Dental Implants

[jennyjoan]

Now my next question.

Anybody out there have got dental implants and have they been a success.

I have mentioned I am due 7 extractions 3 at the back of the mouth and 4 at front of mouth.

Will be having dental implants along with other treatment eg bone strengthening etc. Am very very nervous. I know I am down the line but was wondering should I also think of top and bottom completely out with falsies. Also it is very very expensive.

The second scenario is that if I accept the implants - I will be still seeing dentist from time to time re the rest of my natural teeth so is it worth all that and more. Thanks for any replies.

[anneasquith]

are you thinking ,,,, would it be less work and less expensive to get false teeth ?

[jennyjoan]

I am that Anne but am extremely dubious but at least I would never see a dentist ever again.

Also unsure if I could cope with the falsies as I think they would feel like foreign objects in my mouth. The way I feel with glasses across my face. Artificial-like.

[jennyjoan]

I think Dee Sa would be one of the ones that had the implants - hope she sees this.

[anneasquith]

I'm not an expert on false teeth. but I do believe one gets used to them,

[jennyjoan]

I know they do Anne - some have great results others not so. Some I do know take them out when they are alone in the house. Some take them out when alone to eat.

It is a difficult decision.

[jennyjoan]

^^^^ and some cannot wear them at all so go about like gummy bears - that's not for me

[jennyjoan]

^^^^ LOL - Take Jeremy Kyle's punters.

[woofgang]

I have got a dental implant and am delighted with it although it was expensive. I was supposed to have two, one each side but one failed because I didn't have sufficient bone density and also had a longstanding infection sitting in my sinus. My husband had four, also very pleased, his bone density was better than mine but he was one of those unfortunate people who just has poor teeth.
Like you, I could not deal with dentures.
Price varies but its never cheap. Talk to the person who will do them about a price and what you will get for it, also what happens if the implant process fails and its not your fault, mine gives a free second attempt.
I couldn't say that the process is pleasant, you really have to trust the dentist and be prepared to spend quite a while in the chair.
Any more questions please ask

[woofgang]

dentures don't mean no more visits to the dentist. Gum health is important and as your face shape changes with age you will need new dentures.

[jennyjoan]

Thanks Wolf - I know it is very expensive - this is running into £7,000 - this includes a lot of other treatment tho. I will borrow the money as my health is worth more than money and I will get it paid off eventually.

I am going to be knocked out for as long as it is needed to remove the offending teeth and a temporary denture inserted.

My plaque (don't understand this) is very bad and very below the gums so I have told her to remove that whilst I am under.

I truly don't know what comes next - when the bone strengthening etc comes in but know the temporary denture will be in for several months.

I had wondered though that if I "took" to the temporary denture could I make up my mind to the dentist and say "ok I didn't mind the temporary denture - I'll go for that instead - can I do that.

Dentist has told me that if the implant "fails" and it is "her" fault she will redo them - she has said she will guarantee her work and has been doing implants for 15 years.

What was the most gruelling thing for you. Wolf and I appreciate your replies.

[Prudie]

JJ has she not suggested a bridge or two or do you not have the teeth either side to support one? I've had 2 fitted this summer although they did cost a bomb.

Plaque is the build up of tartar etc (same as dogs and cats get) and will need scraping off.

[ubasses]

My husband had this done last year. Three bottom and 3 top on right hand side. Price was about £6000. He actually had 2 bridges put in. Looked like he had gone few rounds with Mike Tyson on each occasion, but says at the end of the day it was worth it. He could not stand the dentures in his mouth.

The price included a bone transplant to strengthen his jaw prior to work being done.

You will still have to have regular check ups on your other teeth and to maintain your gum health. Even if you' took to' the temporary denture, you would need to have it removed and a permanent one made.

[woofgang]

7,000 is not too bad. mine were done around 5 years ago and cost 1500 per implant. Mine were one each side of my mouth so I needed two implants for just two teeth. If you are having several adjoining teeth replaced you don't need one implant per tooth.
I understand about the plaque below gum line thing. My DH had it. Apparently its do do with your body chemistry and the gum separating from the tooth. I have for gum pockets too but not too bad and i am obsessive about dental hygiene now.
I don't know if you can change your mind halfway through an agreed course of treatment, you'll need to talk to the dentist about that.
The redo if it fails guarantee is pretty much what my dentist said. You have to promise to follow instructions about cleaning and so on and attend the checks.
I am not sure what you mean by bone strengthening, if you are not sure either then check with the dentist. Has she done x rays to check your bone density?

Worst bits for me were to do with the position of the implants, they were upper teeth right at the back and I have got a very sensitive gag reflex which made tolerating the tools and the sucker difficult. My dentist is a lovely patient man and his nurses are good though. It was also difficult to keep my mouth open wide enough and keep my head in the right place for the time needed. This was made worse by the fact that I had one each side done at the same time both upper jaw right at the back. This was partly because it reduced the cost but also because I wasn't sure I could make myself go through it twice. As it happened of course, I did! I ached next day and was a bit bruised and weary but nothing terrible.

[jennyjoan]

Prude I know what plaque is - tartar - but I have to be beyond the beyond - my tartar is beneath the gums and I think my gums need to be opened to get at it and stitched up.

I know I am talking the truth as I asked her "oh will the stitches dissolve" - "no she said I prefer taking them out myself" - Oh Me Oh My.

[woofgang]

yes, my DH had this done.

[Prudie]

"My plaque (don't understand this) is very bad" - well I thought you probably would but your wording suggested otherwise. I was actually trying to be helpful, which I often do on your threads.

[jennyjoan]

Oh Bless you Woof - I understand every word you are saying.

"you needed an implant on each side of the mouth - which was worse"

I will have 4-5 teeth on like 2 implants (all beside each other - I guess I need to be grateful for that)

when I said about temporary denture I was meaning since I had had the temporary denture in my mouth - I maybe could have gotten used to this "artificial thing" in my mouth. But as you say don't know whether you can change your mind at this point. This from report "Bone grafting materials and membranes from human, animal or synthetic sources may be used if required for additional support to the implants." "Stitches will be placed for a few days" They mention "silver healing buttons to shape the gum. There is so much more.

I think my asking so many questions from the dentists was too much for her as I was trying to enter her world. She said to me look J you do your job and I do mine - people think I drill a big hole into the gums when it is not that way. So I will have to place my trust in her.

Why me, everybody goes to the dentist for a filling or an extraction - no I'm going for pretty scary surgery.

The dentist answered my questions very much indepth and I know I know I went into more time than I was allotted.

[jno]

I have a few, and more to come. So far they have been very successful. It was that or live on Milupa forever.

If your jawbone is weak or wasted they will build it up with bone grafts first.

[jennyjoan]

Sorry Prude - knew those words would come out the wrong way - very much appreciated your help - when I read the words they did sound sarky - I didn't meant it. So Sorry again Prude. Please forgive anything I type as my head is all over the place with Harvey and teeth and also my main thing is finding a chaperone to the dentists as most of my friends work. And another friend is on her way next Sunday. Sorry Prud you were helping deffo