Dental Implant Considerations

[frayne]

At 66 years of age and cursed with straight but weak teeth that I have invested enough in to buy a couple of Teslas, I'm considering biting the bullet (pun) and opting for dental implants. Currently I have no issues but know that down the line say in a couple of years I'm going to need a couple more root canals, crowns and probably a new partial. I haven't done the math and don't know of a good way to determine the point of diminishing returns but feel I'm fighting a losing battle. Just curious if any of the folks of the forum have been down a similar path and what wise words of advice might be out there. Such as, dos, don't, what they would do over if possible, etc. etc. etc. One thing that kind of bothers me though seeing people with either implants or false teeth that are so perfect and so white they almost like ridiculous. Again, thanks for any advice.

 

[athena53]

I was going to note that there are a few threads on this but most deal with replacement of one or two teeth, not total mouth as you're considering.

I can give you one anecdote: the dentist who placed my implants (I have 4 individual ones) had a friend/patient whose teeth were so bad he couldn't even eat a hot dog at a ball game they attended together. He spent the cost of a sports car on getting implants to totally replace his teeth and had to wait months till the site healed enough that the permanent dentures could be put in. (The dentist made him a set of temporary dentures that were OK for cosmetic purposes but not for eating.) After the permanent ones were in and working he was thrilled- said they changed his life.

The improbably-white, perfect versions are usually the cheaper dentures (maybe the ones I see advertised on billboards for $99 each upper and lower?). You can discuss this with your dentist but I'm sure there are prosthetics that look more natural. My implants are all in the back so it's not that important.

Also ask about care going forward. I have to get my teeth cleaned professionally 4X/year and I also use a Sonicare toothbrush, prescription toothpaste and a WaterPik to maintain gum health. I've got it down to a routine but I wonder what will happen when I'm in a nursing home and too feeble to take care of my teeth. That's a couple of decades away, I hope.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Hold unto your teeth with a death grip. I lost all my teeth 2 years ago from using a CPAP machine. The dry mouth rotted them from the inside out. It has been 2 years of numerous painful procedures. I had the all on 4 on the bottom and I have a snap in denture on the top due to cost. The bottom cost 33k and the top 11k. There is never a moment that goes by that I don't know these are not my teeth. First after they pull your teeth you wear dentures which are hell for 6 months to heal before they can do the other procedures. I went into shock after one of the procedures and after having my teeth pulled. Food gets caught in the area between your real gum and the fake gum and is annoying. I also have a permanent lisp. I had no choice but would never choose this.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Yes it is important to keep the gums healthy or your implants can fail. Flossing is super important along with the waterpic. 2 of my top implants did fail but I have 4 left. If more fail I will be back to a denture on top. Mine don't look fake and you get to choose the color based on skin tone etc. I started a couple of threads on the whole mouth.

 

[Lawrencewendall]

Not mainstream yet nor any idea when it will be

https://www.davidwolfe.com/stem-cell-dental-implants/

 

[Bamaman]

Only complaints I have heard is the cost. My dental surgeon removed a tooth last year that sheared off at the gum line--and did a graft for $895. To do one implant is $2,250. Then 3 mos. later, the abutment is $500. And a crown goes over that @$850. Ouch! And insurance just pays for an xray.

I was referred to a dentist in another state that charged $900 for a simple implant. Other than numbing me up if was maybe a 7 minute job--and painless.

Let me just say my oral surgeon is charging too much for implants. How do you spell "b-a-n-d-i-t"?

Now when your talking numerous implants and dentures attached, you are usually talking in the $20k range. That is when I would be going to Alagores, Mexico (Yuma, AZ) or Budapest for some medical tourism. You would be talking more like $4k there for a big job. But it takes 2 trips to get it done, but even then you could really saves bunch of $.

 

[W2R]

At 66 years of age and cursed with straight but weak teeth that I have invested enough in to buy a couple of Teslas, I'm considering biting the bullet (pun) and opting for dental implants. Currently I have no issues but know that down the line say in a couple of years I'm going to need a couple more root canals, crowns and probably a new partial. I haven't done the math and don't know of a good way to determine the point of diminishing returns but feel I'm fighting a losing battle. Just curious if any of the folks of the forum have been down a similar path and what wise words of advice might be out there. Such as, dos, don't, what they would do over if possible, etc. etc. etc. One thing that kind of bothers me though seeing people with either implants or false teeth that are so perfect and so white they almost like ridiculous. Again, thanks for any advice.

I have terrible teeth, and 40 years ago (after root canals) I had gold crowns put on almost all of my back molars. That didn't stop the constant dental problems, but at least those molars were no longer a problem. Time passed; lots of fillings and root canals in other teeth.

About 2-3 years ago, the gold crowns started giving out. Some broke, some became painful, and so on. I have had 5 implants in the past two years and I am sure that will not be the end of it.

Implants cost a lot. My dentist told me that I could have bridge work done instead (for less money), but I opted for the implants and I am glad that I did. I think they are great! They feel strong and natural, like my teeth as a teenager. The crowns are well matched to my other teeth, so they don't attract attention.

