Another Weird Question About Teeth

[3K9Mom]

Quote:
I'm not sure though with malnutrition if the root would stay stable enough for crowns.

Yup. This is likely true. Only a dentist can tell you for sure.

If you don't have bone loss (the bone that supports the tooth itself), you could look into implants. They're not cheap and you have to be careful with them (no smoking, chewing gum, or eating anything hard); but implants will give you a natural look. These require extraction of your existing teeth and replacing them with the implants which are actually "implanted" permanently into your jaw.

If you are a good candidate for implants but the cost is too much, you can do implants here and there throughout your mouth to serve as anchors; then you have bridges made to span the opening. These can be cemented in to be permanent.

All of these can be made to look very real.

Here are a few photos, http://www.locateadoc.com/pictures/c...-implants.html but if you do a google images search on "dental implants" and "permanent dental bridges" you can find thousands of images.

A couple of caveats. Like I said, this can be expensive, so there are a lot of general dentists who try to do this work. I would only go to someone who is very well respected as a specialist in your community. Also, I would seek opinions of several specialists, including someone who doesn't necessarily do implants. That's someone who will tell you whether your teeth can be saved using more conservative treatment (like crowns or veneers).

My feeling about teeth is that we try to save them if we possibly can. If we can put a crown on a tooth, we should. We can always extract later. But once a tooth is gone, it's gone forever. The guy that stands to make a lot of money off of implants isn't necessarily going to tell you that. But the dentist who isn't trying to sell you the platinum implant package most likely will.

By the way, cosmetic dentists often have shiny slick offices with very attractive staff and a bedside manner that makes you feel like you're in the best of hands. That doesn't mean anything either way. Some of these folks are great. Some are terrible (and have lots of malpractice claims against them, which is how I know so much about their industry). Keep your guard up and do your research.

But I've seen a lot of people who were thrilled having a mouth full of implants and bridges -- people who finally had the nice smile they always wanted, and who finally were proud to smile.

So, I think it's worth chatting with your regular dentist and consulting with a few specialists.

[M&J]

I had receding gumlines on four teeth. The area the tooth met the gum looked gross. It wasn't advanced enough for a graft (they take from the roof of your mouth) but my dentist was able to fix mine.
He sanded down the area and applied a bonding material that matches my tooth color. He called it a buckle, but from searching on the internet it is called a side filling.
Problem solved. I go once in a while and have the dentist seal my teeth.
Funny, but my dog has the same problem. He has no enamel due to running a high fever when he was a pup and malnutrition. He gets his teeth sealed, as well. His costs more than mine. I paid $152 a tooth for me.

[Barb E]

I have an implant for one canine and love it.

I have to agree - saving any teeth can only be a good thing!!