Has anyone had a dental implant, and if so, what was your experience? :)

[kjackson227]

I will probably have to get one in the very near future because I have a periodontal pocket that is a 14 or 15. Doesn't matter how much I clean, and the amount of supplements I take, I can never fully get rid of this periodontal disease. ARRRGHHHH!

[Deep13]

1. Everything went well until I got the bill.

At that point the pain really started.

Seriously, the surgery is no big deal. It takes months after the surgery to heal so the finished dental crown can be added, but other than that, it's pretty easy.

[kjackson227]

5. I'm going to have to use my FSA because (as usual), my dental...

insurance will not pay for it (procedure is considered cosmetic). Not sure how much it will cost, I've seen anywhere from $1200 to $1500 per tooth, but this isn't much more than a bridge. But, I don't think a bridge can be performed for only one tooth, right?

[Deep13]

14. The bridge affects more than one, but it can be used...

...to fix one missing tooth. I have a four-unit bridge that fills one gap and is supported by three neighboring teeth.

[dflprincess]

2. I've had periodontal problems

though as bad as mine is, no pockets that deep (though I had to have the treatment where the gums are cut and pushed up). I'm a born again flosser and I get my teeth cleaned 4 times a year. This has been going on for nearly 25 years.

What does your periodontist say about bone loss in that area? I have a some spots where the bone loss has been big enough an implant wouldn't be pratical. Also, ask about the infection risk it could be a bridge or a partial would be a safer bet.

[kjackson227]

7. Yep, I floss twice daily, brush twice a day, rinse twice a day...

use a dental tool, also. There's just this one deep pocket that doesn't have much bone. I had perio-lase surgery done about two years ago, but because of illness in the family, I didn't go back for my six month check up. I've been fighting mine for about 15-20.

My bone loss in that area is pretty bad. I also got a bone graph the same time as the perio-lase, but it didn't take. I haven't been to my new periodontist yet, so I don't know if the bone loss is too much for the implant. Couldn't they do another bone graph? Do implants carry a high risk of infection? :scared:

[dflprincess]

16. I don't know how big the chance of infection is

my mother's friend did get on with her implant but she didn't have perio problems and it was more of a pain in the neck than a seriouse medical problem. She did say she wouldn't do an implant again. I think she really wanted the thing capped sooner than it so some of it was vanity (and I can't blame her for that) she also thought it was pain in the neck to clean around.

It could be it's minimal and I'm sorry I alarmed you - but it probably is a question to ask.

I haven't had bone grafts or the laser surgery and, of course there's no DDS after my name, so I don't have a clue if what's going on with bone grafts. They haven't suggested one for me (yet). My major work was done back in the dark ages when the gum surgery was done with hand tools and I've had some more intense root plainning done once in a while but I've been able to control it with good habits. I've also been lucky and able to afford the maintenance visits - there are just some spots only the hygenist can get to and those are the ones apt to cause problems.

[grilled onions]

3. I paid before hand...

got a small discount. The number of visits drove me wild. Every so often another ONE MINUTE check up. The procedure itself was no problem. The implant has to be treated a little better then caps--no metal instruments(other dentists should be told before they work on your teeth) and it is an implant so some tests may be affected. I did ok with an MRI though!

[kjackson227]

8. MRI?????

:scared: Did you have to do a full-body MRI???

[grilled onions]

20. My entire spine!

And they do ask ahead of time if you have any implants. I was actually hoping they would turn me down. I dislike the MRI confinement. The first was a head MRI(with that damn head frame). It's very difficult to focus. I would rather have another implant--as long as someone else pays for it.

[JuniperLea]

4. My boss has one...

And loves it. He had a bridge and it was creating some problems... including the loss of another tooth.

My dad is making this decision right now... I'll be curious to see more comments!

[kjackson227]

10. My sister has dentures, and she doesn't like them AT ALL...

which is why I'm opting for the implant. Granted, my sister does have full mouth dentures. She said that she doesn't enjoy eating as much anymore, and she said food doesn't taste the same.

