Is polishing the back of a tooth safe to do?!
Question: My dentist told me he could polish two of my front teeth so that they won't be striking my bottom teeth when I bite down. But is this a safe thing to do? SHould I let him do it? Please advise. Thank you!
Answers: My dentist told me he could polish two of my front teeth so that they won't be striking my bottom teeth when I bite down. But is this a safe thing to do? SHould I let him do it? Please advise. Thank you!
If there is ANY chance he can "polish" through the enamel and into the dentin, the answer is NO, do not let him!
He deliberately used the word "polish" because it sounds nice. He is actually going to use either his slow-speed or high-speed drill with a polishing bur.
Filing off a thin layer of enamel might not solve the problem because it does NOT take into consideration that your bite is not STATIC. That is, you do not bite precisely the same way every time!
I wish I knew how old you are because I would want to know how long your teeth have been "striking" your bottom teeth. Is this a recent occurrence? Have the teeth shifted? Is there bone loss that is causing the shifting? Has he fitted you with ill-fitting restorations or crowns and is compensating by filing other teeth? Your situation can be more complicated than meets the eye. Without seeing you, any answer I provide can be off of the mark.
Is there any chance you can gently realign any teeth with a retainer?
Personally, I would not allow the "polishing". We lose enough enamel as we age. Deliberately reducing it, for me, is not an option.