jeri Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I had trauma to one of my top front teeth years ago in grade school, followed by a root canal. Then I had to have some sort of filling from the top down (through the gum) several years later due to an infection. Several years ago I had it capped and then when that popped off, most of what was left of the tooth came too. That was fixed with a post a yar ago, and now it is inflamed. Anyway, I just saw a periodontist ans she said that the tooth root cannot be saved. She is recommending a root removal, damaged tissue removal, bone pieced implanted and then it is left alone to heal for 4-6 mnths. Then I come back and get the implant base inserted and wait another 4-6 mths for it to heal. Finally, the new tooth is screwed in. Have you had this done? Would you do it again if you could, or would you go with a denture? Certainly the price with the latter would be less, but on the other hand, I'm led to believe that the implant would be more natural. DH said that he couldn't be bothered with almost a year of getting this done and he would just go the denture route. I'm also concerned about the whole bone density thing. I'm 48 but my mom has osteo (at 78). She's had an implant and there is concern about her osteoporosis. But maybe I should just worry about that when I get 30 years down the road,. I told dh I was posting this for "the girls" to answer and he thought it was very funny that I would do so. Then he reconsidered and said that among all of us, there's bound to be implant experience! Thanks! Jeri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I haven't had either one, but before kids I worked in several dental offices over a number of years. I would avoid dentures like the plague. Seriously. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmomto5 Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 And I love it! It was easy to have done really...A little pain after the surgery but not much. The procedure was amazingly easy. I have had it for 2 years now and have had no problems. Lora in NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyfaithe Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I would love to hear more about this. My teeth are very brittle...one just broke on Saturday and her I am still numb from the novacaine. The dentist feels this is probably because of my auto immune issues.....ugh! Let me just add to my list.... Now, if I got implants for my missing teeth...where does bone density come in??? My dentist wants me to go for a bone density test....because he is concerned that if my teeth are deteriorating from the anti immune issues....my bones could be doing the same.....sigh.... My mom went for the dentures btw, and so did my dad....and neither had problems with them. They looked very natural....actually nicer than my mom's real teeth...and she was happy with them. Faithe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Timely (and frightening) discussion for me. :bigear: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proverbs356lady Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Sorry I have nothing to offer. I just want to follow this thread since I have awful teeth. I hope you get lots of feedback on this topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isabella Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I have a partial upper plate/denture for two extracted teeth that are in noticeable positions. Comfort is fine, the look is fine, it works fine...I think upper partials/dentures stay in place better than lower from my understanding. However, I hate the fact that I need the plate, but I am not willing just to be toothless! :tongue_smilie:. I wouldn't have implants because I'm not convinced they're completely healthy for the body, also the exorbitant cost weighed up against the average longevity of them. And there is the possibility of it not working, and the fact that they can't be redone when they fail. My teeth are terrible, too, so possibly down the track I'll have a full denture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsmomto5 Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 They will determine the amount of bone that is there. If there is not enough they can do a bone graft. I was lucky and didn't have to have this done, but my dentist said it would not have been a big deal. Lora in NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennsmile Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I have an implant I got as a teen. 15 years later it is still doing great. I didn't have a tooth there so there was just a jaw with no trauma. I don't know how that would impact anything. I do love my implant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 My MIL had two teeth done. Now she has almost all of her other teeth that really need fixed. If she hadn't had the two, she could have had dentures. Since she has two implants, the dentists won't do anything for her. Her choices are implants or nothing for the rest of her teeth. She doesn't have the money for implants on the rest of her teeth. She feels like it was a very big mistake for her - mainly due to cost and how it limited her options. I would think carefully about it and consider what you will need 10, 20, 30 etc years ahead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Implants have a high success rate, but they CAN fail. Ask me how I know, *sigh*. So, I would ask what happens if the implant fails - do you lose the money? do they apply it to another procedure? that's what my dentist did, but I wouldn't assume it's standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I'm congentially missing 9 teeth. 