I would recommend implants to anybody who can afford them. They do take months to complete, because there is a stage in the implant process where it is necessary to wait for your jawbone to grow around the implant and provide a secure, firm base for it (as I understand it). So, you have to be patient.

 

[OnIslandTime]

I can only share my own experience. With a mouth full of mercury fillings and crowns over mercury fillings over root canals, I discovered that much dentistry involves putting things in your mouth and/or leaving things in your mouth that aren't really healthy. This could go a long way to explaining some chronic health problems I've endured for a long time. Long story short, I had a dental implant. At every visit to my dentist of 30 years (the one who referred me for the implant), said it was perfect. Indeed, it felt ok, or so I thought. A few years ago in the interest of cleaning up my mouth, I had the implant removed. I saw it when my (new) dentist took it out; the metal part looked rusty! I asked why it was rusty (I'm an engineer; I ask a lot of questions). He answered that it was galvanized, not rusty, as a reaction to being in my mouth with all the other metal and saliva. So while the implant seemed to be a great thing, it wasn't as good as it looked. I had a battery going on in my head...no wonder I had health problems.

This probably wouldn't be a problem if you don't have any different metals in your mouth, i.e, if you had all the implants done with the same metal and didn't have any other metal fillings or bridges or retainers in your mouth.

Unfortunately, I don't know of any great alternatives for missing teeth. I have a flexible partial (for upper molars); it works but it is not great. I have read about zirconium implants, but it doesn't seem as if many do them, they are also expensive and some note it is still sticking something "foreign" in your body possibly setting up an immune reaction.

My even-newer dentist says there is nothing natural about dentistry...it is all a question of what the person's goals are and how much toxicity they are willing to deal with. I suppose the "natural way" would be to let them decay away till they fell out and just be toothless, but that's pretty toxic, too!

One more thing. One friend of mine and the wife of another friend each tried to get an implant. Both "failed" because they were smokers. Both were warned that might happen. So if you're a smoker and you're not going to quit I wouldn't even try it...too expensive and painful for a failure.

Good luck in your journey.

 

[HadEnuff]

As a veteran of 40 years practicing dentistry, I can tell you that the cleanest mouth is the mouth with no teeth in it, and no dentistry.

So there you go. Enjoy!

 

[steadystate]

Implants, if done right, are great. I have three and honestly have a hard time telling them from my natural teeth. Except they are much more solidly rooted!

 

[CoolChange]

Some people have issues with bone density, growing new bone, etc. in the area where the anchors are implanted. I believe this is a bigger issue for upper teeth but am definitely not sure about this: I have known two people with this kind of issue (anchors actually coming out); both were issues with uppers; two is a very small sample size.

I don’t know how much the dentist/surgeon can tell about probability of success before attempting the procedure; but, this is definitely an area I will research when/if the time comes for me. Medical tourism (both within the USA and globally) for this will also be an area for more research considering the costs involved.

Assuming I am a good candidate, I think this would be far superior to other methods (dentures, bridges, etc.) currently available for tooth replacement.

 

[Aerides]

I only have one, and I will get another one before I'd root/crown again, and long before I'd go with a bridge. Don't fear the whiteness. A good dentist will make them match your mouth and not let you go but maybe a hair whiter than your other teeth. And when you get the actual implant, be vocal "this doesn't feel perfect" and they will finish it until it does. You want to NOT feel it. When I had mine, it was replacing a 20 year old crown that had given out, and that always felt different. Not this. Research for a good surgeon and make sure you are comfortable with them.

If your original teeth aren't going to last, and you can afford to be proactive, vs. the alternatives implants would be far superior. Yes they are expensive (plan on $3 - 4k per tooth). To me, this is one of those luxuries I'm not going to penny pinch on.

And I don't know if temporaries are good so you might need to be prepared to do sections at a time where you have a gap for a while, since the "plug" has to set for a few weeks/months before they put the top on. Maybe just go with the temp for when you do the frontal replacements if you go this route.

Do you want to be 80, cleaning your dentures and saying "I shoulda..."

 

[steadystate]

If anyone in Seattle wants a recommendation for a superb implant practitioner I would be happy to provide info.

 

[athena53]

Some people have issues with bone density, growing new bone, etc. in the area where the anchors are implanted.

My oral surgeon did a 3-D scan of my jawbone and we looked at various rotations of it on a giant screen on the wall. He used that to conclude I had enough bone mass (supplemented with a graft). It was an expensive process (Kansas City area and I'd happily recommend him and my dentist via PM) but I figured too much was at stake to go with the lowest bidder. The oral surgeon is an MD as well as a DDS.

 

[aja8888]

I just had the 3D scan this week for my upcoming implants. Can't wait for this to be over since my new pickup truck will be installed in my mouth (last 12 months of dental rebuilding).

