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Depends on the extent of the "rough spot". For example, if the denture is riding up too high against the gums, the amount of grinding the dentist has to do may result in the denture being less retentive. Now the patient is complaining of a loose denture and doesn't want to hear from the dentist that the denture was garbage to begin with. Last one who touched it, owns it. Again, what you perceive as minor may not be minor in the eyes of a trained professional.
"Rough spots" are not particularly deep. They can be very shallow, but still enough to let your gums know it's a problem and where it's located. Think of it like having sandpaper rubbing against sensitive gums leaving raw inflamed areas in the surface tissue. The acrylic is thick enough that becoming less retentive should not be an issue. There can be also be areas where there may be a smooth lump with the lump large enough to give discomfort. Such lumps are above the general surface of the denture base. My guess is that it can occur from the process of making the denture, resulting in a very slight flaw or bulge from the goop put over your teeth and gums used to make a cast. Grinding them down slightly (we're talking about a very thin amount) should not make any significant difference in the retention of a denture, especially a implant denture. If anything, it should improve retention.
I'm sure you're right that there might be some dentures that are poor quality installed by shysters. When choosing to have regular dentures or implant dentures installed in a foreign country, it helps to do some research and talk to people who have had it done, and find out ahead of time what the pros and cons are.
By "minor issues", I was referring to smoothing and polishing, if needed, and cleaning the dentures. That isn't something that requires a specialist to do, unless you prefer that. If a dentist needs to mention that the patient's dentures from another country are of poor quality, the patient has a right to know and should be informed. It can be worded in a sensitive way without making the patient feel like a complete loser. Every patient deserves to be treated with respect. The downside would be the expense paid for a poor quality product. If I felt ridiculed and belittled by a dentist, not only would I never go back there again, but I'd also be sure to let other people know exactly how he treats patients. Most healthcare professionals also rely on word-of-mouth recommendations.
True, but I would say the bigger problem is with quality control of these components. Any implant placed in this country has to meet FDA approval which has very rigid standards and is extremely hard to obtain. The Europeans know this which is one of the reasons my Swedish implants cost an arm and a leg compared to the Pakistani knockoffs. For this reason, many medical supply manufacturers overseas forego this so that they can cut corners and manufacture their product much cheaper.
Rigid standards by the FDA may be helpful, but it's no guarantee that quality is always perfection every time. When inspections are done, like many things, it's almost always by samples taken from batches. They can't inspect every single item, so there's bound to be some that slip through the cracks. Presumably, implants should be inspected, at least by the dentist installing them to ensure that the implements are free of flaws and will fit perfectly. I don't know anything about Pakistani knockoffs.
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Originally Posted by bart0323
You lost me.
It was just meant as a bit of humor with regard to your comment "...they are now married to that case..." Sorry, but I just couldn't resist the temptation.
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Originally Posted by bart0323
This is very common, but keep in mind that this work is still being done in the United States and must therefore meet the stringent quality control requirements set forth by the FDA. Where it gets murky is labs that are located in this country, but once they get your case they ship all their work overseas without telling the doctor. Normally you can ID these labs based on their super low fees and long turnaround time.
I agree with your point, but it's also fair to say that just because the US has strong quality control standards by the FDA, that it's the only country with high standards. By "the work", I meant making the acrylic part of the dentures. Sorry if that was unclear.
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Originally Posted by bart0323
Yes, what toofache32 said.
Yes, but you might want to look back at what I said that toofache32 was replying to which was the same point, although I didn't go so far as to make a comparison to cars. In any case we agree on that point.
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Originally Posted by bart0323
You think wrong - happens multiple times everyday in offices all over the country. And it's not rude if you politely tell them that you can't help them.
No, I'm not wrong relative to your description. It would indeed be rude if the dentist understands that it was done in another country.
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Originally Posted by bart0323
Even a specialist can't perform miracles if the case is truly a disaster.
