I want to Eat, Speak, and Smile… In That Order

Q: I’m in my sixties. I have all but two of my teeth. The two I’ve lost are in the back and don’t bother. I can manage. It’s my front upper teeth and the side back teeth I can’t stand. I’ve had decay and cavities from a child. As I grew older, my fillings got bigger and rougher – yes rougher. I can’t floss without tearing the floss and having it get stuck. It’s such a pain! Now the teeth are mostly fillings and every colour under the sun – mostly grey with dark brown accents. I saw a dentist and he said my roots are good and the bone is good. He said he could crown them and they’d look good and I could eat and clean them no problem. Then I asked him what about decay. Could he guarantee I wouldn’t get decay around the crown edges? He said he thought if I cleaned really well and flossed it would all work out. The problem is that he’s not me. I’ve thought a thousand times after seeing the dentist and getting new fillings that I’d be ok. But then six months went by and more cavities. I’m worn out trying to muster hope and I’m finished with these teeth so what do I do? I don’t want dentures, I want teeth that I can eat with, speak with, and laugh out loud without holding my hand over my mouth. What about it? Can I get something like that done? I read about implants – tell me more.

A: Implants are great and the record of well-placed, well-cared for teeth on implants is a proven long-term gold standard. You must realize, however, that implants are the last resort to replacing one’s own teeth. If you have good bone support around good roots, crowning your own teeth may well be the best solution if you have normal quantities and quality of saliva. Dry mouth can lead to decay even around well-placed fillings or crowns. If you’ve exhausted the reasons for keeping your teeth and it is not a solution for you, then implants may be your best choice. When decay has destroyed the crown portion of all or most of your teeth, reconstruction of each tooth involves root canaling and well-placed foundation material so that the remaining tooth and root is strong enough to support a crown. This, of course, increases your cost. So, if you’ve decided that implant supported teeth is the course you’ve chosen, careful extraction of all these teeth is performed. Implants are placed and the teeth fixed to them can provide a very desirable result. New technology allows us to do this in about four hours while you are in a safe and easy twilight sleep.

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

Four Hours – That’s All!

Q: I’ve had a very enjoyable and intense business life. I’ve had forty years of challenge, growth, and fulfilment. In those years we’ve raised a family and were close to those in our community and schools as our kids went through their years of education.

During that time, I thought little of myself and health care. There just wasn’t time. When my teeth needed attention, I did what was recommended, giving it little thought.

At this point, I have a number of missing teeth in my upper and a front bridge that has decay so it’s becoming loose. That given, I must do something but what, I don’t know. The bridge has bad anchor teeth, two on one side and one on the other with three replacement teeth. (It’s a three-tooth span fixed bridge with two teeth on one side and one on the other.)

It’s my front teeth so what I need is a replacement that can be done in such a way that when the bridge comes off it can be either fit back in or something fitted to replace it. I don’t have but two good back teeth, one on each side, so my chewing is limited.

I was told I could get a denture, but I’d have to have the teeth all pulled, then wait for three months before it’s put in. First, I don’t want a denture and who waits for three months with no teeth? I need something better and faster, preferably something same day. Thanks.

A: Yours is an interesting situation. It is probable that lifestyle has kept you away from the dental hygienist on a regular basis. I say this because losing teeth to decay does not have to happen to almost anyone anymore. Frequent dental check-ups make dental decay a thing of the past in a best-case scenario and small fillings and prevention of decay as a worst-case scenario.

Why bring this up – because there is a very good solution to your dilemma with a small caveat I’ll mention later. Your decayed teeth and failing bridge can be removed and new teeth installed on implants in about four hours while you are in a restful twilight “sleep”.

The treatment called “teeth in a day” has a twenty-year plus track record (twelve in our office) and a success rate that is extremely high. It is an excellent solution that allows normal eating, speaking, and smiling immediately.

Now the caveat, if you decide to undergo this “teeth in a day” treatment, think of adding regular visits to the hygienist because, while implants won’t decay, the gum health around the implants teeth will benefit greatly, to say nothing of the benefit to your lower natural teeth.

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