# Dental implants?



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Had it done?  What was your experience?  I've had two of four done so far.  Implant done by oral surgeon.  Then teeth put on implants by my dentist.  This past Wednesday when dentist was going to put first tooth on . . . implant failed!  He had to use force to get implant cap off.  Don't know why that was.  Then the whole implant came out.    Have to start all over on that one.  The other one was OK.  Then do the last two later this year or early next.  $$$$$$$


----------



## Tam (Jan 7, 2010)

Oh my goodness! That's horrible! What did your oral surgeon say? 

My husband is a general dentist who does the implant crowns after the implant has been completed and healing is approved by the OS. I've never heard of an implant coming out that easily- or at all for that matter - it makes me wonder if it wasn't healed as much as it should have been... Sometimes the healing process is longer than others, depending on how much healthy bone was in the jaw, etc.  I hope your implant can be redone without additional surgical costs to you!

Our patients that have had implants have been very happy once the process is finished. I hope all goes well with the rest of your treatment and the reading of the failed implant...


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Tam said:


> Oh my goodness! That's horrible! What did your oral surgeon say?
> 
> My husband is a general dentist who does the implant crowns after the implant has been completed and healing is approved by the OS. I've never heard of an implant coming out that easily- or at all for that matter - it makes me wonder if it wasn't healed as much as it should have been... Sometimes the healing process is longer than others, depending on how much healthy bone was in the jaw, etc. I hope your implant can be redone without additional surgical costs to you!
> 
> Our patients that have had implants have been very happy once the process is finished. I hope all goes well with the rest of your treatment and the reading of the failed implant...


Both oral surgeon and dentist said it's rare, but implant failing does happen. Lucky me?! It had been in a little over four months. So yesterday OS did a little surgery. He said implant hole looked same a when he drilled it. He filled it / around it with bone compound and stitched it up. Will wait at least four months, probably more, for that to harden hard and then drill a hole again and put implant in. Then wait another four months or more to put tooth on that implant. All at no additonal $$$ to me.

My previous dentist said I have a high pain tolerance. The worst of it all, the only time I feel really any pain, is getting the novocaine shots. He uses topical something before the shots, but OWWWWW. I don't like those shots.


----------



## *Sandy Harper* (Jun 22, 2011)

You're a tough person sandpiper. I am feeling your pain just reading it. I wish you all the best with your implants.
sandy


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

It needs to be done, but the biggest pain is in the wallet!


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

I've had one dental implant, done by a man who was an MD and a DDS -- rare. 

The reason I needed the implant was because I had knocked my tooth out when I was 8 or so, sliding on the rug in the hallway. They didn't seal it up properly, and the bone got infected. I had surgery to remove the infection twenty years ago, but they didn't get it all. X-rays in 2009 showed infection there. 

The MD/DDS had to drill way up into my skull to remove the infection, and then do a bone graft. He let that heal for 6 months before he put the implant in. He let that heal for 6 months before he would put the crown on the implant and let me bite on it. It finished up in June of 2010, just about exactly two years ago. So far, so good.


----------



## spotsmom (Jan 20, 2011)

Sandpiper, I'm with you.  Once the novacaine is in, I'm fine.  HOWEVER, in my long experience with members of the dental profession, it is HOW the novacaine is given.  It doesn't particularly have to hurt.  My dentist (who I go to in large part because he is a wonderful novacaine giver) says that most dentists inject it way too fast.  He does it very slowly, and I can hardly feel it.  The guy who did my implant really hurt me.  I asked my dentist beforehand if I could come into his office, have him give me the novacaine, and then head over to the implant guy.  Unfortunately, he said no.

Glad they're not charging you anything.  They shouldn't.

Hang in there, kiddo.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

spotsmom said:


> Sandpiper, I'm with you. Once the novacaine is in, I'm fine. HOWEVER, in my long experience with members of the dental profession, it is HOW the novacaine is given. It doesn't particularly have to hurt. My dentist (who I go to in large part because he is a wonderful novacaine giver) says that most dentists inject it way too fast. He does it very slowly, and I can hardly feel it. The guy who did my implant really hurt me. I asked my dentist beforehand if I could come into his office, have him give me the novacaine, and then head over to the implant guy. Unfortunately, he said no.
> 
> Glad they're not charging you anything. They shouldn't.
> 
> Hang in there, kiddo.


