Major dental work

traco

Well the time of reckoning has come, 20 years of being terrified of dentists and now it looks like I’ve kicked the can as far as possible and hit a wall.

So a few teeth have been acting up lately and things are now beyond the skills of a regular dentist. The options look like a surgical specialist, maybe a bit of bone grafting and several implants.

I’m guessing this will take a while due to costs so the search starts for some specialists around Dublin.

Given the amount of work I think a progressive plan here would be better as I’m not convinced a trip to Budapest or Spain or wherever is the smartest even though it could be considerably cheaper. I think ongoing local might be better for me in case of issues.

So I know there can’t be open comments but I’d appreciate feedback on anyone who has had similar work done. Reckon it could be 6 implants but not sure.

Did you do it all in one hit or a few at a time? Did you get all extractions done at once and add implants over a year or three??

Any advice welcome and if you have comments about specific practices please PM me and do not post anything negative here. I’d like the thread to just be about the actual treatment process and what people found worked or how they would have done it differently as maybe it’ll help someone else in future.

I’ll post my adventures here as things progress.

traco

So now after that OP.

Current situation is an infection on a badly decayed rear tooth. Will require surgery to remove and may tackle all others at the same time so that there is a blank canvas to work from. Will probably seek a second opinion just to be sure that I’m making the right decision.

ballsymchugh

ask a friend for a recommendation on a general dentist to go and see. i wouldn't go jumping straight for a specialist until you know what your options are, and a general dentist will go through all that with you. there may be some teeth that you think may need to be taken out, that could survive with fillings.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

ballsymchugh wrote: »

ask a friend for a recommendation on a general dentist to go and see. i wouldn't go jumping straight for a specialist until you know what your options are, and a general dentist will go through all that with you. there may be some teeth that you think may need to be taken out, that could survive with fillings.

Yes this is good advice. Patients are too quick to self diagnose, and become the prey of the unethical cowboys that are out there. Get a recommendation of a trusted local general dentist. They will steer you in the right direction and or refer you if needed.

traco

Sorry. Should have clarified. Have been to a dentist and had x-rays. Roots protruding into sinus cavity. Looks like bone isn’t deep enough and for an implant a graft could be required. Needs a much higher res x-ray to get detailed measurements.

The current problem tooth cannot be saved. Several others just roots so five extractions.

Again apologies for not clarifying that in the first post.

traco

Well - had the assessment done and I think things are a little better than I hoped.

One may be savable with a minor filling but that needs looking at first, it if can be saved without a root canal well and good otherwise its got to come out as there will be implants either side.

So at present excluding the filling one above its 4 x extractions and preservation, 4 x implants and all associated hardware, crowns etc etc. Time frame from start to finish is a year, no idea how these places do it in a day or two??? Ballpark cost is 10k, 2k back on tax so net cost of around 8k when all is said and done.

Very impressed with the place I went to, I was going to look for another opinion but to be fair I came away from here feeling confident they knew what they were about. All equipment is modern, facility is spotless and staff are sharp and honest. So will another place be much different or enough to merit going elsewhere? Probably not as far as I can see and as my gut feeling about this place is positive I think I'll proceed here.

So - step one, the tooth that needs filling assessed next with a regular dentist then back to the pro's.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

traco wrote: »

Well - had the assessment done and I think things are a little better than I hoped.

One may be savable with a minor filling but that needs looking at first, it if can be saved without a root canal well and good otherwise its got to come out as there will be implants either side.

So at present excluding the filling one above its 4 x extractions and preservation, 4 x implants and all associated hardware, crowns etc etc. Time frame from start to finish is a year, no idea how these places do it in a day or two??? Ballpark cost is 10k, 2k back on tax so net cost of around 8k when all is said and done.

Very impressed with the place I went to, I was going to look for another opinion but to be fair I came away from here feeling confident they knew what they were about. All equipment is modern, facility is spotless and staff are sharp and honest. So will another place be much different or enough to merit going elsewhere? Probably not as far as I can see and as my gut feeling about this place is positive I think I'll proceed here.

So - step one, the tooth that needs filling assessed next with a regular dentist then back to the pro's.

Sounds like a descent sounding plan. How is it done in 2-3 days = badly.

Idbatterim

Do you have a good dentist and trust him or her? In terms of implants, with my experience. Get it done in Ireland. I use a place that is e1000 per implant if you purchase 4 I believe. You can then get 20% tax back off the. E1000. If the tooth can be saved, save it!

traco

Maddox Juicy Bowler wrote: »

Sounds like a descent sounding plan. How is it done in 2-3 days = badly.

