What is enamel?
One thing you might’ve grown up hearing is that teeth are actually bones. However, this isn’t really the case. Instead, teeth are made of enamel—which is the hardest substance in your entire body, even harder than bone! But, just like bone, the enamel in your teeth can also be damaged if not cared for properly. This is called enamel loss.
Enamel is the outer layer of your tooth, the one that you can see and touch. It enables you to chew food into digestible bits, as well as bite and grind your teeth. Most importantly, enamel protects the inner, sensitive parts of your tooth, the dentin and tooth pulp, from damage.
Even though enamel is extremely resilient, it still needs proper care in order to maintain it. This is why making a habit of basic dental hygiene is important. This includes:
- Brushing your teeth twice a day
- Using a taper-tipped toothbrush
- Having fluoride in your water
- Seeing the dentist routinely
However, even if you take care of your teeth, there is still a risk of enamel erosion. This can be caused by a variety of factors, some of which are within your control and some are not.
What is enamel erosion?
Enamel erosion starts with the buildup of plaque on your teeth. Plaque is a grimy, yellow substance. It appears on the part of the teeth closest to the gum and can build up in the gaps between teeth.
Plaque is the result of acids in the mouth coming into contact with saliva or bacteria. It can form in as little as twelve hours if you neglect to brush your teeth. If plaque builds up on your teeth, it can weaken enamel and gradually wear it away. Certain things can increase your risk for enamel erosion, such as:
- Citrus fruits
- Sugary foods, such as candy, ice cream, and fruit juices
- Starchy foods, such as white bread, pasta, and white rice
- Alcoholsome text
- Interestingly, alcohol reduces the amount of saliva in your mouth. As one of saliva’s functions is to clean the teeth of harmful microorganisms, less saliva leads to a higher risk of enamel erosion.
- Certain medications
- Genetics
- Bruxism, also known as teeth grinding
- Anything that introduces stomach acid into the mouth, such as acid reflux and bulimia
Enamel loss is permanent, so once plaque has worn away at your enamel, it will never regrow. This is because, unlike bone, enamel is composed entirely of dead cells. To know if your enamel has started to erode, you should consider the sensitivity, color, and shape of your teeth.
If you feel your teeth becoming sensitive to food that is sweet, hot, or cold, that could be a sign you’re experiencing enamel loss. As enamel loss grows more severe, sensitivity does as well and may come in the form of a painful jolt.
Teeth that are losing enamel may turn yellow or gray. Individual teeth may become more rounded and ridges may form. Gaps between teeth may grow wider. Teeth can also chip, crack, and form cavities.
Enamel loss can be painful, visually unappealing, and dangerous for your teeth. But even though enamel loss is permanent, a procedure called dental bonding can help bring back your smile.
What is Dental Bonding?
Dental bonding refers to the use of resin on damaged teeth in order to enhance the appearance of the teeth and protect them from further degradation. It is commonly used in cases of enamel loss. Dental bonding is ideal for repairing relatively minor issues in teeth, such as cracks, chips, or discoloration.
More problems that can be address with dental bonding include:
- Decaying teeth
- Closing gaps between teeth
- Making short or small teeth longer
Compared to other cosmetic dental procedures, such as veneers and crowns, dental bonding is completely reversible. This is because the dental bonding does not involve removing enamel from the tooth.
Before a dentist can proceed with bonding your teeth, they will have to make sure that you’re eligible for the procedure. This is usually done through an X-ray. You are not eligible for dental bonding if you suffer from gum disease, gum loss, or tooth decay.
Once it’s confirmed that you’re able to go through with dental bonding, the procedure itself can typically take place in one appointment.
- First, you identify what changes you want made to your teeth. For example, do you want discoloration hidden? Do you want a chip filled?
- Then, the dentist uses resin—a moldable, durable plastic—that will eventually be applied to your teeth. First, the color of the resin is matched perfectly with that of your teeth, meaning it won’t be identifiable as a fake.
- The tooth or teeth which will receive bonding is roughened, and a glue-like liquid is applied to the tooth so that the resin will stick.
- The color-matched resin is then attached to the tooth and molded to fit the shape, or desired shape, of the tooth.
- UV light is used to harden and bond the resin to the tooth.
- Finally, the tooth is polished until it looks entirely natural. After this step, no one should be able to tell you’ve had dental bonding.
- The entire procedure takes from half an hour to an hour, and there is no recovery time or special care needed after.
Resin can be used to repair only a part of a tooth, such as a crack or a single spot of discoloration, but it can also cover the entire surface of the tooth. That is known as a composite veneer. They’re regular veneers, which are made of porcelain and which permanently change the enamel of your teeth.
Why dental bonding?
Pros of Dental Bonding
- Dental bonding is not as expensive as treatments, such as veneers and crowns.
- Dental bonding is almost completely reversible, as less tooth enamel is removed as compared to other procedures.
- Anesthesia is not required.
Cons of dental bonding
- Dental bonding may not be able to restore more severe cases of enamel loss.
- Dental bonding is more susceptible to breakage than veneers or crowns.
- The resin used in bonding can potentially stain.
Are you interested in dental bonding as a fix for enamel loss? Reach out to Dr. Elizabeth Wakim DDS to discuss your plan for treatment.
