Dental HealthArticle
On 15th December 2025, a 52-year-old female patient walked into our Delhi clinic with tears in her eyes. Her chief complaint was simple but heartbreaking: "Doctor, I can't eat properly. My lower front teeth have completely worn out. I haven't smiled in family photos for 2 years."As a dentist, these are the cases that truly test your skills and planning. This was not just about fixing teeth. It was about giving a person her confidence back. It also helps in restoring the function.
Understanding the Problem: What is Deep Bite?When we examined her, the situation was clear. She had a condition called 'Deep Bite' or 'Deep Overbite'. In simple terms, when she closed her mouth, her upper front teeth completely overlapped her lower front teeth. For years, every time she chewed or swallowed, her upper teeth were constantly grinding against her lower teeth.This constant, unnatural trauma led to severe attrition. Her lower front teeth - were worn down .The enamel was gone, the dentin was exposed, and the teeth were extremely sensitive to cold water. Functionally, she could not cut food. Esthetically, she was conscious of her appearance.Many patients ignore early signs of deep bite. They think "my teeth are just getting smaller with age." But this is a pathological process. If not treated, it can lead to complete loss of tooth structure, jaw joint problems, and severe chewing difficulty, just like in this patient's case
.Our 25-Day Treatment Plan: A Step-by-Step ApproachSaving these teeth was a challenge because so little tooth structure was left. Extraction and implants were an option, but we always believe in saving natural teeth whenever possible. We planned a systematic full-mouth rehabilitation for her lower anterior segment.
Step 1: Diagnosis and Root Canal Treatment - December 2025The first step was to eliminate pain and infection. Since the wear had reached the pulp chamber of the teeth, we performed Root Canal Treatment on all six lower front teeth on This step was crucial to make the teeth pain-free and create a healthy foundation for the next phase. The patient was already relieved as her sensitivity was gone after the RCT.After RCT we took a waiting period of 10 days to ensure no post op pain .
Step 2: Strengthening and Restoring with Crowns - 9th January 2026After the root canals were completed, the next challenge was to give these teeth proper shape and strength. We prepared the remaining tooth structure and placed six individual Porcelain-Fused-to-Metal (PFM) crowns.
Why PFM? In cases of deep bite, the forces on the lower front teeth are very high. PFM crowns have a metal base, which gives them exceptional strength to withstand these forces, while the porcelain on top gives a natural, tooth-like appearance. We selected shade A2 to match her adjacent teeth perfectly. Most importantly, we did not just put caps on the worn teeth. We modified the shape of the crowns to create a proper 'anterior guidance'. This means we designed the bite so that when she moves her jaw, the new crowns protect each other and prevent future wear. This is the key to long-term success in deep bite cases. The entire active treatment, from the first day to crown cementation, was completed in just 25 days. The Life-Changing Result: 3-Month Follow-Up. We recalled the patient for a follow-up after 3 months. The change in her was dramatic. She entered the clinic with a broad smile. "Doctor, ab to sabse pehle selfie leti hu," she said. On clinical examination, the results were excellent. All six PFM crowns were perfectly intact with no chips or cracks. Her gums around the crowns were healthy and pink, showing no signs of inflammation. She reported that she could now eat apples and rotis without any difficulty. An X-ray showed good healing around the roots of all the treated teeth. This case proves that age is not a barrier to getting a great smile. With proper planning, even a severely compromised case can be restored to full health, function, and esthetics
. About the Author: Dr. Kritika, BDS, is a dental surgeon practicing in Delhi. She has a special interest in Restorative Dentistry and Smile Rehabilitation cases.