Why You Have “Long Teeth” and How to Fix Them
Being “long in the teeth” takes on an entirely new meaning when you’re the one seeing “long teeth” in the bathroom mirror. Why is this happening? Is there any way to shorten your teeth?
Wurzbach Parkway Family Dental has your answers.
What Makes Teeth Long
On occasion, a tooth gets longer when it doesn’t have an opposing neighbor.
You see, teeth never actually stop moving. They’re always looking to grow out of the gums and shift towards the front of the mouth. This is how they stay in optimal positions for chewing.
But if there isn’t a tooth on the opposite side, then the loner may keep growing up (or down) to fill in the empty space. This happens if a tooth is pulled and never replaced.
More commonly, however, teeth look long due to losing gum coverage.
Gum recession has many causes including:
● Gum disease
● Brushing too hard
● Aging
● Teeth clenching
● Poorly positioned teeth
Gums can start shrinking away from teeth and reveal the sensitive, yellow, long tooth roots.
What You Can Do
You won’t necessarily be able to just trim down a tooth to shorten it.
Instead, the remedy often lies in covering up the tooth with more gum tissue. A small exposed area of root could also be patched up with dental bonding. But the important thing is to treat the cause of recession so it doesn’t happen again.
In the meantime, maintain a healthy routine of (gentle) brushing and flossing. Get lots of fluoride, since this will strengthen any exposed root surfaces to prevent decay and sensitivity.
Contact our San Antonio cosmetic dentist at Wurzbach Parkway Family Dental for a gum health consultation.
Posted on Behalf of Wurzbach Parkway Family Dental
