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Holes In Teeth – Not Just From Cavities

Dr Chris from Lyons Creek here again. Proudly, Dr. Bob and I are great tooth carpenters–repairing a broken shingle or two, sometimes building a better roof on a tooth, uprighting a sagging tooth, maybe cleaning the dirt and debris off the foundation for all those little houses on the block we call teeth. But the other part of my job is to be a detective; a forensic, “CSI”-dentist. And when our patients introduce their dental health to me, I find more than just a cavity or a gum infection. I often find teeth have a combination of physical wear and tear, stress fractures, and chemically-induced corrosion. These issues are all non-decay type damage. And I have to start tracking down the causes. Take a look at these examples.

There’s a been a lot of debate about how these notched or ditched areas originate. SOme researchers can’t conclude that tooth grinding stresses cause this damage to create microcracks that progress. And we know with certainty that soft bristled electric brushes don’t create a enough abrasion to cut defects into teeth these days. There’s more at work.

All humans that have teeth also have factors in their lives responsible for the damage. That could include a use of medications, a particular diet, a favorite beverage, an unbalanced bite; the list goes on. All of these factors lead to the defects. It gets complicated.

Alas, there’s good news. I am the guy who can distill the complex pile of issues down to some straightforward solutions. That way you can keep your teeth going strong for a longer period of time.

Now is the time to come in and get an assessment of how you’re doing from me and Dr. Bob! Call us at 206.362.5400 or visit www.lyonscreekdentalcare.com for an appointment.