Metal Mouth Message Board

Hello again everyone,
I've been advised to get two upper implants.. whats the procedure for this? Is it done at the end of treatment? I have no gaps for them.. is it done surgically? If not, do u get local anaesthetic/is it painful?
Thanks

thanks! eek it looks scary

Hi Meryaten,

I lost a tooth due to a badly done root canal. Its been one year into treatment and my orthodontist is trying to close that gap for me. I really want to open the gap as there is now only two mm left and go for an implant instead. I was wondering can orthodontist open gaps if there isnt one to start of with. If so then i guess i can put my mind at ease knowing my little gap can open too for an implant.

Im the odd nut case where the side with the gap being closed is causing some strange facial change that doesnt look good.

Howdy,
I am the aforementioned Betty Bat who just got her implants this week (well, I got the first part, anyway).

I suspect that the links that Meryaten provided will give you an excellent description of implants, what they can do, the procedures, etc. Here's my addition as a "real life" case.

I had two baby teeth with no permanent teeth behind them. One was pulled when I was 12. As time went on (40 years of time!), my teeth started to shift around because of the space left after the departure of the baby tooth. I decided to get braces to correct the shifting, and my dentist recommended that I get an implant to fill in the space. At this point, I still had a baby tooth sitting there in my jaw - and I was 52 years old. The tooth wasn't in very good shape and both the tooth and the roots were much smaller than the other teeth, so I had the baby tooth pulled, along with a wisdom tooth, in preparation for my braces.

Unlike you, I had two spaces where the implants would go. I'm surprised that you would be advised to get implants if you don't have gaps for them to fill in. While I was in braces, I had a spring to widen the gap where the baby tooth had been out for 40 years - this was really one of the main benefits of my braces. My dentist said that he could have put in an implant in the smaller space, but it would be better if the space was widened. So, I had it widened. All in all, my braces experience went very well. I would expect that if you really don't have a gap where the implant would go or if the gap was small, then the ortho would use springs to widen the gap - and, IT DOESN'T HURT! I had no problem with my spring.

Before my braces went on, I had a consultation with an implant specialist to see if I would be a good candidate for implants. I would recommend this very highly. There are conditions under which implants are not suitable. Again, I think Meryaten's links will fill you in on this.

Initially, my implant specialist said that the implant surgery could be done 3 months before the braces came off. My ortho recommended waiting until after the braces came off, just to let everything settle in post-braces. I took my ortho's advice and had the implant surgery a month after my braces came off. I was told by my implant specialist that the surgery could be done before the braces came off, but he said that the wire would have to be removed pre-surgery, just for better access to your jaw.

Yes, it is surgery. I took a tranquilizer that the implant guy prescribed and then got local anesthetic in my jaw. I don't remember a thing after they swabbed my face and mouth with an antiseptic. Honestly, that's the last thing I remember. My husband drove me home and I took a long nap.

Knock wood, I haven't had any problems or any pain in the 4 days since the surgery. I'm taking an antibiotic and using Chlorhexidine mouthwash and rinsing with dilute peroxide.

The implants will heal for several months and then my dentist will install the teeth on them.

So, that's my story so far. I have a checkup with the implant guy in two weeks. Oh, and I guess the biggest problem is that I haven't been wearing my retainer since the implants went in because I need to go to my ortho to get it adjusted. You don't want to mess up the posts while they are healing.

Hope this helps. The biggest pain is in the pocketbook. Most insurance companies don't cover implants.

What I was told was the space needs to be 6.5 mm. Greater is better. I'll end up about 2 mm short unless the molars are moved. Since we're talking premolar spaces, I'd just as soon move them forward and save the hassle of a bridge. In the months ahead, I'll see which way Dr. P wants to go.

The downside of implants is the cost. The upside is they are for all intents and purposes permanent. Bridges have a bit of a limited life span.

Good luck.

Mike

I'd just like to reiterate that, if at all possible, you should talk with an implant specialist as soon as you can. I talked with my dentist first, who sent me to an implant specialist, recommended the ortho I went to, and finally recommended the oral surgeon I went to.

If you're considering implants, you may as well find out if you are a candidate before you get too far down that path. If you're not a candidate, your braces treatment might take a different direction.

Hope this helps.

Here's some great video's showing implant surgery from start to finish.

Blue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZ-ysWXQ ... ed&search=

Check this video if u wnat a idea of what's involved. Warning ...Can be gross n Bloody but hey isn't all surgery.

Here's one using mini implants. Yes there are different types so always do your research

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Dn-31yv ... ed&search=

Here's one for the Molars (Back Teeth) that require 2 implants for these bigger teeth.

