Teeth Damaged from Bulimia
Saturday, May 2nd, 2009I suffered from bulimia for almost 20 years. With counseling, I’ve been able to overcome this illness but my teeth have suffered severely. They are now worn down to 1/2 their size. My teeth no longer touch in the front and where they do touch they don’t fit well. My front teeth are chipped due to the frailess from years of acid damage and are paper thin. I also suffer from temporal headaches due to the left side of my jaw protruding out almost an inch every time I open my mouth to bite or chew. I’d like to see a cosmetic dentist to improve my smile and the functionality of my bite. I can send a picture if it will help. Is there any hope for me given the severity of my issues?
- Hopeless in Atlanta
Dear Hopeless,
The good news is that yes, you can have a beautiful, functional smile with modern dentistry. Bonding technology can be used to restore your teeth to look as good as new, maybe better.
Here at our office, we specialize in seeing people with bulimia or other eating disorders, and it is so satisfying to help them get a beautiful smile that helps restore their self-esteem. We’d be happy to see you here, but if you don’t want to travel that far, I would recommend that you look for a good cosmetic dentist in Atlanta.
Your headaches are due to TMJ disorder, which is another area of special training of mine. Many people who have recovered from bulimia have similar issues. So look for a dentist who is current with all the new cosmetic dentistry bonding techniques and is also comfortable treating TMJ disorders. If your back teeth are severely damaged, too, you will probably need crowns there also. All porcelain crowns are not only beautiful, but they can be bonded to the teeth with a very strong bond. So you don’t have to have a lot of tooth structure left, necessarily, to be able to hold them on.
I wish you the best. By working to overcome your eating disorder, you are over your highest hurdle. When you get your smile restored, my wish is for you to feel whole again.