Anyone have experience with dental implants?

[Pamster]

Just like the title says, I am curious about dental implants, I know they are pricey, but I am hoping to end up with some after the sale of a book and I am worried about the pain involved and the healing time, etc. Anyone have some experiences you can share to help me along the path to getting my bite restored? :)

[Bryanna]

Hi Pamster,
I personally have never had a dental implant placed in my own mouth. However, as a surgical dental assistant, I have assisted on the placement of many.

There are several different types and brands of dental implants. Some dentists prefer one over another, but they are all very similar. In the US, the implants most frequently used are made of titanium. The size and shape of the implant depends on the patients anatomy and what tooth is being replaced. Some implants are screwed into the jawbone and others are tapped in with a dental mallot. There is absolutely no pain associated with the surgical placement of the implant if the area is adequately numb.

Post operative pain varies from slight to moderately uncomfortable depending on the extent of the surgery performed. Depending on the individual situation, the discomfort/pain can last a few hours to several days.

Generally, if the bone that the implant is being placed in is healthy and the surgery is performed well, there is minimal discomfort post operatively. With that being said, if the implant is replacing a tooth that was abcessed or previously root canaled, then the health of the bone will depend on how well the area was cleaned out when the tooth was removed.

If an implant in placed in bone that harbors any residual infectious bacteria from the previously infected tooth, there will most likely be post operative pain after the implant is placed and very frequently the implant becomes loose from that infection. Dental implants should never be placed in unhealthy bone as this could cause or contribute to a very serious infection of the blood called Septicemia.

People with certain health or dental conditions or who take certain medications may not be good candidates for dental implants. A thorough health history evaluation is imperative during a dental implant consult.

Typically, a dental implant is placed and allowed to integrate with the bone for 4-6 months. Could be as long as 9 months in some cases. Monthly radiographs are taken during this healing phase to evaluate the progress of the integration and to see if any infection is developing. When the integration looks solid on the radiograph, a simple surgical procedure is done to expose the end of the implant so it pokes through at the gumline. Some impressions are taken for the final restoration and a tiny healing cap is placed on the exposed part of the implant. Sometimes a temporary crown is placed at this time as well. Then about a month later the various parts of the implant restoration are tried in and sometimes more impressions are taken. About 2 weeks to a month later, the permanent restoration (the implant crown) is cemented onto the exposed part of the implant.

It is a long process from start to finish, typically 9 months to one year. Although it is invasive, it is relatively painless when done properly and if the healing is uneventful.

I hope this information was helpful to you.

Bryanna

[Pamster]

Wow it's a lot more involved then I first though, thank you Bryanna, that was definitely helpful, thank you again for posting it. :D

So there is no tooth on the implant for like 4-9 months? Wow that's a long time but I bet it's worth it. Do you see a lot of people getting them? I am 38 and have healthy bone from what I saw i nthe xray, I asked the dentist about it when he did the last extraction on the side I am considering getting these for and he said it looked good to him with minimal loss from a prior extraction, since I am looking to replace two teeth, neither had had abcesses or root canals and I don't think it was infected.

Thanks again for sharing that great information with me, I really appreciate it. :D

[Bryanna]

Oh you are very welcome! I'm glad to be of help ~'.'~

You are correct, there is usually no temporary tooth placed on the implant during the initial healing phase. If you don't want to have a space during the healing phase, then you may be able to be fitted with an acrylic removable partial denture. These actually work quite well for many people.

In the last 5-7 years, dental implants have become increasingly popular. I personally think many people are becoming more educated about their treatment options and are seeking more permanent solutions to their dental problems. I know more and more medical practitioners are acknowledging in their literature the numerous health risks associated with chronic oral infections and these same doctors are now frequently questioning their patients about their dental health. I also find patients are choosing to remove severely decayed or infected teeth, rather than root canal them as it not only saves them money, but a successful dental implant can last a lifetime.

