serious post. what is a tooth implant like?

[vash]

how is it living with a fake tooth?

you have to constantly waterpik underneath to keep that implant clean and healthy? does food particles get stuck under that implant?

can you bear down on it like real teeth? crunchy nachos not a problem?

just wondering. thanks.

[cantdrv55]

Stronger than real teeth and easier to keep clean at gum line. The process is lengthy though and ain’t cheap. I don’t know about those 24 hr implant jobs that you see on tv.

[sammyg2]

If you are talking about one with a post, I have one. The toof right next to the front one.
It got broken off in a fight and fixed with a post back in the 80's, don't even notice it.

[porsche930dude]

my mom lost her front teeth in a motorcycle accident she has a bridge across. Never has a problem with them but they did replace it once after it was 25 years old or so. I dont recall why.

[Purrybonker]

Better than "natural" teeth in my experience.

I've got about 7 or 8 implants and have less trouble in many ways or sensitivity (obviously) than my natural teeth.

Expensive as heck, but I've developed long-standing friendships with dentists as a side effect of helping to fund their own Porsche purchases.

[asphaltgambler]

The best but most expensive solution in the long haul as long as the doc's involved are good at what they do. My wife is a surgical assistant for the largest practice in Northern Va. and they are the best but people routinely take out 2nd mortgages to pay for any work that involves 4 or more teeth.

Your oral health is primary along with proper alignment and bite. It's a very good investment.

[wdfifteen]

I have no direct experience, but MrsWD had three done in her lower right jaw. Kind of fuzzy on the details, but her dentist and an oral surgeon were involved. Oral surgeon screws the helicoils into her jaw and the dentist takes it from there. According to her dentist and the second opinon of another dentist, the surgeon messed up one of the screw-in things that go into her jaw and she had to have it taken out and redone. The first trip was traumatic. The redo was a piece of cake. He gave her some tall drugs - free of charge. Make sure your guys know what they're doing.

Picture of the helicoils in her jaw. (I know there is a better term than "helicoil" but that's pretty much what they are).

Nickshu says it looks like good job. Maybe PM him for better info.

[Steve Carlton]

[Bugsinrugs]

I have three. The only issue I have is the amount of food that gets stuck between them. Not under but between. Expensive but the way to go. I need three more so I’m saving my pennies.

[sc_rufctr]

I have three also. Two upper and one lower. I got them done about 6 years ago... No issues but it was a drawn out process. (9 months total for all three)

[Iciclehead]

I have 6 of them, am lining up the 7th and I would say they are better than stock teeth. I have a full mouth reconstruction so every tooth in my mouth is a crown/root canal/implant

Only issue is that you need to wait about 6 months after tooth extraction for the bone to grow around the implant before it becomes solid...after that, your jaw will come apart before the implant does.

And oh yeah, not cheap

Dennis

[vash]

Thanks. I lost one molar. It was destined to go. The roots were really shallow and coned inwards, nit splayed out like normal.

I have the bone graft in, and I think it took. My follow up visit was coved-cancelled. I didn’t lose much bone grains. I think it took.

Cost? Yes. I’m doubled insured so it hasn’t been that bad yet. Thanks. Kinda nervous about it all. And I feel like I failed my tooth. My remaining ones are solid and I keep it all spotless.

Thanks fir input.

[Chocaholic]

For reference, I was in a similar situation. Had to have a lower molar extracted a few years ago and had the graft put in for an implant. Then over the next several months...got used to it. It’s not visible and has been no issue.

So before cracking open the piggy bank, consider living with it for a while. Assuming it’s not visible you may want to bag the whole exercise. The periodontist can make his own damned Bentley payment.

[RNajarian]

Originally Posted by vash

how is it living with a fake tooth?

you have to constantly waterpik underneath to keep that implant clean and healthy? does food particles get stuck under that implant?

can you bear down on it like real teeth? crunchy nachos not a problem?

just wondering. thanks.

I’ve restored quite a number of implant crowns. . .
First of all pick the right qualified Doctor.

Cantdrv55 Is 100% right, Stay away from those “Implants In One Day” places and quite frankly if the doctor brags that he teaches implants ask “Where?”

A lot of for profit dental education organizations host weekend seminars in Las Vegas, Hawaii, -Insert Exotic City Here, for $5,000-$15,000 a weekend to teach general dentists how to PLACE (Not restore) the implant fixture.

