I am a recovered bulimic and as a result I have no enamel on my top teeth and they are worn down greatly. My bottom teeth has very little enamel on them and my teeth are extremely sensitive to hot and cold foods and drinks. would a snap on smile work for me because I do not have dental insurance and the expenses would come out of pocket. I really need some help with my teeth and was told i need veneers on all my teeth which came to be almost $20,000. it is very hard for me to chew and I cannot bite down on any foods. please let me know the best direction I am desperate.
– Kelly

Kelly,
You have several problems due to your bulimia. Your top teeth are very worn, so they don’t look attractive. They are very sensitive, and it’s hard to eat with them.

The most a Snap-On Smile would do for you is help with the appearance. It wouldn’t strengthen your teeth any or make them less sensitive. It may cost $1000 or more. If the improvement in your appearance is all you want, then look into that. But I suspect you want more than that.

You’re in kind of a tough spot, because not just any dentist will do for fixing this for you. They need to be very artistic because these are your front teeth. But you also need a dentist who will work with you financially.

It isn’t necessary to do all of this dental work at once. I would hunt around a little bit to see if you can find a dentist who will be sympathetic to your plight. If they present a $20,000 treatment plan to you, just say, “There is no way I can afford that. Is there any other way I can do this?” And then see if they’re willing to suggest some options, or if they’re hard-nosed with you. That will help you select the right dentist.

Check with the dentists we list for your area. I know that their cosmetic dentistry is first rate. I don’t know how sympathetic they would be to your situation. Generally the dentists we list are very good that way, but that’s not a sure thing.

And I’m wondering why your dentist suggested doing porcelain veneers for you. Bulimia affects the back side of your front teeth the most. Porcelain veneers cover the front only. So I’m confused at that treatment plan. What you need is bonded all-porcelain crowns. I’m hesitant to say that, because I’m afraid you’ll go to a dentist and say, “I want you to do bonded all-porcelain crowns.” That would be a mistake. If a dentist doesn’t recommend that general type of crown without any prompting from you, you have the wrong dentist.

And in bulimia, the upper front teeth are affected much more than any other teeth. I did two bulimia cases in my practice, and in both cases I only did upper teeth because the lower teeth were only slightly affected. It’s the insides of the upper front teeth that are the most damaged. Eight or ten crowns could do quite a bit toward resolving your problems.

I wish you well. You’re courageous to confront this head-on, and you deserve to be treated well.
– Dr. Hall

See our page: Bulimia and teeth.