Tag Archives: Dental Implants

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Is it necessary for my son to get all of his teeth pulled?

My son is 23 years old. He is a drug addict who is in recovery, and his teeth are completely ruined. The dentist at the clinic says he should just have all of them pulled and replace them with dentures.

Right now, I recognize that this is the only avenue open to us. The teeth have to come out. He is only able to chew with a couple of teeth towards the front of his mouth.

My question is whether or not all of this can be done in one visit. It seems like a lot–he has 26 teeth that need to come out. Would they be able to fit dentures when they’ve just removed all those teeth? It doesn’t seem like they could do that until after his gums heal

Any advice you can offer would be appreciated. This has been a long, hard road.

Serena in Overton

Dear Serena,

This treatment plan is too extreme. It may seem like the easiest solution to the dentist, but it means a lifetime of dental trouble for your son. He is much too young to have all of his teeth removed.

As soon as all his teeth are removed, your son’s jawbones will start to shrink. When a tooth is lost, the body reabsorbs the bone of the jaw at the location of the missing tooth. When ALL the teeth are removed, eventually that person will experience “facial collapse”. You have probably seen pictures of people whose faces look as if they have collapsed inward. This happens when the jawbones deteriorate to the point that the patient cannot wear any kind of denture at all.

If he is in his early 20s now, this could happen by the time he is 40. He will be unable to eat normal foods, and at that point the repairs are much more complicated and expensive.

If at all possible, the goal should be to retain as many of his natural teeth as possible. They may not be in perfect condition, but every tooth that can be saved represents a more stable jawbone. Those remaining teeth could be used to anchor partial dentures or dental bridges.

If in fact none of his teeth can be saved, dental implants will work just like natural teeth to preserve the structure of his jawbone. The least expensive option would be mini-dental implants, where two implants per arch are placed and used to anchor dentures. Having ALL the extractions done in one sitting is too much. The amount of Novocain required to numb the upper jaw for a full set of extractions is significant, and poses a correspondingly significant risk.

It is time to get a second opinion. We recommend looking for a dentist that really makes you feel like he cares about your son, and your situation. Your son is on the road to recovery, and needs compassion to get the care he needs.

This blog is posted courtesy of Lafayette Louisiana cosmetic dentist Dr. Mike Malone.

Porcelain Veneers

Traumatic mouth injury treatment

About a month ago, I took a nasty shot to the mouth during a hockey game without my mouth guard in place. Five weeks later, all of my front teeth on the top and bottom are turning black. I also feel like there is something sticking out where it shouldn’t be, like maybe the root of a tooth? It is between my lip and gum, way up by my nose, just to the right of center. I don’t even know enough about dental structures to try and guess what it might be, beyond the broken off root of a tooth.

Clearly I need to get this treated, but should I start with a doctor or a dentist? What kind of treatment do you think they will suggest? I’ve been Googling, and it looks like maybe porcelain veneers, or dental implants if I am going to lose the teeth. Any way you can give me a ball park on how much this might cost? I have dental coverage, but it isn’t that great.

Thanks for your help with this.

Josh from Houston

Dear Josh,

It sounds like the nerve tissue inside the affected teeth has been killed by the trauma. If that does turn out to be the case, the usual treatment would be root canal treatment. In regards to the darkening, there is a way to bleach those teeth from the inside after the root canal treatment, but not all dentists are aware of this procedure. If they cannot be satisfactorily bleached, porcelain veneers or porcelain crowns would be options, though you may want to reconsider hockey if you make that kind of investment in your smile.

You could also have cracked the roots of some or all of the affected teeth. In that scenario, those teeth could likely not be saved, and you would have to have them extracted and replaced, preferably with dental implants.

The protrusion up near your nose definitely needs to be looked at. You don’t mention that any of your teeth were displaced, so I am assuming that it is not a tooth that was driven out of place. All of this care should be done under the care of a highly skilled cosmetic dentist.

We can only offer the most general information about costs, but generally speaking root canals on front teeth would cost a few hundred dollars for each tooth. If veneers or crowns are necessary, figure on $1000 to $2000 per tooth. Dental implant costs usually exceed that per tooth.

This blog provided courtesy of Lafayette Louisiana cosemtic dentist Dr. Malone’s practice.

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Is Clear Choice a good place to go for dental implants?

