Anyone had dental implants??

[scootch]

Can you fill me in... right now all i can see is a bunch of pain, headache, dr visits, stitches, for my entire summer???? If that is your experience, please let me know that too.... any advise appreciated? I have a bridge, so they are going to take that off... cap one tooth, and then do two implants.. ugghh!! I am glad I can afford it, but the thoughts of it have me majorly depressed

 

[swald91]

I've never had implants but I do have a bridge. I remember going through all the visits for that! I'm sure in the long run you will be happy with them-I don't know anyone who has them but if you have any pain I'm sure your dentist will give you something for pain. Good luck!

 

[RadioNate]

I'm interested in knowing your experiences. I have 2 bridges that need to be replaced. They are more than 15 years old!

My options are 2 new bridges or 2 implants and 4 crowns. The implant option is obviously the more expensive one. I've seen several dentists all say either option will do but I would have to replace the bridges at least once more.

I have the money for the bridges but the implant option would be a stretch. Insurance only covers up to 2k.

Vain as it is, I really just want what is going to look better!

 

[tayandjensmom]

Don't be depressed, its not that bad. At least thats what DH tells me. He just finished the implant process last week actually.

He had a crown implant. Started with the removal of the bad tooth. He had good bone growth, so didn't need a bone graft. Next appt, the oral surgeon drilled the actual hole through the gum, into the jaw bone. Had 2 stitches. When the stitches came out, they put a healing cap on the hole, its just a little cover. That needed to heal for a few weeks. Oral surgeon then taped in the titanium rod, that healed maybe 2 months. Back to the dentist, who did a crown impression. Last week the dentist put the crown in place and he's done. So the whole process started end of December, and finished on May 4th. Lots of waiting, while things heal.

To be honest, he had a little discomfort the night they drilled the hole and stitched him. He took 1 pain pill when he got home and another at bed, it was a tylenol 3. Woke up feeling just fine, a little swollen. I was shocked as was he. We both thought it would be a lot worse.

Good luck to you...I'm sure you will do just fine. Lisa

 

[scootch]

Thanks.. The dental implant is definitely the more permanant of the two. I wish 15 years ago they would have suggested it to me. I will be 45 next month and I can't see going thru another bridge now and then again when I am 60. I have a consult monday, so will let you know how it goes. Just trying to get some information before I head there so I am at least a bit informed.

 

[C.Ann]

There is someone on the CB whose DH does dental implants.. Hopefully that person will see this thread and respond..

Good luck!

 

[RadioNate]

Don't be depressed, its not that bad. At least thats what DH tells me. He just finished the implant process last week actually.

He had a crown implant. Started with the removal of the bad tooth. He had good bone growth, so didn't need a bone graft. Next appt, the oral surgeon drilled the actual hole through the gum, into the jaw bone. Had 2 stitches. When the stitches came out, they put a healing cap on the hole, its just a little cover. That needed to heal for a few weeks. Oral surgeon then taped in the titanium rod, that healed maybe 2 months. Back to the dentist, who did a crown impression. Last week the dentist put the crown in place and he's done. So the whole process started end of December, and finished on May 4th. Lots of waiting, while things heal.

To be honest, he had a little discomfort the night they drilled the hole and stitched him. He took 1 pain pill when he got home and another at bed, it was a tylenol 3. Woke up feeling just fine, a little swollen. I was shocked as was he. We both thought it would be a lot worse.

Good luck to you...I'm sure you will do just fine. Lisa

Ok - this scares me! I also don't want to be 6 months w/out my front teeth. Maybe that is why my current dentist is pushing for new bridges!

Thanks.. The dental implant is definitely the more permanant of the two. I wish 15 years ago they would have suggested it to me. I will be 45 next month and I can't see going thru another bridge now and then again when I am 60. I have a consult monday, so will let you know how it goes. Just trying to get some information before I head there so I am at least a bit informed.

I got my 1st bridges at 15! I'm 33 now. They have GOT to come out! I'm looking at 3-4 more sets in a life time. Maybe I'll do implants next time! They say I can get 15-20 years out of the new bridges.

 

[MrsToad]

I had an implant to fill a space where an adult tooth never appeared. During most of the "healing" time (several months), the area of the implant was flat - the post for the crown wasn't added until it was time to make the new crown. Is there any way they can re-glue your existing bridge in place while those many weeks of healing are happening, or would that not be possible?

 

[7165red]

Yes I had a implant completed this past March. I was fearful but it had to be done. Cost aside "very expensive" I had no pain from start to finish. I was given pain medication and did not have to use it. It took about 7 months from start to completion. When every thing was finished I said "that wasn't bad at all". I must add I did not have a good dential insurance provider. I was more worried about how much cash it cost me. I hope this helps. you.

 

[sbell111]

OK, so how much does an implant cost?