 

[HadEnuff]

My oral surgeon did a 3-D scan of my jawbone and we looked at various rotations of it on a giant screen on the wall. He used that to conclude I had enough bone mass (supplemented with a graft). It was an expensive process (Kansas City area and I'd happily recommend him and my dentist via PM) but I figured too much was at stake to go with the lowest bidder. The oral surgeon is an MD as well as a DDS.

Good move. These cases are won or lost in the planning/ case selection phase.

 

[candrew]

My oral surgeon did a 3-D scan of my jawbone and we looked at various rotations of it on a giant screen on the wall. He used that to conclude I had enough bone mass (supplemented with a graft). It was an expensive process (Kansas City area and I'd happily recommend him and my dentist via PM) but I figured too much was at stake to go with the lowest bidder. The oral surgeon is an MD as well as a DDS.

3D imaging in my case indicated the need for bone grafting as well. You are correct that having a well qualified, skillful oral surgeon is key.

Good move. These cases are won or lost in the planning/ case selection phase.

+1

Not to mention the importance of having skillful lab technicians who are responsible for creating the implant prosthetics.

 

[Teacher Terry]

I think the OP was looking at having his whole mouth done and that is totally different then having a few teeth replaced. To do your whole mouth they put in between 4-6 implants which holds all the teeth on fake gums. This type of implant fails on the top more often the the bottom. If you don't have enough bone on top you can have a bone graft which usually involves the need for a sinus lift. My bottom teeth are permanent. I opted for the snap in denture on top because of the cost. With this you skip having the plate on top of your mouth which is nice. You snap it out daily to brush your gums and clean it. The bottom one can only be removed by a dentist and takes about a hour so they only do it yearly. The oral surgeon talked me into not having the expensive implants on top because he said that most people tolerate a denture on top much better then the bottom. Well despite having the top remade a few times it never fit right and I hated having my palate covered because you can't taste your food. In retrospect I would have the expensive one on the top and the snap in on the bottom. There is less chance of failure with the permanent versus the snap in. I actually went to KS for the top because of the cost difference and paid a third of the local price. I also read that biting with your top teeth puts more pressure on the teeth then the bottom. I have to cut all my food up into child size pieces to eat. For most sandwiches I need a knife and fork. Keep your teeth if at all possible.

 

[CoolChange]

My oral surgeon did a 3-D scan of my jawbone and we looked at various rotations of it on a giant screen on the wall. He used that to conclude I had enough bone mass (supplemented with a graft). It was an expensive process (Kansas City area and I'd happily recommend him and my dentist via PM) but I figured too much was at stake to go with the lowest bidder. The oral surgeon is an MD as well as a DDS.

Thank you the information and offer.

While Kansas City is close enough to make this a reasonable choice for me, I am hoping not to need anything like this in the near future. If things change for me, I will definitely reach out.

Thanks again!

 

[braumeister]

Interesting how the cost varies so widely around the country.

DW had an implant a couple of years ago, and the cost was around $1,500 (plus the crown over it of course). Didn't seem unreasonable to me.

 

[Texas Proud]

One of the things to consider is the underlying bone...

My DW has had problems with her jaw bone... it has been eaten away by what I think were bad root canals... she has to have a bone graft on every implant...

Her last one she had to have some work done on her sinuses even before the bone graft... we are already a year into the work and we expect another before she gets her crowns...

It is costing about $5K per tooth and we are working on the ones that will get her to 7 implants... and we know there are more to come

 

[Sunset]

I had bad teeth when young, mostly due to well water, I ended up getting 2 implants right in front. That was about 40 years ago.

All my built up teeth (fillings) may mean I'll need to replace a few over the years. So this thread is very informative and scary !!

 

[W2R]

I had bad teeth when young, mostly due to well water, I ended up getting 2 implants right in front. That was about 40 years ago.

All my built up teeth (fillings) may mean I'll need to replace a few over the years. So this thread is very informative and scary !!

The cost is pretty scary. If you get a good oral surgeon, the surgery is not nearly as bad as paying for it afterwards....

 

[blueskyk]

The worst part for DH (full upper and lower implants) was actually the cost ($56K). He had a great team working with him and the entire process from teeth removal to permanent version of implants was 4 months (he had it done while he still had good bone). His teeth are gorgeous and very natural looking. He worked with the techs to make them look “not perfect”. We are not wealthy so this was a big deal.

And I’m so glad we spent the money. It was life-changing for him.

 

[Freedom56]

Make sure you have enough bone mass after your extraction. I had an implant inserted a few years ago. It was a long process. The tooth could not be saved after a root canal and had to be extracted. There was a deep filling in that tooth from decades ago. A bone graft was performed after he extraction. About 4 months later the implant was inserted after they took a CT scan of the tooth and entire mouth. The implant became loose after about 1 week after installing the crown. The implant was removed and another bone graft was inserted and left to heal for 8 months with more mass. Another CT Scan was taken and then the implant was inserted. This time it was fine. I have had it in for about 3 years now without any issues. They are expensive but much better than other options such as a bridge.