I was planning on attending a presentation being held at the local senior center about Clear Choice, but I heard they have had a lot of consumer complaints. I am retired, and on a very tight budget. I do not want to even waste my time going to the presentation if this company is not on the up and up. Can you give me any insight as to whether or not Clear Choice is ethical?

Thanks for your time.

Russel in Cripple Creek

Dear Russel,

We cannot empirically state that all Clear Choice dental implant centers are unethical, though many of what seem to be standard practices for them are highly questionable. Every center is obviously different, with different staff members, and different strengths and weaknesses. The stories that are emerging from people who have had evaluations or attended seminars seem to indicate that salesmanship and marketing are heavily emphasized within the entire Clear Choice organization, and those two priorities make the risk of poor dental health care choices very high. We are especially concerned with the consistent reports of treatment plans that recommend that ALL teeth be removed as part of the treatment. This is almost NEVER a good idea. If you do get a treatment plan from a Clear Choice facility, I would strongly recommend getting a second opinion.

Our best advice to you would be to find a dentist in your area who has experience, training, and credentials in dental implantdentistry. Look for a general dentist or prosthodontist that has several years of experience. A fellowship or membership in the International College of Oral Implantologists or the American Academy of Implant Dentistry is also a good sign. This Detroit cosmetic dentist has impeccable credentials – this will give you some idea of what to look for in a dentist in your area.

 

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How long can I wait to get a dental implant?

One of my molars has decayed below my gumline, and both my regular dentist and a specialist I saw said it has to be removed and replaced with a dental implant. I don’t have insurance and want to spread the cost of the two procedures out as much as I can. How long can I wait to get the dental implant after I have the molar removed?

Theodore in Grand Falls

Dear Theodore –

A few things will affect the timing of your dental implant after your molar is fully extracted. First, you must wait for the infection in the socket to heal. As soon as possible after the infection has cleared, you should have the root form placed. I know you wished to take more time, but I would advise you to keep the delay to a minimum. Here’s why.

After just a few weeks, the teeth surrounding the site of a lost tooth will begin to “tip” into the space, and the corresponding tooth in the opposite jaw (the opposing tooth) will begin trying to grow into the space. All of these are natural movements. Our teeth will naturally shift to touch their neighbors, and meet the teeth in the opposite jaw. If left too long, the shifting of teeth due to the missing tooth can cause headaches and TMJ pain, and can be very costly to repair.

The root form of the implant also needs several weeks to heal and to integrate into the bone of your jaw, so your dentist will need to fit you with a temporary tooth to help hold the space. A dental flipper, which is a simple resin tooth mounted on an acrylic plate, would be effective.

Your dentist may be able to work out financial arrangements with you to make your very necessary dental care more affordable. Good luck!

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Will dental insurance cover dental implants?

I am currently wearing full upper dentures, and I hate them. Nothing my dentist tries with them seems to work, and he has now suggested that I go to dental implants. I can not afford to do that on my own. Is there any kind of dental insurance plan out there that would help me cover some of the cost of dental implants? Thanks for your help with this.

Eliana from Miami

Dear Eliana,

You’re in a difficult position, and you’ve highlighted a little known issue that occurs when people have all their teeth removed. What many people don’t know is that when you lose a tooth, your body reabsorbs the bone at the site of the missing tooth. If you’ve lost ALL your teeth—whether through extraction or decay—your entire jawbone begins to shrink. After 20 years or so, you will be unable to wear any kind of denture at all. Restoring your oral health at that point becomes a lot more complicated, and will probably require bone grafts in addition to dental implants. Dental implants help halt the bone loss that makes your jaw bone shrink, and can serve as anchors for your dentures if you have no alternative but to have them extracted.

Sadly, no private dental insurance plan I am aware of will pay for dental implants.

To understand this, you have to think about it from the perspective of the dental insurance company. They wouldn’t stay in business long if they sold you a plan and then immediately paid out for coverage that dramatically exceeds the cost of that plan. They are a business, and businesses need to make money.

Dental insurance through an employer makes more sense to most people. Essentially, your employer is using pre-tax dollars to pay for the cost of employees’ dental care (along with a small profit for the insurance company) as a benefit of employment. Dental implants are almost never covered through an employer’s dental plan, either. They pay for the least expensive treatment, which is a denture rather than implants. If you require any kind of extensive dental work, the typical annual maximum of $500-$1,000 doesn’t usually go very far.

Talk to your dentist about financing your care. He may be willing to help you figure out a financial plan that will suit both of you to see you get the care you need. Good luck!