Personally I would only go with a board certified specialist (Oral Surgeon, Periodontist) to place the implant fixture, and EXTREMELY IMPORTANT . . .

ask what implant system they are using. Nobel Biocare and Straubmann are two leaders in the industry for the implant “hardware.”

These “Implants in a Day “ places get their hardware from China. Occasionally you need to replace an implant screw, good luck getting a replacement part from these lesser known implant companies. If you are unable to find the correct replacement screw for the abutment and fixture then you may have a problem. Usually the old implant needs to be surgically removed and a new implant (usually Nobel or Straubmann) placed.

Let me be clear, general Dentists are capable of placing the implant fixture. However, if it were ME getting the implant, I would go to a trained specialist who does dozens of implant surgeries a month.

To Summarize:
Specialist to place abutment (they place 10 -20 implants a week vs. a general dentist who will place maybe 5 a month.

Only Name brand Implant parts

Learn how to properly maintain your hygiene around the implant to maintain the periodontium. You don’t want food remaining behind potentially irritating the gums.

Implants placed by a specialist here in Los Angeles can run $4,000 - $5,000 per unit (tooth)

Once fully osseointegrated, you should have a solid chewing surface.

Good Luck

[RNajarian]

Here is a pretty good explanation of all the Required parts.

[rusnak]

Dad has been doing that type of tooth replacement for the last 20 years, ever since the 2nd gen titanium posts were invented, along with freeze dried bone and Gore-Tex membrane. He has taught other dentists how to do it properly and has a cone-beam x-ray. Cool tech.

[Alan A]

How much bone loss can they deal with before reconstructive surgery ahead of time is required?
Meaning having had loss many years ago and the gum line has shrunk away.

[RNajarian]

Originally Posted by Alan A

How much bone loss can they deal with before reconstructive surgery ahead of time is required?
Meaning having had loss many years ago and the gum line has shrunk away.

The process has continuously improved . . . Implant candidates that were rejected 20 years ago can be treated today with some of the newer techniques..

Obviously the more bone the better, but some of the new implant designs help get around those limitations

[vash]

Originally Posted by RNajarian

I’ve restored quite a number of implant crowns. . .
First of all pick the right qualified Doctor.

Cantdrv55 Is 100% right, Stay away from those “Implants In One Day” places and quite frankly if the doctor brags that he teaches implants ask “Where?”

A lot of for profit dental education organizations host weekend seminars in Las Vegas, Hawaii, -Insert Exotic City Here, for $5,000-$15,000 a weekend to teach general dentists how to PLACE (Not restore) the implant fixture.

Personally I would only go with a board certified specialist (Oral Surgeon, Periodontist) to place the implant fixture, and EXTREMELY IMPORTANT . . .

ask what implant system they are using. Nobel Biocare and Straubmann are two leaders in the industry for the implant “hardware.”

These “Implants in a Day “ places get their hardware from China. Occasionally you need to replace an implant screw, good luck getting a replacement part from these lesser known implant companies. If you are unable to find the correct replacement screw for the abutment and fixture then you may have a problem. Usually the old implant needs to be surgically removed and a new implant (usually Nobel or Straubmann) placed.

Let me be clear, general Dentists are capable of placing the implant fixture. However, if it were ME getting the implant, I would go to a trained specialist who does dozens of implant surgeries a month.

To Summarize:
Specialist to place abutment (they place 10 -20 implants a week vs. a general dentist who will place maybe 5 a month.

Only Name brand Implant parts

Learn how to properly maintain your hygiene around the implant to maintain the periodontium. You don’t want food remaining behind potentially irritating the gums.

Implants placed by a specialist here in Los Angeles can run $4,000 - $5,000 per unit (tooth)

Once fully osseointegrated, you should have a solid chewing surface.

Good Luck

Thanks. I’ll ask about the implant manufacturer.

I’m going to the best guy in my old home town. The specialist is doing the fixture. He did the bone grating. The extraction was amazing, plus all the bone bits and whatever gel -stitch thing they used. Up till now, all cakewalk.

It was messing with my speech for about a month, but I adjusted.

Funny, I was just going in for a consultation after my dentist referred me there. He looked and said, “hey, let’s extract that tooth now!

Afterwards, I mumbled “I just came here to talk”. And we laughed!

[A930Rocket]

I have one or two (plus three with a root canal). No problem pulling the tooth, installing the post and waiting for it to heal enough to cap off. The waiting was the hard part. I didn’t like the temporary bridge they made and didn’t wear it much. Looked like some reneck goober with a front tooth missing.