Dental Macrodontia: A Medical Problem with a Cosmetic Solution

A prominent smile is a good thing, isn't it? For some people, certain parts of their smile can be noticeably more prominent than others. Dental macrodontia is a condition in which one or more of the teeth in your mouth are oversized in comparison to their neighbours. Some people affected by macrodontia might not be especially bothered by their smile, but others might be wondering if there's anything that can be done to shrink a tooth or two, in order to have a symmetrical smile. 

A Genetic Condition

It's not as though a doctor can cure dental macrodontia since it's a genetic condition that affects the teeth during their developmental phase. Its exact cause is not thoroughly understood, but it's not as though a doctor can offer treatment to reverse its outcome, since those teeth have already formed in an abnormal shape. This is why anyone wanting treatment will be referred to a cosmetic dentist.

Severe Macrodontia

When someone has multiple teeth that are affected by dental macrodontia, they've probably already sought treatment, since the abnormality has affected the functionality of their teeth, causing uneven bite pressure (resulting in jaw pain), as well as premature deterioration of their teeth. In this instance, orthodontic treatment would have been performed. But what about when only one or two teeth are noticeably bigger and the issue is almost entirely cosmetic?

Enamel Shaving

A cosmetic dentist can take effective steps to reduce the size of a problematic tooth. This is usually achieved by enamel shaving, in which the dentist shrinks the tooth by literally shaving it down until it's the correct size and shape for the tooth in question. There are limits to the primary application of this method since you can't lose too much enamel without damaging the tooth.

Dental Crowns

When enamel shaving will still leave a sufficient amount of protective enamel, this can be all that will be needed. However, a dentist can still remove a great deal of enamel, even though an additional step will be required to protect the modified tooth. When the amount of enamel to be removed is considerable, your dentist can then finish the tooth by adding a porcelain dental crown, meaning that the missing enamel will not lead to the tooth experiencing decay or sensitivity. 

When you have a tooth or two that are conspicuously larger than the others, your medical condition can have a cosmetic solution.

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