Will Dentures Change My Face Shape?

After a year of treatment, my periodontist controlled advanced gum disease. My dentist recommends complete dentures because I have lost so many teeth that saving the few remaining teeth would not be healthy for me. I am concerned about having lost so much jawbone already. I know that my bone will shrink even more. I am worried about dentures and how they will change my face shape. What can I expect? Thank you. Penny from Fayetteville, NC

 

Penny,

Thank you for your question. We understand your concerns about how complete dentures will affect your face shape.

Will Dentures Change Your Face Shape?

When you wear complete dentures, and all your natural teeth are missing, bone shrinkage occurs. A lack of bone to support your facial muscles can affect your face shape. Additionally, dentures rest on your jawbone and make the bone shrink faster. An article published by the American Academy of Implant Dentistry states that missing teeth cause the jawbone to shrink twenty-five percent in the first three months and up to fifty percent in the first six months.

How Can You Prevent Facial Changes with Dentures?

You can prevent facial changes with dentures by supporting them with dental implants. Implants are artificial tooth roots that stimulate the bone and help prevent shrinkage. Implant dentures can help you avoid premature shrinkage and facial sagging that makes you look older.

Will You Need Bone Grafting?

If gum disease affects your jawbone and causes deterioration, you may lack enough bone volume to support implants. During a consultation for implant overdentures, a dentist will take a 3-D CT scan to reveal your bone volume and oral anatomy. The dentist may recommend bone grafting before implant placement. When a patient requires extractions, it may be best to follow them with bone grafting and implant placement immediately.

Schedule a consultation with a dentist with advanced implant and cosmetic dentistry training. You will get high-quality implants and natural-looking custom dentures.

 

Moline, Illinois cosmetic dentist, Dr. Thomas Goebel, sponsors this post.

 

 

Will I Need a Crown to Replace a Porcelain Veneer?

Can a dentist fix a cavity on a porcelain veneer tooth without me needing a new veneer or a crown? My dentist wants to remove the cavity but says I might need a crown instead. Why? I would have three veneers and one crown on my front teeth. How would that look? I am worried that a crown would be noticeable beside three veneers. Thank you. Isaac from Oak Park, IL

Isaac,

Thank you for your question.

Dr. Goebel would need to x-ray your tooth and examine it and your veneer for an accurate diagnosis. Still, we will provide general information.

Matching crowns and veneers

If you need a crown, it will be challenging for a dentist to match it with your other veneers. A dentist must have advanced cosmetic dentistry training to achieve a match.

Do You Need a Veneer Replaced with a Crown?

Whether your dentist must replace your veneer with a crown depends on the tooth’s condition and the cavity size.

Removing the cavity might require losing much tooth structure. When little tooth structure remains, it may be challenging to bond a veneer to it. Even with a crown, a dentist may need to build up the tooth before it can support a crown.

If you want to keep your porcelain veneer, please understand that although family dentists are skilled at keeping your teeth healthy, they have limited cosmetic dentistry skills without advanced training. The results depend on the dentist’s training and experience. It is unreasonable to expect your family to achieve beautiful results.

We recommend scheduling a second opinion with a dentist with advanced cosmetic dentistry training to examine your tooth and veneer to explain your options.

Moline, Illinois, cosmetic dentist Dr. Thomas Goebel sponsors this post.