No idea, people have said go to Budapest etc etc. Seen places advertising a jaw in a day or something but makes no sense to me. Post extraction healing and done build up will take 4-6 months before the implants and then a similar amount of time afterwards before the additional hardware and crowns can be fitted. Maybe its possible if everything is ideal but the more I look at it I can't see it as an option for me. Hence stay at home, pay the price and get it done right.

They want to try and save the one tooth if they can but its a skinny one so a root canal on it might be 50/50 in the long term.

Initial impressions are that I'm in good hands and have the confidence to kick on with it. That speaks volumes considering a few weeks back I was terrified at the mere thought of going.

Appointment booked to start the ground work not with the suspect one and see what other routine stuff needs sorting before the big stuff.

traco

OK - another update. Sorry but this one is a little long in the hope that it helps someone that was a terrified as I was.

Went back to original dentist Tuesday after they got the referral letter back from the implants guy to see what the status was with that possible issue tooth. Too say I was bricking it was an understatement but I was psyched up to do it and not back out while I had some positive momentum going which would have been quite likely a few months back.

Anyways in and into the chair, bricking it. He's all calm, assistant is all calm and I'm monitoring my hear rate on the fitbit. He runs through the plan, another full assessment and see what can be done with this one specific tooth. Decides its savable so old filling needs out and a new one in. Then based on how I feel he could look at doing some more work as he'd kept time free.

I say crack on and now enter a whole new world, realistically it has been 18-20 years since a dentist touched a tooth with a drill or any implement so I'm worried to say the least.

First thing, some sort of pad with an anesthetic on it is placed on the gum, this was to numb for the main anesthetic injection. I'd never had this before and was surprised but kicked my confidence up a notch. He explained what was going to happen and what was involved. Maybe 3-5 mins late he removed that and give the main injection (I said I wanted double???). That was fine - didn't really bother me and no massive pinch, more a tiny poke.

He then decides to sort a treatment plan so 3 or 4 more x-rays of old fillings to asses and see whats needed. All that went fine and gave time for the anesthetic to work. No onto the actual job.

Explained the new material, white stuff not the silver amalgam, said it need to be filled dry and took out a rubber sheet and clamp thing. Explained that this would stop saliva getting into the cavity and also stop material being removed entering the mouth or down the throat.
So he clamped that around the tooth and then hooked it onto a metal frame to pull it taught. All looked a little weird from my position but wasn't uncomfortable just a bit weird.

out can the drills and off he went, I was stunned, not as loud as I remember. Might have changed rill bits a few times as one felt different to the other - more coarse for want to a better word. Ganged back, finer bit or whatever. I can see dust and stuff and the assistant is hoovering away then its done!! BRILLAINT!!

No gagging, choking on material etc etc. I was amazed/ Filling straightforward enough, looked like UV cured so the process was quick. Then bite on some paper thing to determine where to shape followed by polishing. Removed sexy green rubber thing and job done. I was blown away.

Asks how I was doing and how did I feel about cleaning. As I was now on a roll I said plough on (in hindsight its probably what he did). I was embarrassed to say the least. He used a drill I think but not sure, it wasn't a little scraping tool. My teeth must have been disgusting and I suppose at 18+ years what could you expect. There were lumps pf plaque flying off them, several mm in size. He probably spent 45 mins cleaning them and then polished. The entire process was grand, didn't bother me at all apart from the chunks flying around the place. In the end I apologized for subjecting them to such a job but they were great about it.

So 90 mins later, new filling and clean teeth which feel completely alien to me. Feels like I'm missing half my front teeth to be honest I'm delighted. I'm in shock at how things have progressed but it has been 20 years I suppose. So booked in for two more fillings session and the the base starting point is A1 and ready to start phase two the extractions and implant process.

So to wrap up, if you're afraid please don't be! JUST GO!! The processes now are chalk and cheese from what I remember and I wish I'd gone 10 years ago.

traco

Quick update - 3 more fillings completed - all good.

I am now at the stage where I go back to the specialist for the extractions and prep for the implants. Just need to figure out my work schedule now and find a date that works and gives the recovery time with minimal work impact.

loup

Thanks for the updates, as someone who is terrified of anything other than a filling, I will be following your progress, thanks!