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Sam came to our office after years of dental issues, hoping to chew comfortably again and feel confident smiling.
He had suffered from lifelong acid reflux, which caused major damage to his teeth over time. Although his acid reflux was now under control, the effects on his teeth had never been repaired.
When I first examined Sam, it was clear that almost all of his teeth were worn down, broken, and severely eroded.
Acid reflux can be extremely damaging to teeth over time. The acid from the stomach repeatedly bathes the teeth, weakening the enamel and causing progressive erosion. This leads to teeth becoming smaller, thinner, and more prone to breaking. Similarly, a diet high in acidic foods and drinks — like soda, citrus fruits, vinegar-based foods, and wine — can gradually wear down the enamel as well.
Due to his long-standing acid reflux, Sam’s teeth had eroded significantly and become much shorter. When he smiled, he barely showed any teeth. In addition, the loss of tooth structure caused his bite to collapse, which led to his jaw overclosing and created a “squished” appearance in the lower third of his face.
To fully restore his smile, we needed to rebuild the size and shape of his teeth, raise his bite back to a healthier position, and recreate a smile that fit and complemented his facial features.
We designed a full rehabilitation plan that included:
During the first major appointment, we shaped all of Sam’s teeth, removed all decay, built up the teeth where necessary, and performed a gum lift on his upper front teeth to expose more healthy structure for his crowns and veneers.
After healing and completing his root canals (done by Dr. Shuster in Endodontic Arts), we placed Sam in temporary crowns and veneers.
We had Sam test out the temporaries to make sure his bite was comfortable and he was happy with the way his new smile looked.
We use this process carefully with all of our patients — designing and adjusting temporaries first — to create final veneers and crowns that are customized perfectly to each individual’s face, function, and smile.
Once Sam approved his temporary smile, we moved forward with his final restorations. The last appointment involved placing and cementing all of his final crowns and veneers.
Building Sam’s new smile was challenging because his teeth were so worn down that there was no natural shape or size left to reference.
By designing and refining his temporary restorations first, I was able to create a final smile that fit his face naturally — making it look like it had always been his own teeth, just healthier and stronger.
We incorporated beautiful translucency into the porcelain and built out his wide smile to provide better support and a fuller, more youthful appearance.Sam can now chew comfortably, smile confidently, and enjoy a smile that finally matches the energy and kindness he brings to every room.
