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I'm posting this story here as I'm not sure which category it would fall under.
Approximately 20 years ago, at the age of 13, I had a traumatic event which led to the loss of the L & R maxillary central and lateral incisors.
At age 18 or 19, I went to see a prosthodontist who said that I would not be a good candidate for a dental implant as my bone was still developing and to try in a couple more years. In the mean time, it was suggested that I have braces to straighten out the teeth on the mandibular arch as they attempted to elevate and try and fill the gap the missing teeth left behind. Following that, it was suggested that I have a maryland bridge of which the wings would be supported by the two canines on either side. I've had this setup for almost 20 years. Although, it has come loose a handful of times, it is always on the back of my mind and a cause for concern as it is not very secure when compared to other solutions.
In recent years, I've revisited the thought of having implants, so I have consulted with a variety of prosthodontists. There was no consensus as to whether I'm a suitable candidate for a bone graft or not. This would be due to the bone atrophy. My option moving forward
(a) to risk getting a bone graft with a prosthodontist that thinks I have a chance
(b) to get a bridge
> This comes with other issues like why kill healthy canines and premolars? How many supporting teeth are required....can support from canine and 1st premolar suffice or will 2nd premolar need to support as well (possibly 6 healthy teeth compromised)
(c) continue as I am with maryland bridge.
I guess, I'm hoping to hear stories of others that might have been in my situation and how they were able to overcome it.
P.S.
I live in the UK where dental implants are expensive.
I do have an implant that was placed in a space that was under a bridge for years. Likely 10+ years but I don't know exactly. It's doing fine. I have a fantastic oral surgeon who does a fancy 3-D scan of the jawbone and then rotates it on a giant screen so he can check out every square millimeter of it. That gives him an idea of what bone he has to work with. He also uses bone grafts and apparently has some other substance at his disposal to help with osseointegration if needed- he's never used the extra substance on me.
I'm now (just saw dentist this AM) looking at the possibility of replacing my last remaining bridge which I know was placed in 2005. Unfortunately the earliest I can get into the oral surgeon is June 10- he's out of the office for a few things. Not good timing but I really trust this guy and don't want to gamble with an unknown practitioner.
So, there's hope. Have any of the docs you talked to done a panoramic scan?
I'm posting this story here as I'm not sure which category it would fall under.
Approximately 20 years ago, at the age of 13, I had a traumatic event which led to the loss of the L & R maxillary central and lateral incisors.
At age 18 or 19, I went to see a prosthodontist who said that I would not be a good candidate for a dental implant as my bone was still developing and to try in a couple more years. In the mean time, it was suggested that I have braces to straighten out the teeth on the mandibular arch as they attempted to elevate and try and fill the gap the missing teeth left behind. Following that, it was suggested that I have a maryland bridge of which the wings would be supported by the two canines on either side. I've had this setup for almost 20 years. Although, it has come loose a handful of times, it is always on the back of my mind and a cause for concern as it is not very secure when compared to other solutions.
In recent years, I've revisited the thought of having implants, so I have consulted with a variety of prosthodontists. There was no consensus as to whether I'm a suitable candidate for a bone graft or not. This would be due to the bone atrophy. My option moving forward
(a) to risk getting a bone graft with a prosthodontist that thinks I have a chance
(b) to get a bridge
> This comes with other issues like why kill healthy canines and premolars? How many supporting teeth are required....can support from canine and 1st premolar suffice or will 2nd premolar need to support as well (possibly 6 healthy teeth compromised)
(c) continue as I am with maryland bridge.
I guess, I'm hoping to hear stories of others that might have been in my situation and how they were able to overcome it.
P.S.
I live in the UK where dental implants are expensive.
Hope to hear from you all.
Not all dental specialists charge a first consultation fee. You may want to get a quote and treatment plan from each one of them before deciding if you want to go ahead with bone grafts and implants.
I live in BC Canada, and my current orthodontist advised me to shop around where dental treatments are concerned.
All the following types of dentists can perform "bone graft" and "dental implant": Types of dentist - British Dentistry
~ An oral and maxillofacial surgeon, who holds a medical degree and has extensive training in dental medicine; and there are no limitations on the types of dental surgery that a maxillofacial surgeon can perform.
~ an oral surgeon
~ a prosthodontist
~ a periodontist
~ a general dentist
among the questions to ask the specialist(s):
~ if Zygomatic implants will be less expensive than having bone grafts plus dental implants?
~ if braces to close the gap(s) are more affordable than having implants for the L&R maxillary lateral incisors.
Good luck. Hope you will find a good dental specialist. There is a reason, why dentists are called "Doctor" and not "Mister".
Not relly the case here in the UK....most will charge a fee for a consultation and they can range from [sorry but'll have to be in GBP ] £25 to £125 depending on location and clinic.
If I could attach images of scans to supplement my thread I would but can't find out how to attach files.
Not relly the case here in the UK....most will charge a fee for a consultation and they can range from [sorry but'll have to be in GBP ] £25 to £125 depending on location and clinic.
If I could attach images of scans to supplement my thread I would but can't find out how to attach files.
Since your bone loss is serious, can't you get your GP to refer you to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon?
It may be worth getting an expert advice to determine your best choice.
I had a similar situation. Some 40 years ago I completely avulsed (onto the road surface) tooth #s 7, 8, 9, 10. At the time, the dentist quite literally shoved them back in. Over the intervening years, #s 7 and 10 survived, barely, but 8 and 9 were chronically infected, loose, discolored. I had terrible root resorption, repeated endodontic surgeries, was constantly in the dentist chair. In my mid-30s technology and dental techniques were such that I could have my teeth fixed.
It wasn’t pretty. I underwent many gum surgeries, bone grafts, a significant period of time without central incisors, etc. In the end, implants completely replaced 8 and 9, and veneers cosmetically corrected 7 and 10. The process took more than two years and cost a small fortune.
It was worth everything.
Unrelated, other teeth have since failed so I have even more implants now. In the many years since my first implant placement to today, I’ve seen the entire field of reconstructive dentistry evolve. It’s been fascinating. Placing an implant today is a cakewalk compared to how it was nearly 30 years ago when I had my first.
Correcting your upper arch with implants (and likely other structural and cosmetic components) will change your life in so many positive ways. Do not hesitate to go for it. Just find the absolute best, most experienced implantologist and prosthodontist you can. Cost is secondary, really.
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] £25 to £125 depending on location and clinic.
