November 2011 - Ryan Perry, DDS

All of my permanent teeth came in very small. My friends think they are still my baby teeth and I am becoming very insecure about my smile. What can I do to my permanent teeth to make them look a more normal size?

Thanks for your advice, Tina

Dear Tina,

We understand the concern about your permanent teeth and how it may make you feel. When our permanent teeth do not develop correctly it is called anodontia, most common in premature babies however can be a genetic disorder as well. There are also certain environmental factors that can influence teeth development. The good news is that there are some amazing dental techniques that can greatly improve your smile and bring back the confidence you are looking for.

Depending on the shape and alignment of your teeth you may be a candidate for porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns, both of these procedures are permanent, long lasting, and look very natural. Porcelain veneers cover just the front surface of the tooth, requiring very little reshaping of the tooth surface. Porcelain crowns require more shaping of the tooth surface and cover the entire tooth.

We recommend you schedule a consultation with a dentist that specializes in cosmetic dentistry and has a lot of training in the field of cosmetics. Choose wisely while searching for a dentist because cosmetic dentistry is a skillful art and takes much talent.

Post courtesy of Dr. Perry, Baton Rouge Dentist.

When I open my mouth wide I here like a grinding sound, almost like sand between rocks. I used to get really bad lockjaw and if I chew gum it bothers me. I have some pain and the grinding is annoying. It also feels almost like my jaw is somewhat dislocated. Its grinding is mostly on the right side. Anyone have any idea what this might be and if so any recommendations on what I can do? I’ve been dealing with this for years and just hoped it would go away with time.

Emily

Dear Emily,

It sounds like you may have a condition known as Temporomandibular Disorder also called TMJ or TMD. When the tissue gets damaged around the jaw joints, a grinding sound can be heard when opening and closing the jaw, this is known as Crepitius. The disorder is most commonly caused by abnormal structure of the cranium and lower jaw. A poor bite can also affect your jaw joints, however other factors like stress, grinding or clenching of the teeth aggravate the joints even further adding pain. To help ease pain do not chew gum, try not to clench your teeth, use moist heat on joints for 20 minutes a day, as well as exercising the joints by opening your mouth as wide as you can, hold for 10 seconds and repeat this about 10 times once a day before going to bed.

There is no such thing as a TMJ specialist, therefore it is highly recommended that you see a dentist that has extra training and continuing education in TMJ Disorder. If you do have TMJ, most likely the dentist will make you a mouth appliance to wear to prevent further damage from happening to the joints and ease the pain. The longer you postpone not treating this disorder the more damage is done to the jaw joints. We hope this helps.

This blog post created for Baton Rouge dentist Dr. Perry.

My teeth are so small. What can I do to make them look more normal?

Why does my jaw make a grinding sound when I open my mouth?

Archives for November 2011