08/09/2025
Tooth Wear is a Silent Threat to Your Health and Beauty
Many people think tooth wear is a routine part of aging, but its impact extends far beyond flat teeth. Accurate diagnosis of tooth wear is critical to preventing complications that affect beauty, your ability to chew, your ability to breathe, and your overall well-being.
What Research Tells Us About Tooth Wear
Tooth wear—encompassing attrition (tooth-to-tooth contact, also referred to as clenching and grinding), abrasion (mechanical wear from brushing or external items (opening bottles or packages with your teeth), and erosion (chemical dissolution from acidic diets or conditions like GERD)—is a natural process. Studies estimate that wear reduces tooth length by about 30% by age 65. For example, a 10 mm incisor at eruption (around age 7) may lose 2–3 mm over six decades, or roughly 0.02–0.05 mm of enamel annually. However, pathological wear, driven by bruxism, acidic diets, or medical conditions, accelerates this, with dentin exposure affecting up to 80% of older adults in some populations.
Longitudinal research, including 3D imaging studies, shows significant individual variation. A 13-year study of front teeth found wear progresses unevenly due to factors like grinding of teeth or dietary acid exposure. By the 40s and 50s, enamel thinning becomes noticeable, and by the 60s, severe wear affects over 60% of some groups.
The Far-Reaching Ramifications of Tooth Wear
Tooth wear’s consequences extend beyond the teeth, impacting beauty, causing premature aging and loss of facial support, your ability to chew, and overall health. Here’s how:
Loss of Lip and Facial Support�Worn teeth reduce the distance between your chin and nose, diminishing support for lips and cheeks. This leads to a collapsed facial look, with thinner lips and sunken cheeks, similar to a look that someone who no longer has teeth or is missing many teeth. Research indicates that severe wear shortens anterior teeth by 2–3 mm over decades, altering the lower facial third and disrupting aesthetic balance.
Premature Aged Look�Tooth wear accelerates facial aging. Shortened teeth and reduced vertical dimension cause wrinkles around the mouth, a flattened smile, and deeper folds around the nose and lips. Patients often report looking older than their age, making early diagnosis critical for recommending restorations like crowns or veneers to restore facial harmony.
Airway Issues Due to Muscle Activity on the Hyoid (floating bone in the neck involved in swallowing and breathing) and Postural Changes�. Severe wear alters bite alignment, triggering muscle activity in the jaw and neck. This shifts the hyoid bone’s position, potentially narrowing the upper airway and increasing risks of snoring or mild sleep apnea. Studies link the reduced distance of the nose to the chin to forward head posture, as patients adjust to maintain occlusion, further impacting airway stability.
Disharmony Between Teeth and Jaw Joints�Uneven wear disrupts the balance between teeth and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), leading to malocclusion, jaw pain, or TMJ disorders. Research shows that severe wear increases TMJ stress, with up to 30% of affected patients reporting symptoms like clicking or discomfort. Early diagnosis can prevent chronic issues.
Cervical Vertebrae Issues�Posture changes from tooth wear, such as forward head posture, can strain the cervical vertebrae. This can cause neck pain or stiffness, displace discs and vertebrae, causing a feeling like something is not on the side of the neck, and altered jaw positioning, affecting spinal alignment. Dentists play a vital role in recognizing these connections through comprehensive patient assessments.
Diagnosing and Managing Tooth Wear
Effective diagnosis is the key to reducing the impact of tooth wear. Intraoral scanners and detailed patient histories help identify risk factors like bruxism or tooth grinding, acidic diets, or GERD. Preventive strategies—such as fluoride treatments, night guards, dietary counseling, or restoring teeth in harmony with the jaw joint position, airway health, and cervical spine—can slow wear, or through the use of minimally invasive restorations or additions, will address functional and beauty concerns in a more permanent fashion.
Take Action Today
If you're experiencing tooth wear, jaw joint symptoms, headaches, or neck pain, we invite you to schedule a consultation today or a Zoom consultation to have your questions answered. Call 636-583-2612 today to schedule a consultation, or text Dr. Edwards directly at 636-234-7481 to begin the conversation.
