Good old removable dentures or implants?

[Trek]

I have implants. I had them put in after a car accident about 18 years ago. Back then, dentists didn't do them, but you had to have them put in by an oral surgeon. It was still pretty new stuff then. I have 2 titanium posts in my frontal lower jaw that supports a 4 tooth bridge held together with a gold backing that screws onto the posts.

Back then, I had to be put under general anesthesia in a hospital surgical room and it took the doctors 3 hours to drill in the two posts. Then of course there was the healing to make sure the posts bonded to bone and then re-cutting the gums and fitting the new teeth, etc. It was almost a year before it was all done. Again, this was a long time ago.

Today the technology is much more advanced and and regular dentists are able to install them.

In any event, the main point is that I've had them for 18 years and no problem with the implants at all. I've had 1 new bridge made in all that time but the implants have been no problem at all. I highly recommend implants if you can afford it.

If you're on a budget and want a price comparison between Spain and Estonia, I'm happy to give you the contact info of my dental clinic for a quote. They do a lot of work for Finns, Swedes and Germans as well as the locals here.

EDIT: If you're having your entire mouth done, I'd recommend having the implants done close to home.

 

[prubin]

My wife had 5 teeth requiring replacement due to periodontal disease. She also had bone loss in her jaw. She was advised that dentures provide 20-25% of functionality of 'real' teeth vs. in excess of 80% for implants. She opted for implants and 10 years later she is please with her 'bionic' teeth. Start to finish the process took close to 2 years. I would not trust dental implant procedure to a general dentist. I would only go to a maxillofillial surgeon who does lots of procedures. You could save money and still get good care by going to a clinic at a dental school where the oversight would be done by a faculty member and the work would be done by a post-grad dentist.

Now for some the financial reality. (I don't know where folks have "found" dentists who can do implants for prices I have seen others posted.) Her 5 implants plus the crowns cost in excess of $20k. Dental insurance paid for a small portion of the cost; basically the cost of dentures since they considered implants experimental.The bone loss was addressed by harvesting bone marrow from her hip. This procedure was done in-patient by an orthopedic surgeon and covered by medical insurance. The maxillofillial surgeon who treated her is now using stem cells to treat bone loss. If cost

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

I would not trust dental implant procedure to a general dentist. I would only go to a maxillofillial surgeon who does lots of procedures.

Never heard of that specialty (maybe you meant maxillofacial?) but implants are done primarily by oral surgeons or periodontists, both being dental subspecialties.

Ask your general dentist for a recommendation. There is no way a layman can know who is well respected.

 

[prubin]

Never heard of that specialty (maybe you meant maxillofacial?) but implants are done primarily by oral surgeons or periodontists, both being dental subspecialties.

Ask your general dentist for a recommendation. There is no way a layman can know who is well respected.

Oops I do mean maxillofacial. I agree recommendations from general dentist is a good starting point. In my wife's situation her periodontist does not do implant work and he recommended someone. This dentist did the extractions and then decided that a combination of implants and a removable bridge was the solution. My wife wanted 100% implants. The periodontist then recommended another maxillofacial specialist. He successfully did the 5 implants.