Ask the Dental student....Q's, fears, concerns, hopefully answered.

[ginko]

Hey JMP. I was curious if you know how much implants cost. I am missing two upper front teeth because of my poor genetics and it looks really bad. I have the two very front ones there, but the next ones back on both sides are missing so I have these incredible gaps. Or is this something you don't know much about?

[JMP300z]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey JMP. I was curious if you know how much implants cost. I am missing two upper front teeth because of my poor genetics and it looks really bad. I have the two very front ones there, but the next ones back on both sides are missing so I have these incredible gaps. Or is this something you don't know much about?

[/ QUOTE ]

Pricing on implants vary...congenitally missing your lateral incisors is actually a relatively common anomaly (as far as oral anomalies go). I was missing my 2nd mandibular premolar and got an implant. You cant tell. The procedure wasnt bad. Got gased up and just felt a lot of pressure.
I had to wear a spacing retainer for a while on top of the implant to make sure the bone accepted it. Then they screw the crown on. As far as costs go, depends who you go to and where you live. I think they run around 2k a piece but dont quote me on that

-JP

[spamuell]

This is an orthodontsitry question, hopefully you can help.

For a few years a while ago I had fixed braces on my bottom teeth (train tracks is what we called them in the UK if you know what they are). Anyway I got those off and the orthodontist put a metal wire behind the front few of my bottom teeth (like http://www.saxdearing.co.nz/Ll.jpg). This was probably, I don't know, 18 months ago.

For reasons that I can't be bothered to go into, I despise and fear my orthodontist. I haven't gone back there since he put the wire in because I hate him so much and he causes me so much pain, and is so callous about it. I have nothing at all against dentistry and realise that sometimes pain is inevitable and in the long run necessary, but this particular man is a complete dick, I've spoken to others who have him and we feel he hurts his patients more than is necessary and is basically negligent.

So, I haven't gone back to him and have this wire behind my teeth. It doesn't bother me too much but I don't suppose I can keep it there for the rest of my life.

Is there any way for me to remove the wire myself or do I have to go back to an orthodontist? I'm not going to the same one again if I can avoid it, but I'm not entirely sure I can for bureacratic reasons about me now being 19 so having to pay for treatment if I start it again with someone new but not having to if it's a continuation of my old treatment from when I was under 18 and the state paid for it.

Thanks for any advice.

[JMP300z]

[ QUOTE ]
This is an orthodontsitry question, hopefully you can help.

For a few years a while ago I had fixed braces on my bottom teeth (train tracks is what we called them in the UK if you know what they are). Anyway I got those off and the orthodontist put a metal wire behind the front few of my bottom teeth (like http://www.saxdearing.co.nz/Ll.jpg). This was probably, I don't know, 18 months ago.

For reasons that I can't be bothered to go into, I despise and fear my orthodontist. I haven't gone back there since he put the wire in because I hate him so much and he causes me so much pain, and is so callous about it. I have nothing at all against dentistry and realise that sometimes pain is inevitable and in the long run necessary, but this particular man is a complete dick, I've spoken to others who have him and we feel he hurts his patients more than is necessary and is basically negligent.

So, I haven't gone back to him and have this wire behind my teeth. It doesn't bother me too much but I don't suppose I can keep it there for the rest of my life.

Is there any way for me to remove the wire myself or do I have to go back to an orthodontist? I'm not going to the same one again if I can avoid it, but I'm not entirely sure I can for bureacratic reasons about me now being 19 so having to pay for treatment if I start it again with someone new but not having to if it's a continuation of my old treatment from when I was under 18 and the state paid for it.

Thanks for any advice.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yah i hated my orthodontist too...sadistic motherfuckers. I also hate everyone in my class that wants to be an orthodontist, they are all heartless callous suck ups. (Here in the US everyone wants to be orthodontists in dental school b/c you make like 1mill$+ and dont do [censored], you have to be top of your class tho).

As far as your mandibular lingual bonded retainer...I have one, my gf has one, my mom, brother have one, etc. Its very common. You keep it for life. If its uncomfortable (which it shouldnt be, i hardly notice mine) or you have trouble keeping it clean, just go somewhere else. Your general dentist could probably remove it for you and may even be qualified to place it (not sure about UK) but he may not want to.

-JP

[spamuell]

Thanks a lot for your reply, I was sort of worried that I was doing something really bad and it was just going to rot in my mouth or something, I feel reassured.

About taking it out, does it depend too much on the actual teeth to know how much they would revert back to normal if you did so? It doesn't bother me much, I barely notice it most of the time as well, but I do remember it was extremely uncomfortable when I first put it in and if I could go back to a level of oral comfort which is better than this, why not?

[Los Feliz Slim]

JP,

I need help.

One of my several genetic abnormalities is that I'm missing the bottom back molar, I forget the number. It's the furthest back on the bottom right.