That's true. I don't disagree with that. The point is that it would at least be more polite to simply tell the patient he can't help in the problem and offer to refer the patient to a specialist, who, as a second opinion, would confirm the referring dentist's opinion. As you've also noted and I agree, making such a mistake as having shoddy implant dentures installed because they were cheaper in price could be a very costly mistake. A person needs to be sure of what they're getting themselves into. And that means doing some research well before committing yourself to the procedure in another country. As I said before, I could only relate to Thailand. If you stick to more reputable clinics, you're more likely to experience excellent results. The problem, however, is that should a need arise regarding denture implant posts, it's possible that it might be hard to match in terms of individual parts, and could require replacing the entire post with a post that is available in the US. If (for example) there's just a crack in the acrylic denture base, that can usually be repaired. If the denture is just crap, then repairing it might be a quick fix, which isn't all that expensive, but would it really be worth it? Again, a person should do some research to avoid a major problem like buying cheap dentures from an unreliable "dentist" in a foreign country.
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Originally Posted by bart0323
Yes, which means it is not a "repair", it is a "replacement" which will usually cost way more than if they patient would have just gotten it done in the US to begin with,
You're right, but come on, seriously? That's just nit-picking with words. Isn't that what I said? So I didn't put the word "repair" in italics.
"In the end, such a repair would most likely involve replacing the entire post rather than just part of it."
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Originally Posted by bart0323
Most definitely. However, as everything in our society becomes more commoditized, many people now see dentistry as no different than buying a TV - "they're all the same, so just find the best deal".
You're exactly right. Maybe there are others who consider it as similar to buying a TV. I can only speak for myself, and I certainly consider it to be something trivial, and they aren't all the same. In the case of denture implants, the "best deal" isn't always the best deal. I think we both can agree on that.
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Originally Posted by bart0323
Unless the dentures are so uncomfortable they hurt just to have them in your mouth.
That's true, but again, with regard to Thailand, low income locals who choose low-cost dentures can usually have the person who made them make adjustments to make them feel more comfortable at little to no cost. The guy we know who makes such dentures for low-income locals is well known in the area for providing what amounts to a public service for those less fortunate. Unfortunately, higher cost clinics won't usually help like that. They're very good and reliable at what they do, but frankly, they're in it for the money. There's no money to be made by providing service to low income people. And when I say "low income", I mean an income that would be well below the poverty line in the US. On the other hand, perhaps a lot of those folks never do get dentures.
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Originally Posted by bart0323
Careful - even the most basic filling can end up costing you thousands if it is not done properly to begin with.
Once again, I was referring to listed costs in Thailand. Most typical dental costs are relatively low there. But implant dentures, on the other hand, can be very high even compared to US prices. I saw one listing that was up to about $40,000 (US), but it included a posh stay for 10 days (I think) and other luxury benefits. But sure, there are risks to everything, but most of the time, risks for cleaning teeth, even basic fillings, have a very low risks compared to installing implants. But anything could potentially go wrong, such as an allergic reaction to being numbed, or excessive bleeding of people who may be taking blood thinners.
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Originally Posted by bart0323
The main risk with foreign dentistry is the lack of accountability on the doctor's part if something goes wrong due to the laws of that country. In the US, we have malpractice laws. No such thing in other countries. I have seen a number of patients who have gotten their work done in Mexico because it was "cheap", only to have major problems with it. When they call the Mexico doctor's office, their records are usually "lost" or the office stops returning their calls. There is no law in Mexico that prevents the doctor from shredding your records and pretending that they never heard of you. Can't do that in the US
It depends on the country. I don't know anything about dentists in Mexico. I do know about Thailand though. Granted, the laws are different than those in the US, but that doesn't mean there aren't laws to protect people. There are government regulations that cover all dentistry. They have to be licensed. It was a decade or two ago that the government cracked down on the dental industry by requiring that x-rays are required. The larger dental clinics had already been practicing that. The exception, as mentioned are with regard to the making of dentures in smaller towns and rural villages. And even though quality is not something you or I would appreciate, it is acceptable by the people who take advantage of the opportunity to have any kind of full dentures or partials, which has to do with customs and traditions.
We found a retired dentist "willing" make a custom denture that accommodates tori while utilizing existing teeth. No other dentist was willing to make this plate or even suggest it was possible. They wanted to use 2-4 implants. It fits well and zero pain points after maybe 12 adjustments over 4 visits. If a dentist tells you they need to remove the tori for a lower then it's your choice to accept their advice or shop around.
We found a retired dentist "willing" make a custom denture that accommodates tori while utilizing existing teeth. No other dentist was willing to make this plate or even suggest it was possible. They wanted to use 2-4 implants. It fits well and zero pain points after maybe 12 adjustments over 4 visits. If a dentist tells you they need to remove the tori for a lower then it's your choice to accept their advice or shop around.
