facial collapse Archives - Susan M. Dennis, D.D.S

Mixed Message about Hip Replacements and Dental Implants

Posted on January 29, 2023 by Dr. Dennis.

I’m not sure which dentist is right. I want to get a few dental implants in order to retain an upcoming denture. In my medical history, the first dentist saw I had a hip replacement a few years before. He said because of that, I’d need to pre-medicate with antibiotics before the implant procedure. The second dentist I had a consult with said it wouldn’t matter. Which dentist is correct?

Misty

Dear Misty,

It’s not a matter of correct and incorrect as much as a preference issue. Until about 2012 it was the standard recommendation. The thinking was without antibiotics you are at risk of getting an infection in your hip joint. However, in 2012 the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons said there is is no evidence to back up those concerns.

However some dentists still prefer to do it, even with patients who do not have a hip replacement, dentists will sometimes recommend it out of concern for an infection in the bone surrounding the implant.

It’s up to you which dentist you see. More important than whether or not you get pre-medicated is who places your dental implant.

Finding an Implant Dentist

There are two stages of placing dental implants. The first is the surgery. The second is the restoration. It’s imperative your dentist has invested in post-doctoral training for dental implants. This is an advanced procedure and dental school isn’t enough.

Additionally, you need to know whether or not the dentist or an oral surgeon will be placing the implant. Either way, they need to be experienced in implant surgery. Don’t hesitate to ask how many implants they’ve done and what their success rate is.

Benefits of Securing Your Denture with Dental Implants

It’s great that you’re securing your dentures. This will have incredible benefits for you. First, they’ll be secure. When you wear dentures without anchoring them, there is nothing to keep them from slipping out. However, the biggest benefit is the prevention of facial collapse. Not only will facial collapse make you look years older, but it will also make you a dental cripple. Getting dental implants prevents that.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Is It Possible to Get a Soft Denture?

Posted on September 27, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

I am having a hard time with my dentures. The hard plate is causing a severe gag reflex and I can’t keep it in as a result. Does anyone make a soft denture?

Casey

Dear Casey,

There is something as a soft denture liner. This is simply a soft piece that goes between the bony ridges of the jaw and the denture. It is designed to help people with super bony ridges who are prone to develop sores there as a result. However, there isn’t a soft denture, per se. This is because the plate has to be hard in order to for your chewing capacity. Even then, the best fitting dentures will reduce your chewing capacity by 50%.

For patients in your situation, the best solution is for you to get implant overdentures. These use between four to six dental implants in each arch. Then, your dentist can anchor the dentures to them.

Benefits of Implant Overdentures

No upper plate. Your gag reflex will have nothing to gag over!
Increased chewing capacity.
Totally secure, which means no wiggling or risk of them slipping or falling out.
Prevents facial collapse.

A Word about Facial Collapse

When your teeth were removed, your body immediately began to resorb the minerals in your jawbone. It does this in an effort to be as resourceful as possible with its resources, thinking you no longer have teeth, therefore you don’t need a jawbone to retain the roots.

This has the unfortunate effect of slowly shrinking your jawbone. After about ten or so years, you will no longer have enough jawbone left to retain your denture. With dental implants in place, your body determines you still have teeth there and leaves your jawbone intact.

This blog is brought to you by Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dentist of Michigan.

Dental Implants after Dentures

Posted on September 1, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

I have had dentures for eleven years. I recently asked my dentist if I can get dental implants instead. She said if I wanted dental implants I would have needed to do that at the beginning. I’m so discouraged. First, she never offered me dental implants as an option when I first lost my teeth. Second, my dentures are becoming quite annoying. Is there no way to get dental implants after dentures?

Kelly

Dear Kelly,

The short answer is yes you can get dental implants after dentures. However, there are some caveats depending on how long you’ve been in dentures. We will get to those in a moment. So why did your dentist say you couldn’t? There are a couple of possibilities. The first is she doesn’t know how to do dental implants and rather than say that she is steering you away from the procedure. That may be why she didn’t mention them to you when you first lost your teeth. I am not excusing her. A dentist should always give their patients every option whether they can offer it or not.

A second possibility has to do with the caveat I mentioned earlier. You have been in dentures long enough for facial collapse to kick in. This is also why your dentures are becoming annoying to you. When your teeth were first removed, your body recognizes there are no longer any roots of your teeth in your jawbone. It interprets this as you no longer need that jawbone to help retain the roots.

