I don’t know if my case is complex or not but it has me in a dilemma. I have severe overjet that seems to be getting worse as I age. I’m 59. I also have 3 missing teeth. On the left upper, the second premolar and first molar are missing. Also on my lower right, the first molar is missing. I am not sure if these things are making my overjet worse but my top teeth completely cover my bottom teeth and I can feel them resting in my lower mouth. So my former dentist always recommended new crowns for my front teeth but she never addressed the overjet issue. I did get new crowns probably five years ago, but of course my overjet didn’t go away. The crowns do look better than the old ones, though. A friend suggested that I see a cosmetic dentist. That dentist recommended dental implants and new crowns. She said that in order for my overjet to be fixed, I would need jaw surgery. I got another opinion early in 2015 from a different cosmetic dentist who recommended Invisalign to partially correct the overjet, but she agreed that I would really need jaw surgery to get it completely right. Then she says I can replace the missing teeth with implants. This second cosmetic is still my regular dentist but I haven’t had the recommended work done yet. Next I went to Clear Choice who advised me to replace the missing teeth with dental implants right away because my jawbone is shrinking and then if I choose to get Invisalign, I can do so later. So I am going back and forth with this. How bad is this overjet in terms of my oral health? I know it looks bad. Do I really need jaw surgery? Can the implants wait? What do you advise? – Marlo
Marlo – Based on the different recommendations you have received, we understand your concern. Dr. LaVacca would need to examine your mouth, bone structure, bite, teeth, and diagnostic studies before making a treatment recommendation.
Keep in mind that Clear Choice is a dental implants center, so their focus is on dental implants. Some patients say they have received somewhat aggressive sales pitches from Clear Choice. That may explain why you felt a sense of urgency to get dental implants from them.
A skilled prosthodontist can project how bone grafting and dental implants will affect your facial structure, in addition to orthodontic treatment.
It’s best to schedule an appointment with a prosthodontist for a full examination. You can discuss the recommendations you received from previous providers, ask questions, and compare you options. It will help you make a more confident decision about oral health.
This post is sponsored by Naperville board-certified prosthodontist Dr. Anthony LaVacca.
