This time of year people come out of their winter slump and try to get their bodies ready for the beach. While I am all for people being healthy, there are a number of tricks and scams out there that claim to help you lose weight fast. Not only can these waste of time and money, but some are actually harmful to your health.

Recently, a news article stated that many were removing teeth to make cheeks more pronounced and face slimmer. First off is this true, and if so is this a harmless quick fix for a slimmer face?

Portrait of young smiling woman in the fashion store showing off her smile. Dental veneers are best for those patients hoping to fix multiple cosmetic issues at once, or those with more difficult cosmetic issues like the size and shape of your teeth.

 

Pulling Your Teeth Out Won’t Give You a Slimmer Face

I find it hard to believe that a dentist would do such a thing just because their patient wanted a slimmer face. Also, pulling your teeth out would not exactly be a “quick fix” for a slimmer face as the supposed friend describes it.

If you have ever had a tooth extracted or have seen someone after a tooth extraction you know that their face will actually be swollen for about 24 hours after extraction and subside around three days afterwards. That is three days of chipmunk cheeks.

Additionally, due to the nature of how your cheeks sit on your jaw, you may not actually have slimmer cheeks until the bone is resorbed into the body which is a slower process that can take months. It’s quicker to get on a diet and work with your personal trainer to lose the weight.

Pulling your teeth can ultimately lead to bone loss in the jaw which will leave you with sunken cheeks and an overall aged appearance. Your other teeth will also begin to shift out of place, leading to crooked teeth, a misaligned bite, and increased risk of developing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ). It is advisable that your replace any extracted teeth with dental implants or try dentures.

If your teeth are healthy there is no reason why you should pull them out. In fact, it is better to try to save them even if you are dealing with something like gum disease.

What If Your Cheeks Are Sinking?

Although it’s not a quick fix, sunken cheeks are something that people with dentures often experience, and it’s not a desirable look. When the teeth and bones are gone, there’s not enough left to support the cheeks and lips. And most dentures don’t do enough to provide support for your face, so that you can get that sunken denture face even with your dentures in.

But the Denture Fountain of Youth ® is not “most dentures.” These dentures are designed to fully support the structure of your face, providing you with a more youthful and attractive appearance.

If you have lost teeth and are looking to restore a more youthful, energetic appearance, please call (845) 627-7645 for an appointment with a Rockland County dentist at B & D Dental Excellence.