Craniofacial Deformities And Dental Implants: How Correcting The One Desperately Needs The Other
Rare craniofacial deformities, tumors and genetic disorders like neurofibromatosis and Proteus syndrome can often be corrected or treated through years of surgery. Some of these abnormalities leave patients without enough natural teeth to chew their food and speak without speech deficits. This is where dental implants can make a difference. If you know someone who has undergone several surgeries to remove large facial tumors or curb the growths caused by neurofibromatosis, then he or she can benefit from dental implants in the following ways.
Dental Implants Help Facial Reconstruction
Patients who have had several surgeries on their faces lose many of their natural teeth to the reconstruction process. Replacing these missing teeth not only makes their appearance more acceptable to society, but also keeps the bones of the upper and lower jaws in their newly constructed position. Sometimes it is necessary to break the jaw or facial bones in order to move them back into their usual positions, and the screws of dental implants can help fuse the bones back together.
Dental Implants Correct the Problem of Teeth That Have Not Erupted
In some cases where facial tumors have grown so large that children's teeth did not erupt, it is unlikely that they ever will. After facial reconstruction and the careful and continued removal of the tumors, dentists can use dental implants to replace the missing natural teeth. These implants also replace the teeth they would have had as adults, had they not had the monumental medical issues they had.
Dental Implants Allow Patients to Speak Clearly Again
Patients with these health and medical issues often lose the ability to speak clearly, if they can speak at all. Once a surgeon has corrected the problem or removed the giant tumor, patients may still have problems speaking. Placing dental implants in the mouths of patients who have lost some of their teeth as well as their language skills can begin speech therapy right away and learn to speak again.
Seeking Professional Help
If you know someone who has any of the previously mentioned medical conditions or who needs and wants help restoring his or her face, there are many doctors, specialists, and even dental specialists who can help. Professionals, like those at Oral Surgery Center, can assess your friend's problems and provide a detailed explanation of what can be done. Once your friend realizes that it is not hopeless and that he or she does not have to live and die with his or her face abnormalities, he or she might be more at ease to accept help too.