Am I Doing the Right Thing?

Question: I lost my wife several years ago and things are not the same. I don’t make decisions well without her. I tend to leave personal needs and attention to detail until the last hour and then only when circumstance, or pain of one kind or another, forces me into action. I haven’t cared for my teeth as I should and now I get pain all too frequently. I’ve got broken teeth, loose teeth, missing teeth, and abscesses or the like that keeps my gums swollen most of the time.

I was told I’ve got some good teeth too – I mean ones that aren’t rotten and held together with fillings, so I’m wondering what to do. A family member said get them yanked and get dentures, then your problems are over, no more pain, don’t have to worry about needles (I do have a needle phobia), no drills or smells or sterile clinics and wondering what’s coming next. His argument went on in a tirade and was sounding pretty good. As I thought about it, parents and grandparents came to mind. They hated their lower dentures and they did have to go back many times for fittings and relining so that seemed more of the same.

I’m sure there are pros and cons to any decision but the person I trust the most is gone. She always seemed to come up with the best answers. Anyway, I’ve heard about implants but they sound expensive and painful. That’s another thing, pain and expense, the two things that drive me crazy. So what is best – that’s the question my wife would have asked. I was and am always the penny pincher, so I need to know what the best thing is.

Answer: Dentures still serve some of the population of seniors, some have adapted and say that their dentures work for them, others find them difficult, and some say, “My dentures are in a drawer and I take them out only for social occasions.”

In the past twenty years, implants – especially for those whose teeth are ‘gone’ and need removing – have provided the most transformative, comfortable, attractive option and can be done comfortably in one seating. When I first heard of this procedure over sixteen years ago, I couldn’t believe it. It seemed to be contrary to what I knew, i.e. dental implants need time for the bone to heal tightly before a crown or denture was attached.

In an engineering principle called Cross Arch Stabilization, these implants act as one, allowing for increased, unified strength to support function immediately. In thirteen years of using this cross arch stabilization of implants, I’ve seen nothing like it. The bone stays intact around the implants better than in any other application.

In dozens upon dozens – several hundred restorations of this type, in fact – this has been the best result for teeth supported by implants I’ve seen. On top of that, one may go from unsightly non-functional teeth to beautiful, strong, functioning teeth in one dental appointment. Seeing it, doing it, has made me a real believer. If your teeth are unrestorable, yes, this is the right thing to do.

Cigarettes and Implants

Question:  I’ve smoked cigarettes since I was a teenager. It’s hard to quit because I enjoy smoking and perhaps it helps me cope with life too. The thought of quitting scares me and makes me want to find a place to hide.

However, I have a problem with my teeth. I saw a dentist and she said I needed an upper denture because my remaining upper teeth – my upper six front teeth, are quite loose – well the eyeteeth are ok but my four front teeth are loose. I had a partial made but that just makes me gag so I can’t wear it.

Since I lost my upper back teeth, I’m putting more pressure on my front teeth and they’re starting to move, so I’m quite bucked now. My bite is closed so my lower teeth are almost touching my gums. I saw another dentist and he said I didn’t have a good palate shape for a denture, so I’d need to see a dental surgeon who would cut my gums and push the bone up somehow, to give me a better palate for holding in a denture. That grossed me out and would that help the gag reflex?

Another dentist said he could put posts in after my front teeth were out, but he couldn’t see me for several months. I’m getting worried about this, so is there anything to be done. Getting posts seems like the way to go but I don’t know how that works.

Answer: When we visit with people who enjoy smoking, we must work very closely together when it comes to surgery. Placing posts, as you call them, means placing implants. Though some people get away with smoking through the healing of their implants, it can be a problem and contribute to unsuccessful or inadequate healing. Implants will last indefinitely if the conditions are right.

When healthy people (and that includes diabetics who are stabilized) receive implants, they are extremely well tolerated, heal relatively quickly and provide tremendous anchorage for crowns, bridges, partials, full dentures, etc.

In your case, if you can quit for four months, you can have implants. You need about three weeks before surgery and three months after surgery, to guarantee (95% guarantee rate) great bone integration of your implants. If you’ve got adequate bone around your existing upper front teeth, that will allow implant placement once the teeth are removed. At that same appointment, teeth will be attached, giving you a nice smile and the ability to chew your food.

We do this on a regular basis for people of all ages that find themselves in similar circumstances as yourself.