In an effort to be efficient with your body’s resources it will resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them in places it perceives they will be more useful. This has the unfortunate result of slowly shrinking your jawbone. Eventually, it will shrink so much that you’ll no longer have enough left to retain your dentures. This is known as facial collapse. You will see an example of this in the image above.

Facial Collapse and Dental Implants

So, how does that affect dental implants? As your jawbone is what helps retain your teeth, it is also necessary to retain your dental implants. Without enough bone structure, your dental implants will fail. This may be why she was saying it was too late for you to get dental implants. However, there are ways to rectify this.

You have two options to solve this issue.

All-on-Four Dental Implants

This is possible for patients who haven’t lost too much bone structure. it angles the implants in a way that you won’t need to have as much bone structure. The one real downside to this is it is a unit. If one implant fails, the whole thing has to be re-done.

Bone Grafting

This is useful no matter how much bone you’ve lost, though it does require you have this procedure done before you start your dental implant procedure. A dentist or oral surgeon can graft either synthetic or natural bone onto your jawbone in order to build that missing structure back up. Once that is healed, you can get the dental implants you are hoping for.

The Biggest Benefit of Dental Implants

Because the implants themselves serve as prosthetic tooth roots, your brain interprets that as your teeth still being in place. This means it will not resorb the minerals in your jawbone and will leave it completely intact. You will not have to worry about facial collapse.

This blog is brought to you by Dental Implant Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis of Kalamazoo, MI.

Dentist Won’t Fix Her Teeth

Posted on August 18, 2022 by Dr. Dennis.

I grew up without going to a dentist. Now I’m 29 and with a good job that even has benefits and want to have a smile I am proud of. As it is now, I always smile with my lips closed. When I went to see the dentist he hinted that my teeth are too much of a mess and I’d be better off getting them out and getting dentures. I’m way too young for that. I know my teeth are discolored, chipped, and some have decay but I thought teeth could be fixed. Is there no hope for me?

Lexie

Dear Lexie,

Each dentist has a different range of where they find teeth saveable, but I find it hard to believe that none of your teeth are saveable. Based on what you’ve said, some solutions for you would be teeth whitening, composite fillings, dental bonding, and dental implants for the missing teeth.

However, some of those procedures require post-doctoral training, such as the dental implants and dental bonding. That being said, I agree you are too young for dentures. At your age, you would be in full facial collapse by the time your 50.

In your position, I would see another dentist for a second opinion. Specifically, look for a dentist who offers the services you need. Don’t stop there, though. Make sure you check that they have the post-doctoral training necessary to do it well.

One good thing working in your favor is your dentist didn’t try to do procedures he wasn’t qualified for. Too many dentists will go forward with something like dental implants even though they haven’t gotten the training they really needed. This usually ends up disastrous for the patients.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Will Insurance Cover Dental Implants

Posted on July 3, 2022 by writeradmin.

I think I am a good candidate for dental implants. Is there a dental insurance company that will cover the cost?

Bruce

Dear Bruce,

Dental implants are a great choice for a tooth replacement. If you don’t have dental insurance yet, you should be aware there is typically a waiting period before you can use it for anything other than cleanings and checkups.

If you already have dental insurance, they will cover some of it, but probably not as much as you are hoping. Most dental insurance companies will pay for the least expensive treatment option. When it comes to tooth replacement options, that generally means either removable partial (or complete) dentures.

When you are talking about replacing one tooth, it is not as imperative that you get dental implants. However, if you are talking about replacing all of your teeth, then it becomes more serious. When your teeth are removed, your body recognizes this and interprets that as you no longer needing the jawbone to retain anything. With this knowledge and programmed to be as efficient with your body’s resources as possible, your body begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them elsewhere in your body where it perceives that will be more useful.

While a great use of resources, this slowly shrinks your jawbone. After about ten to twenty years, you no longer have enough jawbone left to even retain your dentures. This procedure is known as facial collapse, which will not only leave you a dental cripple, but you could be reduced to a soft diet.

The solution? Implant-supported dentures. This procedure uses between four and eight dental implants and then anchors your dentures to them. The implants serve as your tooth root and signal to your body that you still need these teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.