Question: I am in my early 60s and notice that I no longer show any teeth. I know that I have a grinding problem, but my gums are in good shape. My dentist said I need to have all 28 of my teeth crowned. Why can’t I just get my front six teeth crowned just to improve my smile? - H.H. in Hobe Sound
Answer: Either your dentist’s kid got into Harvard, or you have been diagnosed with "attrition and loss of vertical dimension." It sounds like the latter by your description. Attrition refers to the loss of tooth enamel on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth and the biting edges of the front teeth. This results in your chin getting closer to your nose and your lips draping over your teeth. This also happens in patients who do not replace missing teeth. The treatment often is "opening the bite" by creating a series of crowns that are several millimeters taller; one millimeter added to back teeth translates into three millimeters in the front of the mouth. This instantly takes years off your face. Just lengthening the front teeth would be like shoving a matchbook under a wobbly table; not much of a fix at all. If you have any questions please give us a call 239-936-5252.