5 have been replaced by implants. Not sure what people are saying about the longevity... they are "lifetime" replacements (over a 90% success rate, and never need replacing... the post that is. I don't know about the success rate of crowns, but that's a whole 'nother issue). My dad has a permanent bridge for one single missing tooth in front. He has had problems with it his whole adult life. A bridge is the least expensive "permanent" option for a single missing tooth, but dentists don't like to do them if they have to cut down healthy teeth. As far as osteo issues... leaving empty space in your jaw increases the rate of bone loss (reabsorbtion), which can impact teeth next to those areas. Bone reabsorbtion also affects the fit of dentures, and they must be adjusted regularly because of this. One missing tooth should run you about $2k for everything. Some dental insurance will cover it. I can't wait to get my final crowns in early 2012. Living with partials has been a royal pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Fairy Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 My folks are in the tooth biz. Definitely get the implant. :grouphug: Dentures are a necessary evil for some people, but should be avoided if possible. So says my dad who makes false teeth for a living (and has an implant)! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 My MIL had two teeth done. Now she has almost all of her other teeth that really need fixed. If she hadn't had the two, she could have had dentures. Since she has two implants, the dentists won't do anything for her. What is this about not being able to get dentures if you've ever had an implant? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 I'm not sure... dentures are just a partial plate that you take in and out. Implants shouldn't prevent that, as they act like a "new" tooth. Implants can also be used to create a fixed bridge... although I know dental issues can be a bit more complex, maybe there is more to the story? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 Saw periodontist #2. She was really great but said that due to my badly mangled tooth, she would have to do bone grafts. Interestingly, she said that if the bone grafts "fail," they try to do it again and it usually takes the second time. It's just that the patient has to be patient about the redo. I think I am going to go through with this. Have to make an appt for a "flipper" for tomorrow or Friday. Then she said I could probably wait until we actually move into our new house the first week of Nov. Insurance will cover half (yay!). Thanks, ladies, for all the moral support. It's especially hard being in a new area where you don't know anyone and aren't even living in a house yet! I keep thinking how really vain all this is in the grand scheme of things. Two of my friends both were diagnosed with breast cancer this past summer, so I really have nothing to be upset about! jeri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Great! It sounds like you're coming to terms w/it. I hope it all goes well. I think you'll be happier than going the other route. Sometimes our problems really get put into perspective, don't they? I feel that way about my pitiful complaints vs. my sister's cancer. But don't fret about it. What you're dealing w/is a big issue to you right now and that's fine. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted October 12, 2011 Author Share Posted October 12, 2011 Thanks for validating my stress and telling me to be strong! jeri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted October 12, 2011 Share Posted October 12, 2011 Thanks for validating my stress and telling me to be strong! jeri Awww...you're welcome! :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starr Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Dh needs to have this done so keep us posted. He needs the encouragement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MeganW Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 (edited) She is recommending a root removal, damaged tissue removal, bone pieced implanted and then it is left alone to heal for 4-6 mnths. Then I come back and get the implant base inserted and wait another 4-6 mths for it to heal. Finally, the new tooth is screwed in When I was 16, I left school and drove myself to my orthodontist appt to FINALLY get my braces off. I had had them for EIGHT YEARS, so needless to say I was so excited I told the whole school before I left. The orthodonist took the front braces off, and suddenly had this horrified look on his face, but wouldn't let me look in the mirror. Turned out one of my front teeth had come out with the braces. As an elementary & middle school student, I had been a competitive gymnast. At one point, I chickened out at the last second on something on the uneven bars, and had smashed my face into the bar. Other than a really swollen upper lip, we didn't think there was any dameage done, but apparently the tooth was injured and died. And with the braces on, it hadn't come out and discoloration wasn't noticed. I had regular dental visits, so I have no idea why an xray didn't catch this, but anyway. So as a 16 year old in 1987, I had an implant. The surgery itself was, well, dental surgery so it stunk, but was over quickly. The real issue I went through was the temp tooth. It was constantly coming out. After about 50 visits to have it replaced, my dad finally superglued it in and dried it with a hairdryer - that did a lot better than the dental glue. After I had the permanent one put in, I never had another problem. It's almost 25 years old, and is as secure as ever! It was considered experimental at the time I had it done, but I would definitely do the same thing again. If you ever want to bleach