Enough Is Enough
Q: I'm a forty-five year old man who has come to a
crossroads as far as my teeth are concerned. Two weeks ago I had a
toothache that lasted for two days. Then I started having toothaches
throughout my mouth. When I saw the dentist he found a lot of decay.
He said that the bone strength around each tooth was good but
because my teeth were crooked I was prone to decay. He suggested
that I get my teeth fixed (I need several root canals and a bunch of
fillings) and then have my teeth straightened so that I could clean them
better. Do people get braces at 45? I should explain that I'm a cook and
I don't take good care of my teeth. I finish late at night and I'm very tired
when I fall into bed six nights out of seven. I don't know what to do. I
feel like I might be throwing good money after bad.
A: Last August I saw a gentleman with some similar problems. He did
the cooking in the home and was a good provider. He made breakfast
and lunches and then cooked dinner at night. I was impressed! After
examining him I said to him that it looked like he was caring
wonderfully for everyone but himself. His teeth were crowded and
showed advanced decay. He had lost two molars and needed three
root canals and a dozen crowns – but even with that he needed
straight teeth so he could reach all the areas that needed cleaning to
prevent further decay.
At his consult he became very serious and said “If I fix my teeth it looks
like I've got at least a two year time frame – on top of that, you've
outlined that the wear on all my teeth will necessitate a whole remake
of my mouth after the braces. I just don't know if I can trust myself to go
through with it. It's not just the money, it's the time; I can see this
becoming a scheduling nightmare.”
He continued “you've also said that there's a six or seven month option
that has far fewer appointments, and provides a solution that
eliminates future decay as well as gives me teeth on day one. I also
know that it'll cost roughly the same as braces and a total remake of
my mouth. Why wouldn't I choose this second option?” “Well” I
countered, “you'll be extracting your natural teeth and replacing them
with implants – most people don't want to remove their teeth”. He said
“I've never been happy with my teeth and spending time and a large
amount of money on them is not going to happen.”
Yes 45 year olds do have their teeth straightened; this gentleman,
older than you, decided the implant route was the best for him.
If we can help, we’d like to. Call 778-410-2080 for a consultation.
Based on actual patient cases - Calvin Ross Crapo