I have had four pregnancies, all of which resulted in Hyperemesis Gravidarum. My dentist said the damage to my teeth is too extensive and I have to have all my teeth extracted. My question is everyone I know with dentures has a scrunched up face. Is there any way to prevent this from happening? I’m only 37 years old and am in tears about this situation.
Avery
Dear Avery,
The effects of facial collapse on a person’s appearance
The condition you are talking about is known as facial collapse. When a person’s teeth are removed, their brain recognizes that. In an effort to be as efficient as possible, your body resorbs the minerals in your jawbone because you no longer need them to retain your tooth roots. It does this in order to redistribute those minerals throughout your body where it perceives they will be more useful.
Unfortunately, after ten or so years you will no longer have enough jawbone left to even keep your dentures in your mouth. So, not only will your face be squashed making you look decades older but you will be a dental cripple unable to eat anything but soft foods.
The Solution to Facial Collapse
The best way to avoid this is to get implant overdentures. These use dental implants surgically placed in your jaw and then achors the dentures to the implants. The implants serve as prosthetic tooth roots, which tells your brain that you need that jawbone completely intact, thereby preserving it and preventing facial collapse.
Get a Second Opinion
Before you have all of your teeth extracted, I would like you to get a second opinion on the viability of your teeth. Some dentists are more invested in saving a patient’s teeth than others. I want to make sure that if you are going to go through all the trouble and expense of implant surgery that you actually need it.
This blog is brought to you by Lexington, KY Dentist Dr. Fred Arnold.