DR. WALLACE: I'm a teenager, and unfortunately, I have some crooked teeth. Some of my friends who come from families with more resources have older siblings in college who have recently gotten new teeth. I guess they're veneers or maybe implants, and they cost a lot of money. I'm really not sure how much they cost, but their teeth look amazing!

I thought getting veneers or implants were just for the rich and famous. But I guess teenagers can get them, too. I'm kind of interested, but I'm not sure if I'm old enough to have this type of procedure done. I'm 16 now. Is that old enough? And, of course, I'll need to find a part-time job to be able to pay for this, too. — Need New Teeth, via email

NEED NEW TEETH: Veneers can be used to correct discolored, worn or chipped teeth. Veneers are thin layers of porcelain bonded to the front of your teeth. Even though they are quite thin, they can appear bulky if not enough of the tooth's enamel surface is removed. This is irreversible, so the tooth may require a restoration within a time period of roughly 10 years.

This could be a major issue for teens whose permanent teeth are still developing. During this period, the tooth's central pulp is relatively large and the dentin layer not fully developed. As a result, the pulp's nerves are often closer to the surface than in an adult tooth. This increases risk of nerve damage during veneer preparation; if nerve damage occurs, the tooth could ultimately require a root canal treatment to save it.

While it's extremely rare for anyone to be too old for dental implants, there is such a thing as being too young. Since bone development is key, the age of a child matters a great deal when considering this topic. Some dentists will complete the procedure on patients as young as 14 or 15 years old, while others do not recommend it until at least the age of 23.

The process is completed with numbed nerves, so the patient can expect not to feel any pain during the procedure. There may be pressure at times, but it should not cause much discomfort. For patients who have anxiety with dental procedures, oral sedation is available.

THE IMPACT OF GOSSIP

DR. WALLACE: I think I'm a good person, but I'm sure I've made some mistakes here and there along the way in life. I'm an average teenager, and I've listened to my share of local gossip, and perhaps there have been times that I have even spread a few rumors myself in the past, too. Now I've just recently heard secondhand a horrible personal story that's totally untrue about myself, and I'm not sure what to do about it.

I thought I could just ignore it and maybe it would go away, but so far, that hasn't worked because some of my friends have told me that they heard that same bit of gossip, too. I think my friends know better than to believe this gossip about me, especially since they know me so well, but I'm worried that many strangers will think these lies are true. I now see that it's no fun to be on the wrong end of gossip. What can I do now? — Wrong End of Gossip, via email

WRONG END OF GOSSIP: No matter what subject matter of gossip is involved, being the focus of untrue gossip can be humiliating in the moment, and it can also have a long-term negative impact on a person's self-confidence and self-esteem. This impact might contribute to the development of depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts and eating disorders.

The origin of gossip is almost always jealousy. Jealousy generally emanates from insecurity, fear and concern over a lack of possessions or safety.

Spreading malicious rumors will not only hurt the subject of the gossip but also make the person gossiping look rude and immature.

A person who habitually gossips will eventually lose trust and credibility. It shows bad manners, hurts friendships and damages professional relationships. Please don't be such a person. Stick to the truth, and either speak well of your fellow human beings or do not speak about them at all.

Dr. Robert Wallace welcomes questions from readers. Although he is unable to reply to all of them individually, he will answer as many as possible in this column. Email him at [email protected]. To find out more about Dr. Robert Wallace and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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