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.