The dentist who trained at the Eastman, and why your worn-down teeth are his kind of puzzle

Worn, flattened, or chipped teeth are rarely just a cosmetic problem. They’re usually a sign that your bite is doing something it shouldn’t, often grinding at night without you knowing. At Kissdental in Flixton, those cases tend to land with Dr Satnam Poonia, whose advanced training in restorative dentistry and occlusion makes the bite itself, not just the surface, the thing he treats.

Here’s a detail worth knowing about him. His Diploma and Master’s in Advanced Restorative Dentistry come from the Eastman Dental Institute, one of the most respected dental postgraduate institutions in the world.

What’s that got to do with your teeth wearing down? Quite a lot, actually. Stay with me.

Why teeth wear down in the first place

Teeth are extraordinarily hard, so when they start to flatten or chip, something is wearing them faster than normal. The usual culprits are grinding and clenching, often during sleep, plus acid erosion from diet or reflux, and sometimes an uneven bite that loads certain teeth far more than others.

The frustrating part is how quietly it happens. Many people only notice once the edges look short, a front tooth chips, or teeth become sensitive. By then the wear has been building for years.

And here’s the thing a lot of cosmetic-only fixes miss. If you simply rebuild a worn tooth without understanding why it wore, the same force that flattened it the first time will go to work on the new restoration. The cause has to be addressed, not just the symptom.

Occlusion, explained without the jargon

Occlusion is simply how your teeth meet when you bite and chew. When everything lines up, the forces of chewing spread evenly. When it doesn’t, a few teeth take a hammering, muscles overwork, and you get wear, cracks, sensitivity, sometimes jaw ache or headaches.

Dr Poonia has formal occlusion training through the IPSO, on top of the Eastman qualifications. That matters because reading a bite correctly is genuinely difficult. It’s the difference between treating the chipped tooth in front of you and understanding the whole system that chipped it.

What an Eastman background actually buys you

The Eastman name gets used as shorthand for serious restorative training, and fairly so. Dr Poonia holds a Diploma and an MSc in Advanced Restorative Dentistry from there, has continued occlusion and implant training, lectures at Sheffield Dental Hospital, and is working towards a further restorative qualification with the Royal College of Surgeons in London.

For you, that depth shows up in the planning. Complex restorative cases, the worn-down full mouth, the failing old crowns, the bite that’s never felt right, reward a clinician who has trained specifically and at length to plan them. He’s regularly complimented for making patients feel at ease, which counts for a lot when the conversation turns to bigger treatment.

How worn teeth get assessed and treated

There’s no single fix, because no two worn bites are the same. But a typical path looks something like this.

• A proper assessment of the teeth, the bite, and the wear pattern, not just the tooth that prompted your visit
• Working out the cause: grinding, erosion, an uneven bite, or a combination
• Protecting against further damage, often with a custom night guard if grinding is the driver
• Rebuilding worn teeth where needed, using restorations designed to sit correctly within your bite
• A plan to monitor and maintain the result over time

For some patients, that rebuild involves ceramic restorations or crowns. You can read more about crowns and bridges if that’s the route your case points towards. The key is that the restoration is designed to work with your bite, so it lasts.

Surface fix versus treating the bite

It helps to see the two approaches laid out plainly.

The second column is the whole argument for seeing someone with occlusion training. A little more thought at the start saves repeating the work later.

What it costs

Treatment for worn teeth in the UK varies enormously with the cause and how many teeth are involved. A protective night guard typically runs from around £150 to £400. Individual restorations such as crowns commonly range from roughly £600 to £1,200 each, and a larger bite reconstruction across many teeth is quoted case by case. As of September 2026, Kissdental confirms your exact fee after assessment, and you can review the practice’s fees or ask about finance for spreading the cost.

What your first appointment with Dr Poonia is actually like

If you have read this far worried about what an assessment involves, it is gentler than you might expect. The first visit is largely a conversation and a careful look, not drilling. Dr Poonia starts by asking how long you have noticed the wear, whether anyone has mentioned night-time grinding, how your jaw feels when you wake, and whether certain foods set off sensitivity. Those answers point straight at the cause, which is the whole game with worn teeth.

Then comes the examination. He looks at the wear pattern across the whole mouth, not just the tooth that brought you in, and checks how your teeth meet when you bite and slide your jaw side to side. That is the occlusion reading his Eastman and IPSO training is built for, and it is the part a quick cosmetic fix tends to skip. He may take photographs and scans so the bite can be studied properly away from the chair, because some patterns only make sense when you can compare both sides and the way the teeth track against each other.

What you leave with is understanding, and that matters when bigger treatment is on the table. Rather than a vague sense that your teeth are wearing, you get a clear picture of why, which teeth are carrying too much load, and what the realistic options are. If grinding is driving it, the conversation may turn to a night guard first to stop further damage while a longer plan is agreed. If the cause is erosion from diet or reflux, the advice changes accordingly. Nothing is rushed into. Patients regularly say they feel at ease with him, partly because he explains the bite in plain terms and lets you take the plan in at your own pace. You are not committing to treatment by booking an assessment. You are finding out what is happening and what your choices are, which is the sensible place to start.

FAQ

How do I know if I grind my teeth?
Common signs include flattened or chipped edges, worn front teeth, increased sensitivity, jaw ache or headaches on waking, and a partner noticing the noise at night. Many grinders have no idea they do it, because it happens during sleep. Dr Poonia can spot the tell-tale wear patterns during an examination at Kissdental in Flixton and explain what’s driving them.

Can worn-down teeth be fixed?
Yes. Worn teeth can be rebuilt with restorations such as composite or ceramic, but the lasting result comes from also addressing the cause, whether that’s grinding, erosion, or an uneven bite. Dr Poonia’s restorative and occlusion training means the rebuilt teeth are designed to sit correctly within your bite, so the same forces don’t simply wear them down again.

Will I need a night guard forever?
If grinding is the main cause, a custom night guard protects your teeth and any new restorations while you sleep, and many patients use one long term. It’s a small, comfortable appliance worn at night. Dr Poonia will explain whether one suits your case and how to look after it, since a guard often outlasts the alternative of repeated repairs.

Is treating my bite the same as straightening my teeth?
Not quite. Straightening, such as Invisalign, moves teeth into better positions. Treating the bite, or occlusion, is about how the teeth meet and share the forces of chewing. Sometimes the two overlap, and orthodontics improves a bite. Dr Poonia assesses whether your case needs alignment, restorative work, protection, or a combination.

Does worn-teeth treatment hurt?
Most assessment and restorative work is comfortable, with local anaesthetic used where needed. If you’re anxious, Kissdental offers oral, nitrous oxide, and IV sedation, and Dr Poonia is IV sedation certified. Tell the team how you feel beforehand and they’ll plan your treatment around keeping you relaxed and comfortable throughout.

What to do next

If your teeth are looking shorter than they used to, chipping, or feeling sensitive, the sensible first step is an assessment of both the teeth and the bite behind them. Dr Poonia at Kissdental in Flixton will examine what’s happening, explain the cause, and set out a realistic plan before any treatment begins.

Call 0161 871 9426 or book through the contact page. You can also meet the wider team and see who might look after your care.