wear
- Drilling
- None
- How long it lasts
- Around 5 years before maintenance
- If it chips
- Usually repairable in one visit
- Investment
- More affordable
3D printed veneers & overlays
- What it is
- Ultra-thin printed restorations, 0.1 to 0.15 mm, designed from your scan
- Best for
- Moderate to severe wear, opening a collapsed bite
- Drilling
- Little or none
- How long it lasts
- 7 years or more expected; newer material
- If it chips
- Usually repairable
- Investment
- Higher investment
Ceramic overlays & crowns
- What it is
- E.max ceramic or gold restorations made in a lab
- Best for
- Heavy wear and high biting forces, especially back teeth
- Drilling
- Some
- How long it lasts
- 10–15 years or more
- If it chips
- Usually replaced
- Investment
- Highest investment
Complex cases also need thin palatal backings on the inside of the upper front teeth, a wax-up and smile trial and a diagnostic smile assessment, with a free hard night guard to protect the result. The smile cost estimator includes these, and our fees page lists current prices.
Tooth wear, restored
Photographs of our own patients, shown with their permission. Every result is different.
For referring dentists
We accept tooth wear referrals from other practices, and manage both front and back tooth wear using the Dahl approach, facebows, Michigan-style splints and direct or indirect restorations. See our information for referring dentists.
Prices
Tooth wear treatment prices
All our prices are kept in one place, on our fees page, so they are always up to date. Your written treatment plan confirms every fee before anything begins, and 0% finance over 12 months is available on qualifying treatment, subject to status.
Cost estimator
Estimate your treatment
Our cost estimators show an indicative price and a monthly figure with 0% finance.
Questions
Tooth wear FAQs
Is tooth wear serious?
Some wear is normal with age, but fast or heavy wear can make teeth short, sensitive or weak. The earlier it is managed, the simpler the treatment.
What causes tooth wear?
Usually a mix of erosion (acid from food, drink or reflux), attrition (grinding and clenching), abrasion (brushing too hard or habits) and abfraction (flexing at the gum line). Finding the cause is the first step.
What is the Dahl approach?
A well-established technique where composite is added to worn front teeth to rebuild them, and the bite adapts over the following months. It avoids drilling healthy tooth.
Can I see what my teeth would look like first?
Yes. We design the new shape digitally and print a trial smile that clips over your own teeth, so you can see and feel it before anything is permanent.
Do I need a night guard?
If grinding or clenching is part of the cause, a hard night guard protects your teeth and any new restorations. We make ours in-house.
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