“What can dentists do for enamel loss?”

Enamel loss can be corrected with either a filling or a crown. What you need will be dependent on the size and severity of the enamel loss. You should see your dentist to determine which replacement you will need.

Teeth are covered with the hardest material in the human body, commonly known as enamel. Enamel is formed before the tooth erupts. Once the enamel surface is "outside" the circulatory system it does not heal itself. There are now indications that some "healing" may occur due to salivary action on very small lesions, and with the use of various products or dietary foods. Enamel can be worn away from eating foods, or from hard toothbrushes covered with abrasive toothpastes. Some enamel has defects caused by over fluoridation, as found in some parts of Texas in the natural drinking waters. While unsightly, they do no harm. When enamel has worn away there are methods available by the dentists to cover the teeth. These involve restorative materials that cover the enamel defects and cosmetically restore form. They can last up to ten years. More permanent methods involve crowning the tooth with permanent fixed prostheses. Rear teeth in the back of the mouth would usually involve permanent crowns. Your dentist can more fully evaluate your personal condition and advise you on clinical choices depending on your individual teeth and needs, so visit your dentist and listen to the advice given.

Protect from further enamel loss. Enamel cannot be regrown, so we protect what is left.

That is dependent on the cause. This requires a dental exam to answer.

Every case is different. There are lots of good ways to fix this problem. You need to see a dentist and have an exam to get this question answered properly.

Alan B. Steiner, DMD

There are a lot of options available. The first options are to take measures to prevent the loss of enamel through mineral treatments and other therapies to strengthen the enamel, reverse incipient lesions that will turn into cavities and balance the teeth so that they are all sharing an equal load and functioning in ways that won't crack or break the enamel off. In cases where the enamel is broken off, we can repair those areas with composite filling material or porcelain.

Dr. Bishop

Enamel loss can be caused by many different things. I have had some patients who lose enamel because they didn’t like the color of their teeth and they brush very hard. Others have digestive problems where stomach acid can dissolve the enamel in the teeth. And it’s also possible to have developmental problems from birth where enamel is not strong. We cannot put enamel back to its original condition but we can Discover the cause of the enamel loss, treat the cause, and then try to ameliorate the symptoms of the cause...such as veneering the teeth or using extra fluoride, and soft brushes only.

Replace enamel by doing bonding