Metro Detroit Makeover Dentistry - Case #21

This patient came to my office with a skeptical desire to see if anything could be done to correct years of neglect and a mouth that had always prevented her from smiling.

The dramatic effects in appearance and overall impact on the patient's perception of herself after the makeover treatment is quite evident in the below pictures. Even her hair has a substantially healthier looking appearance.

Worn Teeth - Jaw Alignment Issues
After a comprehensive examination, we determined that she required multiple specialties of dental work to give her the healthiest and best possible result.

Due to bite and occlusion problems arising from the years of neglect, the patient needed to gain some jaw growth in order to prevent headaches and eventual TMJ problems that would occur later, if untreated. Her teeth were severely worn which further caused her jaws to lose proper orthodontic alignment.

Orthodontic Braces treatment TMJ Jaw Alignment
Certain orthodontic dentistry procedures were implemented to address the TMJ concerns. We custom designed a system of braces, appliances, and elastics to start straightening her teeth and jaws. In less than 9 months we were able to achieve the alignment needs of the upper jaw.

Crossbite Fix - Porcelain Crowns
Now that the upper teeth were properly aligned, we finished positioning her lower teeth in order to allow 10 precision porcelain crowns to be properly fitted in the upper jaw.

The patient had certain crossbite problems that required attention for achieving optimal dental health and correct orthodontic alignment that is necessary for preventing TMJ issues in the future.

The above right photo shows the dramatic results we achieved for her upper jaw. Periodontal surgery and gum shaping were performed on her front teeth to achieve an even gum line. No more "gummy smile". Which was one of the patient's desired cosmetic outcomes.