[old mark]

6. II had 2, both of my incisors...note the past tense. Both were the

"crown on post" type, supposed to be permanent. Both broke off at different times-one while eating French bread, the other while eating something else - don't recall what, but nothing extroardinary.
They were installed over a year apart by different dentists, cost several thousand dollars.
I now have a partial denture that fills the holes so I don't look like a jack-o-lantern...at least not quite so much...
This was years ago, and the methods may have improved....


mark

[kjackson227]

9. I didn't know there were more than one type. I thought all...

were crown on posts.

[Loki]

11. Depends on quite a few factors....

where the tooth is, what kind of bone loss you have around that tooth, the height, width and density of bone, upper teeth you have your upper sinus to consider and with lower teeth you have a nerve that runs the length of your jaw. If you don't have enough bone, you probably won't be able to have a dental implant. The real qualifier would be a dental iCat which is a specialized ct scan that looks at both the upper and lower jaw. Find a good oral surgeon or a periodontist and they will give you the advice you need.

[kjackson227]

12. Okay, thanks :)

[petersjo02]

13. My husband has had several

They work just fine.

[elfin]

15. I need one to replace an old root canal and its crown that failed after 20 years

Held off as long as I could due to Fosamax concerns about jaw problems.

Have MetLife Dental, which has served me well - has covered way over my premiums, but I know this will set me back.

Have to choose between implant or bridge by this Fall, when I will be off Fosamax for over 6 months.

All the docs think I am batty to worry about this, but know at least 4 women with jaw problems after being on that drug over 5 plus years.

Am hearing many problems with implants and thank you for this post, so I can get even more info before my decision.

[dflprincess]

17. I'm on Fosamax as well (generic name alendornate)

and my dentist checked it out for me.

He says the current literature indicates it's more of problem with that yearly injection drug for bone loss and maybe for women who have had or are going through chemo. Though he says he'll keep me posted about it as he has several patients who have asked about it.

Let me know what your DDS is saying.

Though, as much as I'd hate to lose my teeth, my mother has had way more problems because of osteoporosis and I think I'll opt for protecting my bones.

[Demoiselle]

18. I have a few.

Expensive but very good solution for my problems.

[leftyladyfrommo]

19. I have two implants. Cost $2200 at the dental school.

Would have been almost $8,000 at a regular dentist. They run about $3700 a piece here.

The initial operation to take out my existing damaged tooth and put in the implants was awful. Not because it hurt because I was medicated but because it just took so long to get it all done. The firwt 24 hours I was on Vicodin. After that it wasn't bad at all.

[kjackson227]

21. Wow, I'm sorry that the operation took so long for you...

How was the tooth damaged? Had it broken off or chipped? Did you have a deep pocket in that area, also? Sorry for all the questions, I'm just curious.

My appointment with my new periodontist is July 16. I'll let everyone know my diagnosis.

Thanks for all the responses. I'll have a lot of questions to ask when I go in to see him.

[leftyladyfrommo]

22. I had a tooth that was dying from the inside out.

The tooth was almost hollow on the inside and had gotten very fragile. The condition is pretty rare and is usually the result of injury to the tooth at some time in your life. It takes years for the condition to manifest itself.

They had to remove the tooth in pieces. Then they had to remove the bridge I had there. Then they had to put the implants into the bone - did both at the same time. It was a major production. But there was no way to do a bridge as it was right where the mouth curves around. Since it was right at the front of my mouth and I really didn't want to go thru the rest of my life with a huge gap where my teeth were gone I had to have implants.

I have been really happy with the results. My implants look just like the rest of my teeth in the front. I have had to have a whole lot of dental work done. I was missing teeth and all of my other teeth had shifted and looked terrible. Now they are all straight and even and I don't worry about having to show awful, uneven teeth and gaps when I smile. They really look nice.