The Cause of Tooth Sensitivity: Cervical Abrasion, Dental Resin Restoration and Glass Ionomer (GI) at Dangsan Station Dental Clinic

Hello, I’m Kim Min-young, a specialist in conservative dentistry at Dangsan Station Dental Clinic.

Some people complain that their teeth feel sensitive even when just a cold wind blows.

They also have trouble brushing with cold water or drinking beverages with ice in them,

and they usually think the cause is their "gums."

Many people assume this is because their gums have become weak due to periodontitis.

However, the cause is usually in the teeth.

In many cases, the cervical area at the neck of the tooth wears down,

exposing the dentin and causing sensitivity.

Today, at Dangsan Station Dental Clinic,

I’d like to share related information about this.

1. What condition is it?

Cervical abrasion is a condition in which the tooth structure in the

area called the neck of the tooth gradually wears away.

The border area between the gums and the teeth is called the cervical area.

Its causes can include improper tooth brushing and

excessive occlusal force.

I’ll explain the causes in more detail at Dangsan Station Dental Clinic.

• Improper tooth brushing

In Korea, the rotating method, in which the toothbrush is swept downward

from the gums toward the molars, is recommended.

However, some people use a horizontal scrubbing method that moves back and forth.

If you look closely inside the mouth, in most cases

the border between the gums and the molars is worn down,

and the outer layer is exposed.

By repeating this with force over a long period of time,

as shown in the photo prepared by Dangsan Station Dental Clinic,

the outer layer gradually comes off.

In such cases, tooth sensitivity may appear,

and if it worsens, the dentin may become excessively exposed,

which can even make root canal treatment necessary.

• Excessive occlusal force

If you grind your teeth or have the bad habit of clenching your teeth,

a stronger force is applied to the teeth than you might think.

Although the risk of fracture increases as fatigue accumulates over a long period,

that force can be concentrated in the neck area, leading to a flexure fracture pattern.

Then the outer layer falls away in a characteristic V shape,

and the dentin becomes exposed.

This can cause sensitive symptoms such as tooth sensitivity.

In such cases, the lost dentin must be restored to prevent further damage to the tooth structure.

2. How can it be improved?

If only the damaged tooth structure caused by cervical abrasion needs to be restored,

it can be sufficiently improved through treatment that restores it with safe materials.

There are broadly two materials that can be used for this.

• Resin

• Glass ionomer: Glass ionomer/GI

Both have been used for a long time as restorative materials and have been recognized for their excellence. They each have different advantages and disadvantages. Dangsan Station Dental Clinic, Specialist in Conservative Dentistry Kim Min-young

• Resin

This is a material commonly used in cavity treatment, so many people are probably already familiar with it.

When performed under thorough moisture control, it can have sufficient strength and is also used in molar cavity treatment.

When cervical abrasion occurs in the front teeth, resin is mainly used. The reason is aesthetics.

It offers a wide range of shade selection options

and has translucency similar to natural teeth.

So it can be reproduced very closely to the real thing. Dangsan Station Dental Clinic, Specialist in Conservative Dentistry Kim Min-young

• Glass ionomer: Glass ionomer/GI

The second material to introduce is

glass ionomer.

Resin is generally a non-covered treatment item,

but glass ionomer is covered by insurance,

so treatment can be received economically for under 10,000 won.

In addition, because it releases fluoride for a certain period,

it is an excellent material for preventing cavities.

Unlike resin, the range of shade selection is very narrow.

Also, because it is more opaque than translucent,

it is not often used for front teeth where aesthetics are emphasized.

Cervical abrasion, the main cause of tooth sensitivity,

affects the neck area of the tooth, which has a thinner outer layer

than the chewing surface used for biting food.

Because of this, the tooth structure wears down more quickly,

and the dentin may become exposed.

It can be sufficiently prevented simply by improving bad habits

such as tooth brushing, teeth grinding, and clenching. If you are experiencing tooth sensitivity,

please check once to see whether the cause may be the teeth rather than the gums.

That concludes today’s update from Dangsan Station Dental Clinic.

I hope this has been a useful article for you, and I will share quality information again next time.

This has been Kim Min-young, specialist in conservative dentistry.

Thank you.