What defect of teeth provokes their hypersensitivity?

Many people know that unpleasant feeling that appears when eating at different temperatures, when inhaling cold frosty air. It is generally accepted that the cause of this is always dental caries. But, recently, dentists have come to the conclusion that the cause of such increased sensitivity of the teeth is often a wedge-shaped defect of the teeth, namely the enamel. What is a wedge-shaped enamel defect? Why it appears and how to deal with it, read on estet-portal.com.

What is a wedge-shaped defect of teeth?

A wedge-shaped tooth defect is a non-carious tooth lesion that is located near the gum and has a wedge shape. In most cases, the tooth is worn from the outside at the canines, premolars and incisors. There are cases of more complex wedge-shaped defects of the teeth, when not only the outer surface of the enamel is erased, but also the inner one. With such defects, the lesion has a different color, which indicates its pigmentation and deeper penetration of the defect. At the same time, the place of the defect itself is not affected by caries.

Having a wedge-shaped defect of the teeth, patients always complain of pain when taking hot or cold food, which has a different degree of intensity. The intensity of pain depends on the level of the person's sensitivity threshold.

Wedge-shaped defect of teeth. Causes of defect

The causes of the wedge-shaped defect of the teeth are still not fully understood. At the moment, the following reasons for the defect are assumed:

• Malocclusion in the oral cavity. Changes in the bite of the mouth occur in 90% of the population. At the slightest malocclusion, the entire biomechanics of chewing changes, while the load on the teeth is unevenly distributed. This leads to the formation of micro-chips and micro-cracks in the enamel of the teeth, especially in the cervical region. This serves as a foundation for the further development of the wedge-shaped defect of the teeth.
• The toothbrush is too hard. Most people are unaware of the rules for brushing their teeth. Some dentists consider this to be one of the reasons for the development of a wedge-shaped defect in the teeth. After all, brushing your teeth should be carried out not only in a horizontal plane, but also in a vertical one. It was even noticed that in right-handers, defects form more on the left side, while in left-handers – from the right. This is due to the fact that a hard brush wears away the enamel in the place where it is most often used when brushing improperly.
• Poor oral hygiene. If oral hygiene is performed incorrectly or insufficiently, soft plaque accumulates on the teeth. This happens precisely in the cervical area and between the teeth. This plaque contains up to a thousand different microorganisms, which, in close contact with the enamel, demineralize and destroy it. This reduces the calcium content in the tooth enamel, which ensures the hardness of the tooth.

In addition, poor oral hygiene can lead to the development of gingivitis and periodontitis. With these diseases, the composition of the gingival fluid changes, which further leads to calcium leaching from the tooth enamel and a wedge-shaped tooth defect is formed. Such causes of the defect can and should be eliminated.

Methods of treatment of wedge-shaped defect of teeth

Treatment of a wedge-shaped defect of the tooth is aimed at reducing the discomfort of the patient and improving the aesthetics and appearance of the affected tooth.

With a small wedge-shaped defect of the teeth, in which the sensitivity is unstable and short-term, a course of remineralization is carried out. In this case, the teeth are treated with a special solution. To do this, enamel is often used – sealing liquid, which consists of two vials of liquid. The first bottle is magnesium fluoride silicate with copper and calcium ions, and the second – calcium hydroxide. Calcium hydroxide reduces sensitivity, and fluorine ions demineralize tooth tissues.

In case of a large wedge-shaped defect of the teeth, therapeutic treatment is carried out, which consists in applying a filling. It is placed on the cervical area. The filling consists of a composite material that stops the development of caries. With such a large wedge-shaped defect of the teeth, the oral cavity should be regularly examined by the dentist for the timely replacement of the old filling with a new one. When placing a filling, it is important to take into account the proximity of the gums and try not to make a filling with edges hanging over the gums.

With a very large wedge-shaped defect of the teeth, in which, in addition to pain, the tooth has an extremely ugly appearance, ceramic veneers are used. It is made in dental laboratories.

Compliance with some rules will prevent the wedge-shaped defect of the teeth

For patients who are prone to or already have wedge-shaped defects, dentists recommend following these rules:

• Use a medium hard toothbrush.
• If small defects are detected, perform remineralizing therapy.
• Treat wedge-shaped defects of teeth in time.
• Consult your dentist about brushing your teeth.

The presence of a wedge-shaped defect of the teeth brings a lot of inconvenience and discomfort. In addition, the appearance of the tooth worsens, its color often changes. Therefore, it is important to prevent the development of a wedge-shaped defect of the teeth and visit the dentist regularly to identify the slightest defects.