Preventing

When a back tooth breaks or shows signs of wear, fixing it isn’t always as simple as putting in a filling or crown. Sometimes, these fixes can lead to problems like pain, bite issues, more broken teeth, and muscle tension. How can a dentist know if this might happen to a patient, and how can they prevent it?
Here are seven key things every dentist should check before restoring a back tooth. If these signs are all present, the patient may have a higher risk of future problems:
1. Wear, chips, or fractures on back teeth: This can mean the patient #grinding their teeth, causing wear and tear.
2. Little to no wear on front teeth: If only the back teeth are worn, it suggests the patient grinds their teeth without moving their jaw forward, focusing pressure on the back.
3. No joint pain: If the patient doesn’t have #jawjoint pain, it indicates the jaw joints aren’t the cause of the wear.
4. Normal jaw movement: The patient can open their mouth and move their jaw normally, suggesting healthy joint function.
5. No joint sounds: No clicking or popping in the jaw joints is a sign of stability.
6. Healthy jaw joints on X-rays: The joints appear healthy with no signs of wear or damage.
7. #Leafgauge test greater than 1.5mm: This shows there’s a noticeable bite "slide," and equilibration may be needed before restoring the tooth.
If these signs are all present, the patient might have a bite "slide," meaning they close their mouth and hit one tooth first, then shift their jaw to bring the rest of the teeth together. This can lead to wear on the interfering tooth, and the patient may not even realize they’re doing it.
When a #dentist tries to restore that tooth, the bite may change, leading to discomfort, the feeling that the crown or filling is "too high," or even breaking the new restoration. Equilibration, which adjusts the bite by reshaping teeth, helps avoid these problems by making sure the teeth fit together evenly, both at rest and during chewing.
#Equilibration ensures a stable, comfortable #bite and a long-lasting #dentalrestoration especially for patients at higher risk of bite-related issues.