Because of this, I'm told, he molar above it is growing wildly and unabated. It's abnormally long. I've had two dentists tell me I need to A) put an implant in the place where the missing molar should be and B) grind down the extra-long tooth above it. To make matters more fun, they're not sure if the bone where the implant would go is strong enough, so there might need to be some sort of bone-building involved before we can even do the implant. Plus, this has been happening for so long I'd probably need a root canal on the "long" tooth before it was ground down because it's so long that the nerve would probably get involved.

I say to them, "How's about we just pull the long tooth and call it a draw?" They say "But you're only 32 and that's a healthy tooth, why pull a good tooth when you're so young?" Obviously, so I don't have to go through the bone building and implanting and, worst, the grinding.

The expense isn't what worries me, and aesthetics is not an issue since you can't see the tooth.

What should I do? Thank you for your help.

LFS

[JMP300z]

[ QUOTE ]
JP,

I need help.

One of my several genetic abnormalities is that I'm missing the bottom back molar, I forget the number. It's the furthest back on the bottom right.

Because of this, I'm told, he molar above it is growing wildly and unabated. It's abnormally long. I've had two dentists tell me I need to A) put an implant in the place where the missing molar should be and B) grind down the extra-long tooth above it. To make matters more fun, they're not sure if the bone where the implant would go is strong enough, so there might need to be some sort of bone-building involved before we can even do the implant. Plus, this has been happening for so long I'd probably need a root canal on the "long" tooth before it was ground down because it's so long that the nerve would probably get involved.

I say to them, "How's about we just pull the long tooth and call it a draw?" They say "But you're only 32 and that's a healthy tooth, why pull a good tooth when you're so young?" Obviously, so I don't have to go through the bone building and implanting and, worst, the grinding.

The expense isn't what worries me, and aesthetics is not an issue since you can't see the tooth.

What should I do? Thank you for your help.

LFS

[/ QUOTE ]

Yah that sucks. They are right in that you do want to do everything you can to save a tooth as it may cause problems later in life. For example, Just as your top tooth drifted down b/c the missing bottom teeth, your top teeth might drift over due to the missing top tooth (causing spaces and the need for ortho or other restorations).

If the cost/time isnt an issue I would prob recommend doing it too. Pulling the top tooth and calling it a draw is not a terrible solution by any means tho. You could always go see another dentist. Before you make your decision, it couldnt hurt to go the periodontist or whoever they recommend you for a real implant consult. It sounds like your dentist wasnt exactly sure if you needed bone remodeling or not. As far as that surgery goes, yah you prob want to avoid that if you can although as far as surgeries go, its pretty minor and simple (just gotta watch out for 1 nerve), also if they recommend doing it for the implant, dont get the implant w/o it (duh).

The grinding down of your top tooth seemed to be the thing your the most worried about but ironically is the least invasive procedure. I mean were talking about cutting a slice of bone off your mandibular ramus, bolting it on where the implant will go, letting that heal up a bit, then drilling down into the bone and placing a threaded screw, then screwing a tooth into that.

Good luck, get lots of opinions, and dont worry too much about the procedures unless cost/time is an important issue.

-JP

[Los Feliz Slim]

My most sincere thanks for this advice. I've been taking everything my dentist says with a grain of salt for a while, because he's always trying to sell something it seems, so your unbiased opinion is invaluable.

Now, to see a psychiatrist about the fact that I've put off a medical procedure that was recommended by two doctors for over a year, and now I'm probably going to do it because a guy on a [card game] related internet message board has advised I do it.

[JMP300z]

[ QUOTE ]
My most sincere thanks for this advice. I've been taking everything my dentist says with a grain of salt for a while, because he's always trying to sell something it seems, so your unbiased opinion is invaluable.

Now, to see a psychiatrist about the fact that I've put off a medical procedure that was recommended by two doctors for over a year, and now I'm probably going to do it because a guy on a [card game] related internet message board has advised I do it.

[/ QUOTE ]

This made me laugh. Its okay to doubt your health care professionals. Thats why its important to find someone you can really trust. Imho, there are many dentists out there doing poor quality work and poor diagnosis/treatment planning.

Working in several dentists' offices in the past has led me to seriously distrust certain practitioners in my area. Some people just didnt learn anything in school or just dont care enough to do good work.

I dont mean to cause widespread doubt/panic. But i mean the patient doesnt know whether they get good quality work or not, all they can go by is what their dentist tells them. They judge the dentist based on personality (do they seem like they care).

This is a big issue.

Ive seen plenty of procedures go through due to misdiagnosis (root canals on the wrong tooth, then thinking the rootcanal failed b/c the patient still had symptoms, then sending them in for a retreatment of the same tooth, meanwhile the whole time it was the adjacent tooth!). Stuff like this can happen.

ALso, there is no exact science to some of dentistry. Like i said, there are often many alternatives and it is the job of the dentist to find one that works for you the patient.

Summary: doubt isnt bad, unless it causes you to ignore problems...find someone you can trust.

-JP

[goofball]

Can't the dentist just put me under when I go in to get a bunch of cavities filled? I have insurance.