Wedge-shaped tooth defect: what it is, causes and treatment methods

A wedge-shaped tooth defect is a pathological condition accompanied by the destruction of the hard tissues of the cervical part of the tooth, which has the shape of a wedge. Most often, the disease affects the incisors, premolars and canines. Initially, the defects are small in size, but over time they increase, causing pain and discomfort near the gums.
The disease affects the hard tissues of the teeth near the gums, which later makes the tooth resemble a kind of wedge in shape. The disease is usually classified as non-carious lesions. Most often, enamel chips occur on the front teeth.

Causes

The area near the neck of the tooth is constantly exposed to increased pressure due to frequent biting. If the elements of the dentition are incorrectly located, the chewing load increases when eating. Accordingly, the teeth chip, and a wedge-shaped defect occurs.
Wedge-shaped defects are formed due to uneven distribution of chewing load.
For a long time, the cause of a wedge-shaped defect was considered to be external factors, namely brushing teeth with abrasive pastes and chemical effects on the enamel. The patient was recommended, first of all, to replace a hard brush with a soft one and to exclude from the diet products containing acid dangerous to enamel (in particular, citrus fruits).

However, the real cause of tooth destruction in the cervical area, as well as tooth abrasion, is systematic mechanical stress. When chewing, the maximum load falls on the root zone, and the enamel in this zone has the smallest thickness. First, microcracks appear in the enamel in this place, and then a wedge-shaped chip. Stress during chewing is not the main cause of a wedge-shaped defect.

For example, tooth abrasion is observed in all people with age, while chips in the neck of the tooth are much less common. This indicates a fundamentally different mechanism of pathology development.

The root cause of a wedge-shaped defect is an incorrect bite. Here’s how it works:

1. The patient has a malocclusion of the teeth, orthodontic treatment has not been carried out.
2. With a bite defect, the load on the teeth is distributed unevenly when chewing.
3. Teeth that are subject to increased load wear out quickly, and the surface at the point of wear becomes flat.
4. With flat, worn edges, food is not cut by the incisors when biting off, but is torn. This requires more effort and the teeth feel the load.
5. Due to the heavy load, the enamel at the base of the tooth is damaged, a wedge-shaped defect is formed.

According to statistics, the frequency of diagnosing a wedge-shaped defect in patients increases with age.

Symptoms

It is almost impossible to recognize a wedge-shaped defect in the early stages. Only a dentist can do this when examining the teeth and oral cavity.
The first manifestation of the disease is increased tooth sensitivity. The formation of wedge-shaped chips on the surface of the teeth in their cervical part is a sure symptom of a pathological condition.
Symptoms that will help to identify the problem in time:

• the shape of the teeth (the key feature of the defect is the wedge-shaped shape);
• symmetry of the affected areas;
• increased sensitivity of the teeth;
• a change in the condition of the enamel (loss of shine, change of color to a darker one), etc.

If you notice any symptoms of a wedge-shaped defect in yourself, you should not engage in self-medication, this can worsen the situation. As with the treatment of caries, it is important to diagnose the disease in time with a qualified dentist who will select the correct individual treatment.

Stages of a wedge-shaped defect

1. A wedge-shaped defect develops in several stages:
   At the initial stage, it is impossible to diagnose pathological changes visually without special optical equipment. There are also no sensitive symptoms of the destructive process.
   Surface damage to the enamel. At this stage, signs of destruction become noticeable. Cracks up to 0.2 mm deep and up to 3.5 mm wide are visible on the enamel, there is a slight sensitivity of the teeth with the defect.
2. Moderately pronounced defect. At this stage, the cracks acquire a wedge-shaped shape, are located at an angle of 45°, increase in depth to 0.3 mm and in width. There is a moderate reaction of the affected teeth to hot, cold, sweet, sour.
3. Stage of deep tissue damage. The defect is clearly visible. The destruction spreads in depth, increases in length to 5 mm. The teeth become hypersensitive.
4. A wedge-shaped defect can spread to the deep tissues of the tooth and reach the nerve. In some cases, with deep tissue damage, the tooth crown is chipped. Usually the problem affects several neighboring teeth.

How to treat a wedge-shaped tooth defect

The main principle of effective treatment of any disease is to fight not only the consequences, but also the causes. First of all, a patient with a wedge-shaped defect of the teeth should be examined by an orthodontist, who will make a diagnosis and select the optimal method of correcting the bite (aligners, installation of a bracket system).
Along with orthodontic treatment, according to indications, the patient may be prescribed the following treatment methods:

• enamel remineralization;
• desensitizing toothpastes (for increased sensitivity);
• fillings using modern composite materials;
• installation of veneers for aesthetic restoration of worn teeth;
• installation of a crown.

Prevention of a wedge-shaped defect

For prevention, you need to be more attentive to your health:

• brush your teeth correctly;
• do not use toothpastes that may contain components that are aggressive to the enamel;
• visit a dental clinic regularly – this will allow the doctor to identify a tendency to tooth abrasion and the appearance of a wedge-shaped defect and eliminate the problem in a timely manner.

Professional doctors at the YAREMA DENTAL clinic can solve the problem of a wedge-shaped defect of any complexity, using advanced treatment technologies and rich experience in the field of dental services.