As I mentioned prior, not everyone is a good candidate for dental implants. Many factors need to be considered before venturing into it.

Please let us know what you decide to do ~'.'~

Bryanna

[Pamster]

I am thinking that I will get implants if I can swing the cost, I have to get s book or two sold first anf then I will have the cash to use on this to restore my bite. I am glad you posted about them lasting a lifetime (if sucessful) because that is what I am looking for. I've never had a root canal and don't want to. *shivers* I heard how bad they can be from my hubby who had one.

Thanks again for posting what you did Bryanna, I feel a lot better after hearing it from you how it's done. :)

[Bryanna]

Pamster,
Again, you are very welcome!

I wish you all the best in selling your books! May I ask....... what type of books are you writing?

Bryanna

[Pamster]

I have one about a young man who becomes an amputee like me (high level almost to the hip) and has to learn to deal with being disabled. It chronicles his life's ups and downs and has a lot of my own exeriences in it although it's not 'my story' directly. I have written a memoir about my own experiences since the accident that I barely survived in 1987. And I also have children's stories I am working on trying to sell, with an autistic character who is based loosely on my own autistic son. :)

So eventually something will sell, I just have to keep on sending out queries (what they call the letters you write offering your work to agents and publishers) and never give up on it and it will happen for me. :)

[Bryanna]

How very interesting. You are a strong willed woman to have endured such a life altering experience. I imagine that each day brings on a new set of challenges for you. Your book about the young man will be inspirational to many, I'm sure!

I've worked with a few autistic chidren while they received dental care. Just when you think it's going ok, they decide it's not ~'.'~. I also know of an integrative physician and a nurse practitioner (two separate entities) that do a great deal with autisitc children. Both of them are of the belief that amongst other things, heavy metal toxicity like mercury poisioning can be a big contributing factor in autism. Have you heard of this before?

I have a friend who wrote a book entitled, The Roots of Disease, Connecting Medicine and Dentistry. He self published his book through Xlibris Corporation. Have you ever considered doing something like that?

Bryanna

[Pamster]

Thank you for saying what you said about me, that made my day today, really it did! :D It definitely is never boring around my place-LOL! ;) In fact just today we had to take Jackie for his 6 month cleaning and they gave him Visterol to help him relax and let them work through the cleaning. We've been very lucky he's only had one cavaty and that he lets us floss his teeth for him.

I have heard the theory about mercury and autism before from the mercury in tunafish the mother ingested to vaccinations and I wish we could have explored it deeper but we didn't have the resources to do chelation since insurance would not cover it. :p

I have heard of Xlibris before but I haven't seen that book, it sounds really interesting though. I wonder if my library can locate a copy to lend to me. it never ceases to amaze me how much you can find at the local library. :) But I haven't yet considered going the self publishing route because I want to try the old fashioned way first and then see about it if I don't manage to get my work picked up by an agent or by a publisher soon. :)

[Bryanna]

Pamster,

The Integrative physician that I mentioned who does alot of work with autistic children, wrote an interesting article and posted it to his website. To locate the article on his website you can go to:

http://www.stocktonfp.com/articles.php

Scroll down the list of educational materials to the one entitled: "Autism is Curable"

I hope you find it informational!

Bryanna

[Pamster]

Thank you for the link to that article Bryanna, I think we are going to try to use the GF/CF diet for awhile during the summer and see how it goes. I have heard of chelation of kids with autism before but this was a great article. :)

Thanks again for sharing it with me. :D

[Bryanna]

Your very welcome!

I wish you well and much success on your book writing ventures!! Please keep us posted ~'.'~

Bryanna

[Pamster]

I will, most definitely I will. Thank you Bryanna! :D :D :D

[datdat]

i currently have a 10mm overbite, and i have been refereed to the orthodontist. i have been quoted at 1700 for a years treatment. The orthodontist said my case was complicated. i have thought about the idea of a having a bridge done. but i have to take out my two front teeth. i also have a nickel allergy. i am in two minds i do not know if i should get a bridge done or wear braces. could anybody who is a dentist help me with my decision please.