your teeth, do it BEFORE the permanent tooth is put on. The permanent one will match your existing teeth, and can't be bleached. PS - I assume it goes without saying that I did NOT go back to school that day! So traumatized! In fact, I absolutely refused to go to school until I had a false one. As I was a really well-behaved kid who had perfect attendance for most of my school years, thankfully my parents decided not to fight me over it! Edited October 13, 2011 by MeganW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cindyg Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 Nothing horrifies me like a dental-procedure-gone-wrong story! :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Becca211 Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 I had 2 implants in my front teeth 3 years ago and I love them! No problems. I had a bone graft also, with no problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KidsHappen Posted October 14, 2011 Share Posted October 14, 2011 IDK but I am facing a similar issue. About six month ago I was having severe pain on one of my molars on the bottom left quadrant. I had one with a large filling and one with a root canal that was broken and had an additional fracture. The one with the filling was reacting to cold but the other was reacting to pressure and I was having the most pain when biting down on something so they decided to remove that broken one. Turns out it was the wrong one and it was very difficult to remove. They had to score and break the tooth to remove it and then ended up breaking some bone too. I was spitting out pieces of bone and tooth for two weeks. I have a a very large whole and obvious bone damage. Now they have to remove the tooth that was the actual problem which was behind the other one. Behind that is an impacted wisdom tooth which they would also remove at the same time. This would leave me with no molars on that quadrant. Therefore I would need a partial or at least two implants. I can't really determine which would be the best course of action and therefore haven't done anything yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeri Posted October 16, 2011 Author Share Posted October 16, 2011 Megan, that's a horrifying story! Glad it went well. Ok, so I took the first step which was to get the mold made on Friday for the flipper, and match the tooth color. She looked at my xray again and said it will be tricky since this tooth has had quite of bit of bone loss around it. She said it's almost easier to do if it is out suddenly due to an accident. But she will be rebuilding the bone over a six month period. I have started to drink gallons of milk in the last couple of days in hope that this bone rebuilds well! Yes, this is kind of stressful, getting ready to pull the trigger on actually removing my front tooth! I will keep you all posted. Jeri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelle in MO Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Whew! I'd be stressed, too! One step at a time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 When I was 16, I left school and drove myself to my orthodontist appt to FINALLY get my braces off. I had had them for EIGHT YEARS, so needless to say I was so excited I told the whole school before I left. The orthodonist took the front braces off, and suddenly had this horrified look on his face, but wouldn't let me look in the mirror. Turned out one of my front teeth had come out with the braces. As an elementary & middle school student, I had been a competitive gymnast. At one point, I chickened out at the last second on something on the uneven bars, and had smashed my face into the bar. Other than a really swollen upper lip, we didn't think there was any dameage done, but apparently the tooth was injured and died. And with the braces on, it hadn't come out and discoloration wasn't noticed. I had regular dental visits, so I have no idea why an xray didn't catch this, but anyway. So as a 16 year old in 1987, I had an implant. The surgery itself was, well, dental surgery so it stunk, but was over quickly. The real issue I went through was the temp tooth. It was constantly coming out. After about 50 visits to have it replaced, my dad finally superglued it in and dried it with a hairdryer - that did a lot better than the dental glue. After I had the permanent one put in, I never had another problem. It's almost 25 years old, and is as secure as ever! It was considered experimental at the time I had it done, but I would definitely do the same thing again. If you ever want to bleach your teeth, do it BEFORE the permanent tooth is put on. The permanent one will match your existing teeth, and can't be bleached. PS - I assume it goes without saying that I did NOT go back to school that day! So traumatized! In fact, I absolutely refused to go to school until I had a false one. As I was a really well-behaved kid who had perfect attendance for most of my school years, thankfully my parents decided not to fight me over it! Okay, my heart just skipped a beat when I read this post and got to the part of your tooth just coming out. Oh my goodness. Supergluing a tooth sounds like something my mom would do, though. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juelle Posted October 21, 2011 Share Posted October 21, 2011 Check out calc. phos. homeopathic remedy, and maybe others, too. If your body absorbs calcium well from milk, that's great, but I'd be surprised, unless it's raw milk. Just a thought. Call me... you know I could go on about it for hours.:001_smile: Sorry you have to deal with all this at the same time as moving. :tongue_smilie: But if anyone can handle it, you can! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.