A Decision Gone Bad

Question: Dr. Crapo: About ten years ago I had dentures made and I hated them because the lower wouldn’t stay put and I couldn’t taste like I did before. Because I couldn’t control my bottom plate I asked for implants but I couldn’t afford much, so I had two implants put in to hold my lower. That was much better but then I discovered that the lower would lift from the back so it was like a pump handle going up and down. I didn’t know what to do but had to live with it until I could come up with a better solution. After six or seven years, I decided to take matters into my own hands, so when I was in another country I investigated implant dentures. Even though the prices appear cheaper, I found they wanted US dollars and with the conversion it was the same as back home, so I opted for a bunch of mini implants to convert my upper denture to a palateless type denture and a bunch more mini implants to hold down my lower denture. Well that option was cheaper but boy now that I’m home my gums hurt badly and the teeth don’t want to go down on the implants, plus there’s one implant that really hurts. To top that off the teeth they gave me are so white they look fake. Can I undo this? I feel foolish for my decision. Can I get these implants out and get the bigger ones in? I’m really in a lot of pain.

Answer: Let’s take one thing at a time. When you go on a holiday and have dental work, it is wise to stay long enough to get the bugs worked out so to speak, before returning home. Your pain may be high spots that once relieved can make the teeth quite wearable. Work with your dentist and show him where it hurts so that he can relieve the spot that is exerting too much pressure.

Secondly, your teeth will have to be replaced. This may be an expense you didn’t count on but if you won’t smile because your teeth are too bright, they’ll have to be changed. Two or three appointments may do this job. Sometimes there are fitting challenges when new teeth are placed but it’s doable.

If we can help, we’d like to. Call 778-410-2080 for a consultation or visit us today.

Based on actual patient cases

© Calvin Ross Crapo

Victoria Implant Centre 778-410-2080

www.VictoriaImplantCentre.com

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Let's Blow This Joint - Not!

Q: Dr. Crapo: I am writing because I’m in pain, I don’t know where to turn and I’m frightened about my future. I’m middle aged, in what I thought was good health, but the last three months my bite has completely changed. I can no longer get my front teeth together. When I bite, I hit on my back two teeth – nothing else. I knew my bite was not perfect, but all of a sudden, I couldn’t bite things off with my front teeth.

Then I noticed a space that got wider between my front teeth every day. I went to my dentist and he said he wasn’t sure what was happening so he sent me to a specialist who took special x-rays of my jaw joint – TM Joint he called it and he said the joint looked healthy but that I’d have to have surgery to get my teeth back together. I saw an oral surgeon and he described a surgery where my jaws are broken so that the teeth could be brought back together. I saw another specialist who said the joint had some problems and the disc had slipped out of place and it should be determined if the joint was diseased before anything was done. I’m sure this must sound like nonsense and it doesn’t make sense to me. I’ve got a thousand questions because I seem to be getting answers, but I can’t put them together. I don’t know if you can help but please weigh in if you can.

A: Historically the TM Joint (temporomandibular joint) has been given low priority in most dental programs, whether for general dentists or specialist dentists. When a middle-aged individual experiences your problem, there is almost always a history of trauma – a fall, a car accident, a sports injury, an assault etc. After the swelling has gone down (because swelling in the joint structure can open the bite – but it’s usually the posterior teeth) there may be a progressive opening of the front teeth as you’ve reported. When the bite opens so there’s a space visible between the front teeth, it’s sure to be a disc displacement between the ball and socket of the TM Joints. My research study says it is the joint that must be dealt with. There are only a few oral surgeons in North America that provide a service that will correct the bite and rehabilitate the joint. It’s expensive treatment but the very best treatment because it deals with the true problem. Breaking jaws and moving them into functional positions still leaves the joint in an unstable relationship and future bite problems will occur. Though I do not perform this service, I am acquainted with the foremost authority and surgeon for this problem.

If we can help, we’d like to. Call 778-410-2080 for a consultation or visit us today.

Based on actual patient cases

© Calvin Ross Crapo

Victoria Implant Centre 778-410-2080

www.VictoriaImplantCentre.com