Facelift Dentures: Take A Bite Out Of Life, And Years Off Your Appearance

2010-11-08T11:16:00.001-08:00

Denture wearers take note: you don't need to be condemned to the "sunken in, no teeth" look!

Facelift dentures are now available without surgery, or stitches. You can subtract years from your appearance that common dentures have added.

Bone, fat and teeth provide the shape to our faces. As we age we lose fat in our cheeks (not the cheeks I want to lose fat at) which then cause wrinkles and a hollow look. Today we have the option of dermal fillers and botox to help smooth out the wrinkles and provide us a with a younger look. These cosmetic procedures last approximately 3-6 months for botox and 9-18 months for the dermal fillers ultimately needing to be repeated. Additionally they can cost starting at $300 for botox and $600 for dermal fillers. The results are often great and well worth the cost, but there comes a time that they no longer work as well and further surgical procedures would be needed.

However, if you wear dentures not only do you lose the fat in your face you also lose bone due to a lack of teeth. Teeth roll the lips out and maintain the height of your face. Teeth are essential to hold the bone in place. The combination of tooth, bone and fat loss results in a shortened facial height with lips and the lower half of the face rolled inwards. Denture wearers often appear prematurely aged. As time goes by denture wearers continue to lose bone making it difficult to retain the denture. Botox and dermal fillers are of limited use with ill fitting dentures.

There are 2 basic types of dentures the economical or healing denture which one is placed in immediately after teeth are extracted. They work well initially but often need to be replaced within a year or at least relined. The most common type of denture is the conventional or traditional dentures. More time is spent in design which includes tooth shape, size and color and overall fit. They fit better and last longer than the healing denture and may have better cosmetics. Often these 2 types of dentures will have teeth that appear shorter in the front yet longer in the back, just the opposite of what we find naturally.

Now there is a third option of "facelift dentures". Facelift dentures also provide a nice fit but focuses even more on cosmetics. Facelift dentures will give you back a younger appearance by restoring height to the lower face, rolling the lips out and showing more teeth when you smile. They will diminish the wrinkle sunken in look.

So if you have dentures and want a younger more natural look, nonsurgical facelift dentures may be your answer. Now who said there was no such thing as a Fountain of Youth? What are you waiting for?

Stop The Snoring!!!

2010-11-05T05:40:00.000-07:00

So, we’ve already established snoring isn’t sexy, nor is it healthy in adults. Rather, it can be a symptom of a more serious problem, obstructive sleep apnea, which can shorten your lifespan by at least 10 years. But what does it mean if your child snores?

In children, snoring is not a sign of health, but rather of some form of airway obstruction, resulting in the child then receiving less oxygen. Snoring may disrupt sleep, making it harder to get that child up in the morning. Additionally, he or she may fall asleep or doze off more readily in school and also may not be able to concentrate as well, resulting in poorer grades. Some children, when lacking sleep, become more “hyper,” while others may become more lethargic.

When these symptoms are occurring, we have noticed that children can become mouth breathers. Mouth breathers can have more inflamed gums, anterior open bites, as well as changes in the shape of their mouths. Frequently the palate will narrow, and crowding and crossbite may occur, because with mouth breathing the child’s tongue is not in its proper position, guiding growth.

Changes within the mouth can also affect the outer appearance and shape of the face. When children snore, they often grind their teeth. There are a couple of schools of thought behind this; one posits that in grinding, the neck muscles are stiffened, which can help keep the airway open. Large adenoids can block the Eustachian tubes and grinding can help equalize the pressure. Continuous grinding of the teeth can result in nerve exposure, tooth pain and flattening of the teeth. In adolescents, headaches and face pain may result. Grinding can disrupt the sleep of others, if it is loud enough.

So, what are some causes of airway obstruction in children? Enlarged tonsils and adenoids, deviated septum, nasal obstructions, oral habits (thumb sucking, pacifier) and allergies are just a few.

Allergies can lead to swollen nasal turbinates, chronic runny noses and chronic sore throats, along with earaches. Children with allergies also exhibit “allergic shiners,” or dark bags under their eyes. If your child snores, grinds or has some bite changes, an evaluation of the tonsils and adenoids is warranted. After removal, studies have shown children sleep better and can focus better, resulting in better grades and behavior in school. In some cases, ADHD was greatly alleviated, or even eliminated.

The next time your child is at the dentist or physician, have the tonsils evaluated, especially if snoring is a problem. Ask for a referral to the ENT or allergist if you hear your child gasping for breath while sleeping. Breathing with excessively enlarged tonsils and adenoids is like breathing through a straw—very difficult, indeed.

Stop the snoring and help everyone get a better night’s sleep!

Tooth Talk by Dr. Andrea Robinson

Facelift Dentures: Take A Bite Out Of Life, And Years Off Your Appearance

Stop The Snoring!!!