Thankyou

[Bryanna]

I am not a dentist. I am a dental assistant with 30 years of dental experience. It is always wise to seek a second and often a third orthodontic opinion prior to consenting to any treatment. There are many ways to correct your problem and every orthodontist specializes in what they are most comfortable doing. It is not realy possible for you to make an educated decision unless you are acquire some other options.

Sorry I cannot be of more help.

Bryanna

[Wiix]

I don't know if my experience with this topic will help or not. But 2 years ago I was going to get 4. I had the money and was just asking around people who had them and what their experiences were with the whole process. Well, after a few months of serious consideration I decided NOT to get them. I will list my reasons:

1. 2 teeth had to be already OUT and gums healed.

2. Many people said the pain was excruciating and pain meds didn't help.

3. Many people said they got infections directly in the implant site which made the pain even worse.

4. The oral surgeon wouldn't give sufficient pain meds.

5. A couple people said they had them removed they caused them so much pain.

I probably talked to a couple dozen people about this before I decided NOT to have them.

Plus the fact I could use the money for other things I needed more. So I guess the $25,000. was an issue in the end too. It wasn't covered by my insurance so I had to pay the entire thing myself.

[Pamster]

That is what I worry about, and having jaw bone deteroration of any kind. I might get partials made. Is that what you did? Thank you for posting that is what I was worried about, I don't know many people who might have them, only what I read about locally here which is few and far between. I don't think I would be able to afford them and will end up getting a partial made. It's probably about the best I can hope to get, I don't think I could get through the oral surgery involved, that pain is so intolerable. :(

Again Wiix, thank you for posting your point of reference about it as a consumer like me. Thinking about this procedure and wanting more information. :)

[Bryanna]

Hi Wiix,
Everyone's situation is different. But I must say that in all of my years in dentistry, I have not had any patient tell me they had excruciating pain after a dental implant was placed. Some patients don't even take any pain meds because all they experience is a slight discomfort. I have also never known any oral surgeon to hold back on prescribing adequate pain meds to their patients. I would encourage anyone who has had such an experience to inform their state dental board immediately as this is a violation of the bill of patient rights.

It is important to note that infection can happen anytime there is any dental work done. However, the infection rate for post operative placement of a dental implant is very, very rare.

Forgive me, but I'm finding it a tad hard to beleive that you actually spoke to a couple dozen people and that they all told you such horror stories. I also can't imagine what dentistry you were contemplating doing that involved only4 teeth at the cost of $25,000.

I hope that anyone reading your post will not base their decision on your personal fears and apprehensions regarding dental implants.

With respect,
Bryanna

[Pamster]

I was wondering about the cost too, I didn't th ink it was that expensive, about $1-2000 a tooth would make it under ten grand to get four teeth done. I am still undecided about whether or not to get implants, mainly because I don't have the money yet, but when I do I might seek out an reputable oral surgeon and get the run down on what my chances for a successful implantation would be since I have minimal bone loss at this point it might be something I could get done and really benefit from. :)

[Bryanna]

Hi Pamster,
Dental implants can be placed by oral surgeons, periodontists, implantologists or general dentists who are specially trained in this type of surgery. The cost range per implant is about $1200 to $1800. If any additional surgery is needed, such as bone grafting, etc., then there would be additonal fees for that. Implant crowns are in the same range as the implant.

It is necessary to have adequate bone to hold the implant in place. Since you have lost alot of your jawbone (according to your post), perhaps you are a candidate for a removable partial denture?

