Metal Mouth Message Board

badbite wrote:... Is it possible to only need a mini implant on a back tooth?

I think you are confusing an implant with a mini-screw. Different functionality here. To replace a missing tooth at the moment you will need an implant, a bridge, or a removable partial denture.

For those of you with implants --Does the tooth feel natural? Can food or bacteria get under the impant?

I don't have an implant but patients tell me it feel's like any other crown. Yes, you have to be very diligent about cleaning them just like natural teeth. Bacteria can leach underneath if you don't keep it clean and can cause the implant to fail (ie - rejected by the body)

My ortho does not want me to even think about all this until treatment is completely done.

That is good, gotta get everything else taken care of before thinking about an implant. Proper treatment planning is key.

Best,
Rory

Badbite, the person may or may not have had sedation. I had the option and felt there was no need for a pre med (such as valium) or gas or IV sedation. Most oral surgery you have these options. I have a feeling most people would rather not remamber the process. I on the other hand am very curious and do not get anxious or have issues with gagging.

They leave the implant exposed so there is no need for more surgery to expose the implant when it is time for tooth placment or atleast that is what I was told. So until May I will look like i had some kind of acident with a screw driver. Fine with me if it means that old hopeless is replaced with hope.

They say its better than a bridge but i will have no basis to compare it to so I will take the OS, my dentist, the ENT doc and my orthos word for it. Time will tell

After posting to this board, last night I had a nighmare about getting an implant. The tooth was just there when I woke up, although I could remember getting it. Then I was scared to go to the ortho because he had told me to wait. The tooth in my dream was really ugly and gross. I woke up sweating and my heart was pounding.

As you can tell I am extremely anxious and scared about my missing molar!

susieq182,

Was the bone graft done at the same time or how long efore the implant could be placed?

... So until May I will look like i had some kind of acident with a screw driver. Fine with me if it means that old hopeless is replaced with hope. ...

It is called the healing abutment. It allows the tissue around the tooth to properly redevelop in a way that once restored, the gums will look normal.

Was the bone graft done at the same time or how long efore the implant could be placed?

No, you need to do the bone graft first and allow the bone to "fill in" to the area of the defect. Once the bone is more uniform you can go in and place the implant. The time frame depends on how large of a defect is, but it will likely be 6+ months.

Good Luck,
Rory

No, you need to do the bone graft first and allow the bone to "fill in" to the area of the defect. Once the bone is more uniform you can go in and place the implant. The time frame depends on how large of a defect is, but it will likely be 6+ months.

Wow, I hope I will not need this. I have heard that most of the bone loss happens within the first 6 months. My tooth was pulled three months ago, and I can feel the bone is a bit smaller now.

It is sad that I worry so much abpout this, yet I haven't even started my braces yet! I am looking at 3 years away.

Printemps,

I am in the process of opening a space so I can get an implant. I am missing one of my lateral incisors. I got the spring put in the beginning of August and I'd say the space is half way opened. My story and pictures is at the url below.

Good luck with everything!

I detailed my implant on my blog, but I was able to get phase 1 and 2 done a that same time. They installed the post and put the abutement on top. Now all is left is to have the tooth made and attached in 3 months.

Just for the record though it didn't hurt at all. I had I.V sedation because that is just how my OS does it, but it never hurt at all. I never took anything for pain, because there just wasn't any!

Piece of cake!


Brandy

Hey, a couple of questions:

1. I'm also in a similar situation where I'm missing two adult teeth. One I had to have removed because of a bad root canal. Another one never came out after my baby tooth was removed. So after my braces come off, I'll need to have 2 teeth replaced. One of the gaps though, is very small. I'd say only 1-2 mm. How long would it take to create a larger gap there, and what sort of instrument would be used?

2. I'm really terrified of implants. The idea of having to cut into the gum and placing something into my jaw...it's just very unsettling to me. Not to mention the price. I know implants are recommended, but I would definately opt for having 2 bridges put in instead. What are your thoughts on this? What are the down sides of bridges vs. implants?

Thanks.

Yeah, I've done a bit of research on the entire implant vs. bridge debate, and implants are said to be a better choice simply because it acts like a real tooth.

As for the issue of having to prepare adjacent teeth -- well, I have one tooth on either side of the gaps (in both cases) that are filled anyway. One which is quite heavily filled, so I wouldn't mind having a crown put on it anyway.

I'm getting so stressed about this entire implant thing, and I've only been braced for about 4 months now. Before going in for braces, I imagined that they would try to close the gaps, rather than prepare them for implants/bridges in the end. Now I don't know how I'm going to handle spending $4,000+ on top of how much I'm paying for my braces. Ugh...

BTW - I know implants aren't covered by insurance (correct?), but are bridges?

What is covered varies. If implants aren't covered you could always try to get them added to the coverage. That seems my best hope.

Mike

I'm actually going tomorrow morning to have my post put in. I had my #3 molar extracted about 15 months ago, right after my braces were put on. I had 2 root canals done on the tooth, but apparently there was a fracture, and I could not get a permanent crown because I had chronic pain.

My periodontist told me that I had good bone density and that it had filled in very well, so I shouldn't need bone grafting. In 3 months or so I will have my new tooth installed, which is around the time I expect the braces to come off (YAY!). I don't know yet what or if the insurance will pay.

I may or may not look at those videos now... I don't want to have nightmares! I'll let you know how it goes.

The best of luck to you.

From all that I've heard it sounds much worse than it is.

Mike

OK, I just wanted to update you all on my implant surgery. It truly wasn't that bad! The worst part was imagining what was going on in my mouth. I got loaded up on Novacaine and took a giant Motrin, and I didn't feel a thing. I was lucky; my doctor said I was a perfect candidate for the surgery. The site isn't really sore, but I had a colossal headache that lasted for 24 hours until I finally took some Tylenol. I received some stitches that will dissolve, and go back in 10 days for a check-up. I'm just excited that I'm nearing the end of my treatment, and next on the agenda is getting my new tooth and having my braces removed, probably by March.