I Need a Good Overbite?

Q: I have pretty good-looking teeth. I’ve been happy to smile all my life, I have no problem eating or chewing anything. When I went to the dentist last, it was a first time after several years but I’m not feeling any pain so I expected a “good check-up” and I’m on my way.

But that didn’t happen. What I heard was, “There is a lot of recession on these back teeth – more on the top than the bottom. We’ve got to get you back for more information gathering.” That didn’t sound good but I said sure.

When I went back, x-rays, moulds, pictures, measurements – stuff I’d never seen before was pulled out and I felt like I was being blue-printed.

A week later I went back to get the news. It was something I’d never heard before. The dentist explained that I had the type of bite that was causing a lot of wear and tear everywhere – on my teeth, on my gums, on the bone around my teeth. He showed me how much bone I’d lost around my teeth and showed me that my bite, along with my smoking, was destroying the bone faster than normal. In fact, my bite was destroying itself when I ate, when I grind in the night, when I’m tense and grind in the day.

I’ve never heard of this before. He said my bite was an end to end bite where the edges of the lower teeth hit the edges of the upper teeth. He showed me how the teeth destroy themselves and the bone. He also said there were several solutions. I want to keep my teeth so I guess I’ll go ahead but it’s a lot of work and quite expensive. Are there any less expensive routes to take?

A: Edge to edge bites are complex. If you want to keep your teeth, the work is exact and expensive. Not all edge to edge bites can be fixed so as to save all your teeth. Most of the time a great deal of bone support has been lost around posterior teeth.

In truth, I see those with this type of bite after they have lost one or all of their molars.

When the bite can be corrected, front teeth of the lower and upper jaw must receive crowns to get the position, angulation and length right. When the front teeth are in the correct position (meaning a good overbite established), the forces causing wear on all your teeth and bone are dramatically decreased. This also reduces the strain on muscles of the jaws and the joints.

If you’ve had a good analysis and seen a work-up of the final result, you should get a good result and save many teeth in the process.

If we can help, we’d like to. Call 778-410-2080 for a consultation or visit us today.

Based on actual patient cases

© Calvin Ross Crapo

Victoria Implant Centre 778-410-2080

www.VictoriaImplantCentre.com

Having Your Cake and Eating It Too – If!

Q: At fifty-two I’ve gone as long as I can without seeing a dentist. I’ve lost a few teeth to looseness and the rest are wobbly. My wife has urged me to see a dentist for years but I’ve put it off. Now I’ve got some swelling around several teeth, which feel like they’re going to fall out by themselves. So, three weeks ago I saw a dentist who told me I’d have to have the teeth out and get dentures. He asked if I smoked and of course I am a smoker since age twelve. He said I had to quit or I’d have big problems healing, I’d lose all my bone, the dentures would get loose and I’d be on soup for the rest of my life. He was pretty brutal in his assessment. I thought I would get some implants and I’d have good teeth, but he said I couldn’t have implants if I was a smoker and couldn’t recommend I get implants by his specialist friend, if I didn’t quit. I’m getting pressure from my wife and a no go from my dentist. It seems I’ve got nowhere to go. Do I have to stop smoking forever? I like smoking. I know I should quit but with the exception of my teeth I have had pretty good health. Can you suggest anything, or give me some more options? If I do get implants, will they fall out too!

A: Most people who have smoked from their youth do not have your problems. Smokers, who have a history similar to yours, can have a distinct bone loss pattern, but fewer than five percent lose all their teeth to bone and gum loss. Genetics, plaque and calculus, smoking, clenching and grinding, are the four main reasons adults lose their teeth to bone and gum loss. It seems you have the whole lot. As to suggestions, here’s what I’ve done in similar situations. At the outset implants will be necessary or you will lose bone more quickly. So that being a fact, I’ll give you two scenarios. If you’ll stop smoking for six weeks and if you’ve got enough bone for six implants on the bottom and six implants on the top, and if the bone is strong enough, same day teeth are possible. If you continue with your non-smoking you’ll have the best chance for success. The teeth must be set so a perfect balance of function can be maintained and a bite guard system put in place. If you can cut down on your smoking dramatically, implants can be placed, but then you must go through a thorough healing phase so that they take, to ensure there’s no bone loss. I’ve nursed a smoker through this process and only achieved success after two years! Go with the first option, all the sacrifice is worth it. I’ve got several ex-smokers who will concur.

If we can help, we’d like to. Call 778-410-2080 for a consultation or visit us today.

Based on actual patient cases

© Calvin Ross Crapo

Victoria Implant Centre 778-410-2080

www.VictoriaImplantCentre.com