Bryanna

[citytom]

Here's a twist on this thread.
I had a titanium post put in my mouth a few years ago. No problems, and it looks great.
Recently I was diagnosed with ALS. There is basically no treatment and my symptoms are progressing too rapidly. I've been to some alternative treatmet practitioners who not only want to take out my amalgams, but also take out the post, stating that the titanium is causing toxicity in my body.
The amalgams have mercury in them, and there is a nugget of rationale to remove them. However, I have found nothing on titanium. However, the alternative dentist I am going to says that it has to go. So does a naturopath.

I'm not sure what I'll do at this point. I either do nothing and go downhill, or try something.....and take a shot in the dark. I don't know.

[Bryanna]

Hi citytom,
Actually, you have brought up a significant point that is <seldom> if ever discussed in conventional dentistry called <Electro> Galvanism. It is not always thoroughly discussed in non conventional dentistry either because it is a subject, just like mercury, that the ADA wishes NOT to recognize as a probable health concern. So dentists have to be very careful how they approach this subject with their patients because it's no fun to have the ADA creeping up your back.

Galvanism is a corrosive response that occurs anytime there are dissimilar metals mixed together, on top of, next to, or near each other. In the mouth, the response can be corrosive and similar to having battery static from one metal to another due to the saliva and vascularity of the mouth. It's common knowledge that this type of static near the brain cannot be healthy. Some of the controversy over Galvansim is similar to that of mercury in that, the ADA does not feel that the chronic vapors of mercury coming off of our fillings nor the constant battery static in our mouths from having dissimilar metals can have any long term negative effects on our health.

The average adult person in the US has many dissimilar metals in their dental fillings. Just to give you an idea. Amalgam fillings (they look silver when new and then turn dark gray/black) originally contained 50% mercury along with a mixture of cadmium/indium/palladium/lead. That mixture is still used today (perhaps illegally in some states) and another one has been introduced into the picture which contains 50% mercury along with silver/tin/copper/zinc. As you can see both types of amalgam mixtures contain dissimilar metals mixed together and none of these metals are considered biocompatible to the human body.

Along with these mercury/metal fillings, we have some crowns that are made of aluminum oxides/colbalt/barium/cadmium. Porcelain on metal crowns are generally made from ??% of gold/palladium/silver/copper/platinum. Full gold crowns or gold onlays are anywhere from 1-99 % gold and the rest is a mixture of other alloy metals like above. The more gold it has, the more expensive the lab fee. Dental offices generally try to keep their lab costs down, so unless a person specifically requests a high noble restoration or a biocompatible material to fabricate their crowns, the metal could be of varying quality to say the very least.

The bottom line ....... it is highly unlikely that the titanium implant itself has caused you to have ALS. However, the implant in combination with the other metals that you have in your mouth, could be a contributing factor to your ALS as it could have been the final break in your immune system.

I have lots of patients who are sick with various autoimmune diseases. Some do improve greatly once all of the metal is removed from their mouths and the proper chelation is done. Others, see minimal improvement and then others see temporary improvement. My personal opinion on this is...... the mixture of metals is not healthy for anyone. Removing them may or may not significantly improve your symptoms for long or short term. However, even if there is a remote chance that the proper removal of them along with thorough chelation prescribed especially for your situation could improve your long term qualtiy of life......... it may be an undertaking that you should consider doing before the ALS progresses any further.

Here is a very informative website that talks alot about the various metals used in dentistry.

http://tuberose.com/Biocompatible_Dental_Materials.html

Please keep in touch with us and let us know how you are doing.

Bryanna

[laraloo]

Hi,

dont be scared; I can assure you it is well worth having the implant done. The most traumatic part of the procedure for me was anticipating having the tooth extracted. I took valium (prescribed at my request) and sailed through it. Same with the actual implant 3 months later; valium made me relax and after that it was plain sailing.
The worst part of the whole experience was having to wear a dental plate for 6 months.
I have had the implant for a year now and it looks and feels great. Go ahead!