 

[nursetink]

I had one last year. My surgeon performed the tooth extraction, bone graft, and placement of the implant in one surgery. The healing cap was on for 4 months while the graft healed, and then my crown was set.

It was costly, but I do not regret it. There was very little pain. I had the surgery Friday and went to work /monday. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Tosie]

OK, so how much does an implant cost?

Mine was around $2700 but my insurance paid almost half. That being said, I would do it again in a heartbeat if the need arose again.

 

[scootch]

Ok - this scares me! I also don't want to be 6 months w/out my front teeth. Maybe that is why my current dentist is pushing for new bridges!

My current dentist mentioned something called a flapper... the way he explained it sounded like it would be like temporary false teeth till all the healing was done and the implant could be finished. I doubt you would need it for just a single tooth, but since I am going to be missing two teeth at the time, think that is what it was for. I have no clue what my insurance will pay either. I am gathering I will end up paying $3,000-5,000 out of pocket. I am definitely not new to partial paying out of pocket. My sweet miracle baby cost us $30,000 out of pocket(another $100,000 covered by insurance) but she was so worth it. I hope these teeth are worth it.

 

[blowinbubbles]

I was supposed to get an implant, but I am so pee'd off that my insurance won't pay even the 50% for the crown, because it's implant-related.

If I broke my tooth not so far down, they would pay 80% for the root canal and 50% for the crown, but since it broke so far down, they won't cover any of it.

 

[zalansky]

I had an implant and it took about a year total from start to finish. After they pull the tooth out, they have to let the bone heal, and I did not need grafts either. Then after a few months to wait for the bone healing, they drill the screw into your jaw that will eventually hold the implant. This does not hurt at all, they just are drilling into your bone and there are no nerves there. After that they had to make sure the screw was not rejected so more waiting. They gave me a temporary crown that popped off a few times, I had to go to my dentist for a permanent crown. It was mostly painless, but lots, LOTS of appointments to check progress.

Total cost, $4,000. For one tooth.

 

[grlzmom]

My front teeth are a combination of implants and crowns (for horrible fractures) due to a traumatic facial injury on a four wheeler.

Can't comment on the cost here because mine took place in Costa Rica where I had the accident.

However, I can tell you that I am so happy with my implants. Since mine was trauma and involved bone and gum grafting the process took almost a year. During this time I had a flipper which honestly I hated then progressed to temporary crowns once the posts were in. Pain was minimal, more like discomfort and results are wonderful.

Got titanium Zimmer screws, white gold posts and porcelain/zirconium crowns on them. No insurance coverage of course, but money well spent and so happy the technology was available to restore my smile.

They are functional and look just like my own teeth did. Was depressing initially for sure to be toothless, but once those crowns went on, I felt great.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[7165red]

It costs 2,700 for implant and 2,000 for one crown. Insurance paid very little about 1.500 at most.

 

[Meriweather]

DH is in the process right now.
He got the flapper.....like a bridge to use while the process is going on, so he doesn't have a gap.
He needed a bone graph. Got that done 9 days ago. Painful. He had about 10 stitches. The next day the one side of his face was very swollen. He only took 3 Tylenol 3s over a couple days, but still taking Ibuprophen. They did a lot of scraping for the graph.
now he waits for that to heal. He got it done on a Thursday and was fine for work on Monday. Has to be careful when eating....can't use those front teeth (his is lower) to bite with.
Cost.....$450 for the flapper. $4500 for the implant.

 

[RadioNate]

I think you have all successfully talked me out of the implants, lol.

I need 2 and then 4 additional crowns on the teeth that the existing bridges were/are attached too. Insurance has a 2k a year cap so I'm looking at about double out of pocket and a year of time for implants rather than new bridges.

Maybe next time around!

 

[Becky2005]

I had one and it really wasn't that bad. To me the worst part was I wasn't allowed to chew on that side of the mouth while it was healing.

I STILL have a tendency to not want to chew on that side of the mouth if it's going to be anything that could get stuck (i.e. they warned me about popcorn since I have no nerve endings there, I wouldn't have a clue if there was a problem) but you go back once a year for them to do a cleaning on it since they have to use special tools. They just said to be absolutely sure if I change dentist to inform them I have an implant so they don't damage it with the metal tools. I went to a specialist for the implant and my regular dentist did the top part.

In my case, I had to have a tooth pulled first, so after they did the extraction that had to heal...then the implant was put in, then that had to heal, then the top part put on, etc...

I had to pay out of pocket for mine, so I think we were looking around $5,000 when all was said and done but this is supposed to be a one time never need to re-do anything on it. I really didn't have much option due to the location and the 2 teeth they would have had to use for a bridge already have fillings in them -- basically it was pay the $5K now or pay a whole lot more later on down the road if the bridge affected the other 2 teeth.