What happened to Mickey Rourkes teeth? Surgeon explains trauma and stress behind dental woes

Actor Mickey Rourke looked unrecognizable in shocking photos captured this week.“The Wrestler” star, 73, was spotted in LA in a gray hoodie and jeans, but seemed to be missing what could be considered something more important: his teeth.His dental troubles actually go way back — but an expert explained to The Post how facial trauma and lots of stress have likely contributes to his new look.Rourke’s face has taken a beating from a young age.He was an amateur boxer as a teen before staring in hit movies in the ’80s — then went back to boxing as a pro in the ’90s.“He has had some trauma to his face.

And that trauma over the years has definitely affected the dental support structures,” said Dr.Jason Auerbach, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who goes by @bloodytoothguy on social media.Indeed, Rourke has spoken openly about undergoing a number of facial reconstruction and dental surgeries to correct injuries to his face.“I had my nose broken twice.

I had five operations on my nose and one on a smashed cheekbone,” he told the Daily Mail in 2009.“I had to have cartilage taken from my ear to rebuild my nose.”To make matters worse, he told the outlet, he “went to the wrong guy to put my face back together” and had to get a number of corrective surgeries.Rourke also talked about missing teeth back in 2014, telling Jimmy Kimmel that his dentist advised him his implants were 20 years old and might fall out.

Auerbach explained how hits to the face — even if they miss the mouth — can affect the teeth for life.Take a hit to the jaw, for example.“Oftentimes you fracture not just the area where the direct blow was, but you fracture … the other side,” he explained.

“You have significant damage to the support structures of the teeth, which of course then affect the teeth.”How do you fix something like this? Before reconstruction, the bone needs to provide a solid foundation, and with repeated injuries or just wear and tear, he said, t...