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What is Occlusal Wear?

The loss of tooth structure due to the rubbing of tooth against another tooth is called Occlusal Wear.

What causes Occlusal Wear?

  • Parafunctional habits: bruxism (grinding), clenching, or object biting (ice, nails, pens). These can occur for a number of reasons, including:

    • Stress

    • Medications: levodopa, fluoxetine, lithium, citalopram, etc.

    • Habits

  • Bite interference due to:

    • Natural tooth position

    • Restorations that are “high” or unpolished porcelain rubbing against natural tooth structure.

    • Shifting tooth position from periodontal disease

  • Missing teeth – spaces in your dentition will put more pressure than normal on the remaining teeth. This is most noticeable with your molars and other posterior teeth.

  • Diet

    • Nuts, ice

    • Excessive gum chewing

  • Systemic/Neurological

    • Sleep apnea

    • Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease

    • Down syndrome

    • Autism

  • Developmental dental defects –enamel is thin or weak

What Are the Symptoms of Occlusal Wear?

  • Flattening of chewing surfaces

  • Trismus (restricted mouth opening)

  • Tenderness in the muscles used for chewing

  • Headaches, usually near the temples

  • The clicking of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) – where your jaw attaches to the rest of your skull

  • The bite doesn’t “feel right”

  • Loose teeth

What Are the Risks of Occlusal Wear?

  • Teeth: Tooth sensitivity, fracture of teeth, exposure of tooth nerve, poor esthetics, toothaches

  • Functional: Decreased chewing efficiency, pain on chewing

  • Temporomandibular joint disorders, or chronic headaches

How Can I Treat Occlusal Wear?

  • Bite equilibration: A procedure done in our office where our Chicago dentists reduce the area causing the interference, allowing the teeth to come together more naturally

  • Occlusal guard to prevent grinding and clenching

  • Restorative procedures: Fillings or crowns to prevent further wear, decrease sensitivity, or improve aesthetics of worn dentition.

  • Orthodontic movement to fix issues with a misaligned bite

  • For severe cases, the only treatment is a “full mouth rehab” – necessitating crowns for nearly every tooth.

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