DENTAL CARE

Q: A:My Front Teeth Are All Messed Up This December seems to be the season for front teeth. Last week we discussed a patient who called me reporting that all of her front teeth fell out. Her problem involved a bridge that failed after decades of use. This week my patient had all her front teeth in place. She is like so many of us who put off needed care for years. She has no fear of any dental work, and finances were not an issue. She just put off the necessary treatment. She showed me some holes that she could feel on the inside of her teeth. She also mentioned that she had some root canals on some of her front teeth but wasn’t sure which ones fell into that category. “Back teeth are not important to me,” she said. As long as her smile was okay, that was all that was important. I told her briefly that back teeth are essential to keeping her front teeth. However, I did not want to dwell on that point. Her attention was solely on the condition of her upper front teeth. Any other discussion would fall on deaf ears.

Why did these holes develop? Front teeth are usually easy to clean as they are easily accessible. There is plenty of light to see and these teeth don’t have a lot of hills and valleys as back teeth have. In her case, her two large front teeth overlapped each other. In simpler terms, they were crooked. Crooked teeth present a challenge when it comes to cleanliness. First of all, food debris and particles lodge in the tight space created by the overlap. Secondly, it is difficult to get a brush or floss into that crowded area, which is necessary for adequate cleansing.

This area is also a challenge for the dentist. To remove decay completely, the dentist needs complete access to an area. Teeth that are not in proper alignment prevent clear vision and a clear path to the cavity. If the holes are small, then the dentist frequently needs to work on two teeth to fix one. In our case, the cavities were so large that fillings did not work. For my patient this fact was a blessing in disguise. I would fix her teeth and make them straight almost instantaneously. Through the use of crowns, also known as caps, I could clean the areas properly and create a wonderful result. Working on both front teeth allowed me to match the color perfectly as these teeth are right in the front. To either side of the crooked front teeth were 11-year-old crowns that were off in color and shape. During the process of making the side crowns, there was no correction of the front teeth. I recommended that we deal with all four front teeth and create an awardwinning smile. The color and the shape of these teeth would be in harmony and blend beautifully with the facial features.

Sometimes, front teeth correction is very simple but at other times, it can be more involved. The whole world sees your front teeth, and proper care and attention are required to address this fact. The new year is almost upon us. Let’s do things that will benefit our health and appearance for years to come.

Call our office and we can discuss how to accomplish this goal. Call

Megan, and she will set up a time for you. You can reach our office at 440.951.7856.

I want to thank all of my loyal followers who read this weekly column. I want to wish all of you a very happy new year. I hope that 2020 brings you blessings, wonderful moments, and good health for all of you.