Is It Safe to Get Shaving Down Your Teeth?
[M.D.S. (Ortho), Fellow ICOI]
Teeth Shaving is a minimally invasive clinical procedure that refers to removing a small amount of enamel from each tooth. It is also known as teeth recontouring, teeth stripping, teeth reshaping. This technique is supposed to alter a tooth’s size, surface, and length. It is clinically known as Enameloplasty or Odontoplasty.
Teeth reshaping is performed to smoothen the chipped and rough-edged teeth surfaces. Likewise, the adjustment is mandatory at times to fit oral appliances (teeth braces, for instance) correctly inside your mouth. Such alterations are carried out for both aesthetic and therapeutic reasons.
Why do dentists perform tooth shaving?
Enamel is the strong, protective coating that safeguards our teeth’s nerves and pulp chambers. Some oral care treatments necessitate the removal of a little piece of enamel. Here are some of the most prevalent reasons for tooth recontouring:
- Bite Adjustment – Having a lengthy canine tooth or the molar tooth will disturb your bites. In a long run, such uneven bites will cause severe muscle spasms and even TMJ disorders. Hence dentists reshape the canine tooth or reshape the problematic molar tooth’s cusp to create a balanced bite. Dentists perform it by comparing the size of the patient’s teeth to the size of the patient’s mouth to correct bite imbalances. It is clinically known as “Occlusal Equilibration”.
- Orthodontic Treatments – Pushing the teeth into their aligned position with dental braces or aligners will be very difficult if your teeth are crowded too much. It is most likely possible for people having small jaws and big teeth. In such cases, the teeth should be narrowed down to create more space between them hence that teeth shaving is performed.
- For wearing Partial dentures – In certain cases, teeth recontouring is pivotal for the dentures to perfectly fit the clasps and anchor points.
- Reshaping damaged teeth – The sharp bits of enamel left with a chipped or damaged portion of a tooth will prick the tongue and oral tissues continuously. Hence dentists perform tooth shaving to smoothen the cracked edges to create an even surface.
- Cosmetic Reasons – If a front tooth is slightly crooked, it can be corrected by slightly reshaping and polishing. Likewise, cementing veneers to the front teeth necessitates removing enamel of a few millimeters so the appliance can blend perfectly over the teeth surfaces.
How is tooth shaving performed?
Despite seeming aggressive, tooth shaving is minimally invasive. As the procedure tends to remove the outer layer of teeth, the nerves and tissues inside are not involved. So it is performed without administering anesthesia.
Dentists shave a tooth enamel with tools such as saws and grinders. Don’t panic. It will not hurt or injure your teeth and takes less recovery time as well.
Is it right to shave down your teeth yourselves at home?
No. You should get support from a dental professional for teeth shaving.
As discussed earlier, the root and pulp chamber of the teeth do not interfere with this treatment. It is pain-free and does not require anesthesia also. You might see some Tik Tok videos in which some people shave their teeth with a nail file or sandpaper.
It does not imply that you can shave your teeth with your own hands. If you use harsh and sharp tools to shave away your enamel, you will end up losing more than the surface enamel. Such worn-out enamel will expose the sensitive layers beneath, making the teeth more susceptible to decay.
Bottom line
Teeth shaving is a conservative procedure and is performed to meet various therapeutic goals. In certain situations, the recontouring procedure is an active alternative for certain aesthetic dental solutions.
Remember that it is an easy, pain-free & benign procedure if it is performed by dental experts. Don’t try the DIY hacks existing on social media else you will have to deal with its long-term harmful consequences.
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