I might have to get this when braces come off.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7r-pr4w ... ed&search=

Here's one where the Pre-Molar is pulled and a immediate implant is used .


PS: Pre-Molar's are the teeth on the sides right after the canines.

Center teeth are you Centrals ..then Lateral's then canines then pre molars 1st and 2nd... then your Molars 1st and 2nd then your wisdom teeth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGqYP1nw ... ed&search=

Here's one for the entire upper teeth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CAUdiRt ... ed&search=

This one is good also. They use ceraroot zirconia and show how the mold is made.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLmNjm_f ... ed&search=

This one is great !! Shows how a bone graft is done first then implant. Wait a few secs when u think it ends cause the vid will show you the end results with tooth in place.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EnVRc-j ... ed&search=

Hmmm A dentist invented Bubble Gum !!!

See how it's made..LOL

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z69N3zwJ ... ed&search=

thanks so much fro all the feedback-its interesting stuff.. the procedure isnt what i expected at all, ie having to wait a few months for the tooth! Although i hear u can get a temporary tooth called a flipper? i think saw a picture of one and it look like a retainer with a tooth on the side! is ithat what a flipper is like?

Bluerain,

I need an implant. After watching that first video, I think I may look at other options. I started thinking about that steel rod in my face, and I think a space sounds just fine now!

I had a lower jaw implant in March 2006. Nothing to it.

I think I took an Advil that night, but overall it was not painful to me. The most painful part was the liquid diet that I had to be on for 1 week afterward. You just have to be extra vigilent with the prescription mouthwash to prevent infection and you can't brush your teeth right away.

Good luck. It is not bad at all.

I just wanted to say that this thread has me SOOO freaking excited!! I had a missing lateral, and that is the reason I got braces. All my teeth had moved forward to fill the gap and I ended up with my midline shifted an entire tooth to one side. (The dreaded "middle tooth") I had barely any gap at all and my ortho used a spring to open up the space it was very easy! (In my case) I met with the oral surgeon last month and I am all set for the implant surgery. I was a little nervous, but after reading about your experience, BettyBat, I must say I'm now very excited! I definitely agree that things need to be discussed with your ortho/dentist/oral surgeon! My three have been communicating for months as all their efforts must be coordinated to achieve the best results. Good Luck!

Erin

Thanks, Erin. It's been a week since my implant surgery and I can say that I really don't notice any pain at all. I'm not supposed to chew in those spots - I can have food that "can be cut with a fork" and I have to rinse with Chlorhexidine twice a day and hydrogen peroxide twice a day. But, so far so good.

Best of luck to you, also.

badbite wrote:Bluerain,

I need an implant. After watching that first video, I think I may look at other options. I started thinking about that steel rod in my face, and I think a space sounds just fine now!

Did you watch them all ?

The first one is really nasty but the rest aren't bad at all. Watch them all as there are different ways and smaller implants (Mini)

Takecare

Blue

I just had an implant place to replace my hopeless #3. I miss hopeless, but the worst part of the process was the extraction and bone graft. The actually placement was quick and painless. I had it placed friday and am doing great. The mouth wash makes my want to gag but other then that NBD. It goes case by case as my OS said, but you really dont want to push the limits of the implants if you dont have enough room you may want to consider other options.
It is also important to note that implants are not covered by most insurances, and if you have to have an extraction and graft before the implant is placed it can be expensive. in my case it was $500 US for the extraction, graft and imagining (ct scan) and an additional 1750 for the implant also consider that after all this you have to get a tooth and that can run from 750 to 820 in my area. To be honest if I had to pay full price for all this I would not be having it done. Working for a dentist has made it possible for me to have this all done.

I watched the second video ---Was that guy awake for that?

I watched the third. Do you hear that cracking sound when the dentist was placing on the tooth? Also, you could see the metal part when he was done. Is that normal?

Okay, the last one is the worst! I just wen and brushed my teeth really really well.

I never used to be sensitive about stuff like this until The OS pulled one of my HEALTHY teeth. It was #30, and my biggest tooth (I had just pd $900 for a crown too). Now I am left with a big hole in my mouth. I tink the space will get smaller after braces (I have crowding issues). Is it possible to only need a mini implant on a back tooth?

You see, I am going to have to pay for all of my treatment. $3750 for braces, $4100 for SARPE, $35,000 ($) for upper jaw advancement, so the implant cost does not make matter at that point. I will be in major debt any way you look at it. $10,000 may as well be a million to me.

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

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