Wellness

[Pasta Lover]

Hi,

I have many bridges done in the past because they always caused problems and had to be done again. Now for the last three weeks I have suffered pain and swelling on my left side where a bridge is located. Finally, I went last week to my dentist and did take an x-ray. He could not tell what was going on and said afterwards for me not to be shocked it I lost the tooth where the swelling and pain is. Then he refered me to a specialist for a consultation. That doctor had very bad news for me after he studied the x-ray. He told me that the tooth had to be extracted and talked about implants instead of bridges. Has anyone had implants done and how are they to take care of. Also, how expensive are they and the longevity.

Would love some feedback please and also, how long is the process.

Linda

[LilacTree]

I don't have any implants, but I do know they take a long time and are very expensive. How many teeth are involved under your bridge? Is he saying all of them should be replaced with implants. If so that is a huge undertaking and will cost you a fortune.

Why can't you just have the bad tooth removed and the bridge replaced? I'm not getting that. I do not trust that diagnosis.

I am myself just at the end of substantial dental work including bridges and crowns that had to be replaced after 30+ years.

Also, please be aware there are dental plans available with greatly reduced prices that you can join for $75 per year. You then go to a dentist who belongs to that plan and get 40% to 75% off their regular fees. If you are going to do something this expensive, it would be a good idea for you to review these plans first.

Google "Dental1" to see a listing of the plans in your area.

[hyacinth003]

It is expensive. My husband had one. It was somewhere between $3000 and $4000. His failed also. However, he was smoking, which I understand it is the #1 reason for failure. He did not go back and let them try again.

I can't remember, but it took awhile.

I have a missing bottom right tooth (never had a permanent tooth there, only baby tooth!) that I would love an implant for. The missing space is making my teeth move slightly.

My dentist said I could have a bridge, but they would have to mess with healthy teeth on either side. He didn't recommend that.

My husband has now lost a few more teeth. He is losing bone, which also happened extensively to his mother. So, now he has two bridges, yuck. It's not his fault, but I hate seeing him without front teeth. As long as he wears the bridges, I don't see it!

Hyacinth

[LilacTree]

On 11/20/2014 hyacinth003 said:

It is expensive. My husband had one. It was somewhere between $3000 and $4000. His failed also. However, he was smoking, which I understand it is the #1 reason for failure. He did not go back and let them try again.

I can't remember, but it took awhile.

I have a missing bottom right tooth (never had a permanent tooth there, only baby tooth!) that I would love an implant for. The missing space is making my teeth move slightly.

My dentist said I could have a bridge, but they would have to mess with healthy teeth on either side. He didn't recommend that.

My husband has now lost a few more teeth. He is losing bone, which also happened extensively to his mother. So, now he has two bridges, yuck. It's not his fault, but I hate seeing him without front teeth. As long as he wears the bridges, I don't see it!

Hyacinth

Depends on the person and how much it bothers them to have missing teeth. Some people don't care. I am not one of them. I care very much even at my age.

Yes those two healthy teeth would have to be shaved down so a bridge could be affixed. But then you would no longer have a space in your mouth. If you've always had it and it doesn't bother you then just forget about it.

I now have four bridges and several crowns in my mouth. There might be a couple of my real teeth in there somewhere, but otherwise, it's all dental work. Both of my parents had false teeth in their thirties and forties. I swore I would never have teeth that I had to take out at night when I went to bed. Thus, I took this path. It all depends on the individual, no one else really cares. It's a very subjective thing.

[shaggygirl]

Are you saying the pain and swelling is in the gumline above the bridge? I'm asking because twice in the past 6 months I've had that above a bridge, once to the point over a holiday weekend where even my cheek was swollen and tender, I looked like a chipmonk. In both cases it was because something while eating a little piece of who knows what got stuck up under the bridge and caused an infection. Both times the dentist flushed out the area, inserted with a pointed syringe kind of thing a long lasting antibiotic, (it works for 10 days) I think it was called Arestin up in there and put me on amoxicillin. Now in my case I'm older and my gums are receeding which doesn't help with getting things stuck up in there. This particular bridge has 3 teeth. Just telling you this because I'm wondering if that could be your problem.

[I am still oxox]

I had my implants done at a local hospital which was considerably cheaper then a local dentist and I got wonderful care. I was to find a local dentist who is associated with the hospital and he is doing a considerable amount of the work in his office.

I have 4 implants on the top and 2 on the bottom which will hold a clip on bridge, this means I will not have to wear "dentures"and once everything is done it should be great.

Right now the top is done and I have 6 weeks more until the bottom will be done, then a few months of measurements etc and I will be done

[lovesrecess]

I had an implant put in about 2 yrs ago in my upper left front....it was a 6 month process, $4K, and now I can't even tell its not my original tooth. I know there are commercials now for Clear Choice implants.....my dentist said he gets patients inquiring about that procedure all the time after they get treatment plans of $38-$50K from Clear Choice.

[Krimpette]

I have more implants than I can count. But I've had them for so long, I can't remember the exact number. I've never had any issues with any of them. However, I was going to get more on another side of my mouth and needed bone grafting. Unfortunately, the bone grafting failed so I live with a "flipper" now in that area.

[Mom2Dogs]

This might be a stupid question but are dentures so horrible that people go to a huge expense for bridge work that might fails.

Both my parents had dentures, and I do not recall it being an issue. If I had to make the choice between a bridge, implants or dentures I am not sure which way I would go until someone advised me about dentures.

Just a curious question

[pattypeep]

My dh and I both have implants. No problems with ours. Fortunately, our insurance helps a little bit, but it is still expensive. Our teeth are important to us, so we find a way to do it. Our dentist does not care to do bridges because it can compromise the good teeth that are holding the bridge together.