Should My Son Have All His Teeth Extracted?
Posted by Annmarie SanSevero
I have a twenty-two year old son who is a recovering drug addict. He does know that he’s really messed up his life and is doing everything possible to get himself back on track. He’s clean right now and is studying to get his GED. He’s also got a job stocking some shelves. His mouth is a complete mess and he’s in some pain because of some of his teeth. I took him to my dentist who wants to remove all of his teeth at once and give him dentures. I sort of hate that for him. Is there a way to make sure they fit his mouth well and look like normal teeth. He’s already self-conscious enough about his appearance because of what he’s done to himself.
Angie
Dear Angie,
First, tell your son how great it is that he is working so hard to get back on track. He’ll get there. That being said, I am going to recommend against this plan. While it is a simple solution for your dentist and simplifies his workload quite a bit, it’s disastrous for your son. Let’s start with the questions you asked and then I’ll add some additional considerations. Whether they look natural or not is more a matter of the cosmetic skills of the dentist than it is whether or not your son gets dentures or another procedure.
As for the fit, while they are fit to the patient’s mouth, even the best fitting dentures will reduce his chewing capacity by 50%. That will, in turn, reduce his quality of life. There is a much bigger problem, though. As soon as his teeth are removed, his body will recognize that. Because he no longer has any teeth roots to support his body will start to resorb the minerals in his jawbone. It does this to be efficient with his body’s resources.
The problem lies in the fact that this will also cause his jawbone to slowly shrink. Now, your son is only 22 years old. By the time he is in this 30s, his jawbone will have shrunk so much that it will be hard for him to keep his dentures in his mouth. By the time he’s 40, he’ll be a dental cripple, something known in dental circles as facial collapse. This is honestly a horrible treatment plan.
My suspicion is that your dentist doesn’t feel like a drug addict’s teeth are worth trying to save. I don’t know that for sure, but I’m having a hard time justifying the treatment he’s suggesting.
Here’s what I recommend. Find another dentist who would be willing to try and save your son’s teeth. The ones that absolutely cannot be saved, I would replace with dental implants. These will function as prosthetic teeth, including the root, and are the best tooth replacement available. His body will leave the jawbone intact. If they are all unsaveable, you can get him implant supported dentures. These will anchor the dentures. That not only prevents facial collapse but will also give him a higher quality of life, including being able to eat anything he wants.
This blog is brought to you by AACD accredited dentist in Franklin, TN Dentist Dr. Christopher Weber.