[Buttons]

I asked about implants a few years ago,however I made the mistake of first bringing up the issue of mercury! First dentist denied that mercury could possibly be causing me any health issues. So I called around & found dentist number 2. After the exam & discussion of doing the implants, I again brought up mercury. I wanted to be assured any dentist removing my fillings/teeth knew what he was doing! Once again I got that "look" and the adamant refusal that mercury could be causing any health issues.

I will research the electro galvanism,that might be enlightening.

And I just wanted to say that while I've done nothing about my teeth,my lifetime friend had the implants. It's been 9 mos now & she is very pleased. Her cost was about $15,000. Her insurance paid for most of the cost. She never experienced any horrific pain.

And for the person diagnosed with ALS (sorry I can't recall your name). I urge you to research Lyme disease! There are people that have gotten out of bed & wheelchairs after getting a proper diagnosis of Lyme. Just google ALS & Lyme disease for info. Good luck!

Buttons

[dflan]

I am not a dentist. I am a dental assistant with 30 years of dental experience. It is always wise to seek a second and often a third orthodontic opinion prior to consenting to any treatment. There are many ways to correct your problem and every orthodontist specializes in what they are most comfortable doing. It is not realy possible for you to make an educated decision unless you are acquire some other options.

Sorry I cannot be of more help.

Bryanna

Maybe you can give me some advice. I had 6 dental implants put in my upper jaw last June 2008 and 2 on my lower jaw. I had all teeth removed and the implants placed by a maxillifacial dentist. All is well with my implants - no complications. I thought it would be good to go with a removable denture since the fixed denture is so expensive. To this day, the removable denture is not completely in place. Had three sets made - not one is comfortable or looks nice - very gummy. I am considering a fixed denture now since I am so upset that I am embaress to talk to anyone. I would like to know if this is normal for a removalbe denture to have so much gum (my gums never showed before) and if I spend the money on a fixed denture - does any gum show at all. My maxillfacial dentist tells me it does? Any advice would be helpful. Thank you!

Diane

[Bryanna]

Hi Diane,

If I'm understanding you correctly, you have a removable denture on the top only? The lower implants have crowns or a bridge on them?

Dentures can be esthetically customized but there are some limitations. The esthetics pertaining to the length and size of the teeth... amount of gum on the denture..... the size and shape of the denture itself....all depends on the anatomical bone structure of the person. The balance between the size of the teeth and the size of the gum material needs to be in proportion not just for appearance but for practical functioning (chewing, spreaking) purposes as well.

If you have moderate bone loss then you would need more gum material on the denture to take up the space that use to be bone. This could cause you to have a more gummy smile than you did when you had your own teeth. In this scenerio prior to extractions your natural gum line showed less because it had receeded which makes the teeth appear longer. Frequently, the recession occurs over a long period of time and the patient is not even aware of the extent of it. Could that be possible in your case?

The fact that the denture is not "in place" is definitely not right. Irrelevant of the look of the denture, it should be seating properly on the implants and should be very functional.

Have you consulted with a Prosthodontist? These dentists specialize in the replacement of teeth. They are very focused on esthetics, sometimes moreso than a general dentist. They frequently get cases where the GD cannot please the patient with the fit and/or esthetics of the denture.

Let us know how things are going.....

Bryanna






Maybe you can give me some advice. I had 6 dental implants put in my upper jaw last June 2008 and 2 on my lower jaw. I had all teeth removed and the implants placed by a maxillifacial dentist. All is well with my implants - no complications. I thought it would be good to go with a removable denture since the fixed denture is so expensive. To this day, the removable denture is not completely in place. Had three sets made - not one is comfortable or looks nice - very gummy. I am considering a fixed denture now since I am so upset that I am embaress to talk to anyone. I would like to know if this is normal for a removalbe denture to have so much gum (my gums never showed before) and if I spend the money on a fixed denture - does any gum show at all. My maxillfacial dentist tells me it does? Any advice would be helpful. Thank you!

Diane