12 adjustments?!? Jeez. This is the reason many private practice, "in-network" dentists don't do dentures - the amount of time it takes in relation to office overhead, coupled with the lab bill, coupled with the abysmal insurance fee, is not profitable for them.
I'm only 46, but have three missing teeth, molars to be exact. I also have one closer to the front lower that is failing and will need a root canal with crown in 2 weeks. Not fun.
I have dental insurance through work (MetLife), but the coverage for major dental work is something like 60-70% I think. I've decided to do whatever it takes to replace the missing teeth with implants, even if it means using care credit through the dental office, going to a university, borrowing from my retirement, or working a second job. I've seen my mother and now mother in law have progressive difficulty with dentures fitting properly due to the inevitable bone loss.
I'm only 46, but have three missing teeth, molars to be exact. I also have one closer to the front lower that is failing and will need a root canal with crown in 2 weeks. Not fun.
I have dental insurance through work (MetLife), but the coverage for major dental work is something like 60-70% I think. I've decided to do whatever it takes to replace the missing teeth with implants, even if it means using care credit through the dental office, going to a university, borrowing from my retirement, or working a second job. I've seen my mother and now mother in law have progressive difficulty with dentures fitting properly due to the inevitable bone loss.
That's really good coverage if you're talking about surgery/implants. Most plans cover 50% at most and some none at all.
I'm only 46, but have three missing teeth, molars to be exact. I also have one closer to the front lower that is failing and will need a root canal with crown in 2 weeks. Not fun.
I have dental insurance through work (MetLife), but the coverage for major dental work is something like 60-70% I think. I've decided to do whatever it takes to replace the missing teeth with implants, even if it means using care credit through the dental office, going to a university, borrowing from my retirement, or working a second job. I've seen my mother and now mother in law have progressive difficulty with dentures fitting properly due to the inevitable bone loss.
With regard too your mother and mother-in-law, I'm assuming they have standard dentures and not implant dentures. If that's true, then, yes, gradual bone loss is inevitable making the fit of the dentures looser. The ridge of bone wears out leaving only the unsupported gum tissue that can make the dentures feel loose. If they are not applying a denture adhesive cream to help hold them in place. They should try that, otherwise, chewing food is going to be more difficult, they'll make a clacking noise when speaking, and the dentures may even fall out when speaking or eating. Admittedly, the process of applying and removing the adhesive can be a time-consuming hassle, but it should be considered as a necessary routine practice.
I would guess they haven't had their dentures inspected for quite a long while. I think it would be a good idea to do so. For one thing, it's possible the dentures could be relined for a snugger fit. It's also possible that they might need to completely replace the dentures.
Having your own missing teeth replaced with implants might be a good idea. Again, it depends on how much bone is left to support the implant posts. If there's enough, then implants can be a good choice. For some people, to get enough bone for the implants, grafting bone might be necessary to help provide necessary support. That takes time to to heal and strengthen enough to hold the implant posts. On the upside, once the posts are in place, the bone should begin to form more tightly around the post, meaning far less wear to the bone over time. For some people, implants are not a good choice if there isn't enough bone available, or because of age, it might not be worth the expense to do. In your case, age might not be an issue. Regardless, your dentist will be able to examine you and help determine the best option for you.
That's really good coverage if you're talking about surgery/implants. Most plans cover 50% at most and some none at all.
I agree, that's pretty good coverage. Even 50% coverage would be good. My health insurance doesn't cover anything dental, except for surgical repair that's related to accidental damage to the jaw (broken jaw). When I was working, I had great coverage. Any dental work only required a $5 to $10 co-payment. The rest was covered by insurance. People I know who are still working at the same place have said that now all dental work is no longer covered.
That's really good coverage if you're talking about surgery/implants. Most plans cover 50% at most and some none at all.
Ah, but most plans also have a cap on what they'll pay in a year, typically $1,500- $2,000. I was thrilled when told that insurance covered 40% of the cost of implants- but since I'd already had some work done that year, what it paid after the max was applied wasn't very much. It helps if you can get the work done over two calendar years.
Both of these have some pros and cons. In my view dental implants are better option as they are preserves remaining jawbone, works like natural teeth, have no eating restrictions,long lasting, Easy to clean and maintain. The primary disadvantage is that they are expensive compared to dentures.
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Dental Implant vs Dentures