My previous dentist injected the novocaine with a lot of quick sticks with the needle. This oral surgeon does it with just a few longer sticks. I prefer the more quick sticks. Not gonna die from either, but in all the dental work I've had done (a lot) that's the only time I've felt pain. Getting the novocaine injections.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

CheriseKelley said:


> I've had one dental implant, done by a man who was an MD and a DDS -- rare.
> 
> The reason I needed the implant was because I had knocked my tooth out when I was 8 or so, sliding on the rug in the hallway. They didn't seal it up properly, and the bone got infected. I had surgery to remove the infection twenty years ago, but they didn't get it all. X-rays in 2009 showed infection there.
> 
> The MD/DDS had to drill way up into my skull to remove the infection, and then do a bone graft. He let that heal for 6 months before he put the implant in. He let that heal for 6 months before he would put the crown on the implant and let me bite on it. It finished up in June of 2010, just about exactly two years ago. So far, so good.


Sounds like it was an upper tooth? Less bone in the upper jaw than lower. Usually an upper implant that fails. Mine was. My oral surgeon usually talks about four months for implant to take hold and more like five or six for bone graft to set. Six for both sounds good -- especially for upper jaw implant.

Good to hear you're still doing well at two years.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Sandpiper said:


> Sounds like it was an upper tooth? Less bone in the upper jaw than lower. Usually an upper implant that fails. Mine was. My oral surgeon usually talks about four months for implant to take hold and more like five or six for bone graft to set. Six for both sounds good -- especially for upper jaw implant.
> 
> Good to hear you're still doing well at two years.


*knocks on wood!*

Yep, it was an upper tooth, not one of my two front teeth, but right next to one of them.

My dentist warned me not to let anyone clean the implant crown with a sonic teeth cleaning device, saying those can weaken implant crowns. I have my first appointment since our move out of state on July 18, and I am anxious about telling him hot to clean my implant crown with the sonic thingie.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

CheriseKelley said:


> My dentist warned me not to let anyone clean the implant crown with a sonic teeth cleaning device, saying those can weaken implant crowns. I have my first appointment since our move out of state on July 18, and I am anxious about telling him hot to clean my implant crown with the sonic thingie.


I'll have to bring that up with the hygienists when I go for semi-annual cleaning next month.


----------



## Raffeer (Nov 19, 2008)

Dental implants? HA! I have a mouthful, in fact, I ONLY have implants. The first ones went in in '86 (when they first came into the country), most were not successful and were removed in the early 90's. The new (90's are new for some of us) ones are fine. Absolutely no problem. I use a waterpik religiously and have had no issues.
When mine were implanted it was a very long process, months of wearing temporary fixtures as each section was done. It probably took longer due to the necessity of bone grafts. I am watching a grand daughter go through the same process to replace four front teeth. Again the bone implant has delayed the process tremendously.
I noted someone commenting on cleaning the crown. Not sure why it (the crown) would need cleaning. Aren't they porcelain or the equivalent? FWIW mine have never been "cleaned" and they look great with normal care
As long as a skilled, *experienced* practitioner is at the helm there should be no problems. Experienced with implants that is.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Raffeer said:


> As long as a skilled, *experienced* practitioner is at the helm there should be no problems. Experienced with implants that is.


Good to hear.  Only need four. Not front. Not way back. Molars?

I found a dental web site with tons of info. That's good and bad. Kind of scary to read some of the stuff . . . so I'm pretty much not.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Sandpiper said:


> Good to hear.  Only need four. Not front. Not way back. Molars?
> 
> I found a dental web site with tons of info. That's good and bad. Kind of scary to read some of the stuff . . . so I'm pretty much not.


In the immortal words of Tom Petty, "The waiting is the hardest part."

The waiting is the most important part, though, according to the MD/DDS who did my implant. Here's hoping this time yours waits long enough for each step to heal, before going on to the next step.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

CheriseKelley said:


> In the immortal words of Tom Petty, "The waiting is the hardest part."
> 
> The waiting is the most important part, though, according to the MD/DDS who did my implant. Here's hoping this time yours waits long enough for each step to heal, before going on to the next step.


I can wait. Not overly anxious to get it done. This way I can spread out payments some. Both oral surgeon (24 months) and dentist (12 months) offer no-interest Care Credit payment plans. I've used it before. It works for me.


----------



## *DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) (Jan 19, 2011)

Have a question, I just thought. I wonder if anyone with dental implants can share their experience with airport security. Do these interfere with metal detector?


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Have a question, I just thought. I wonder if anyone with dental implants can share their experience with airport security. Do these interfere with metal detector?


Good question!

Mine didn't. I went through two different airports, too: Seattle, WA and Burbank, CA.


----------



## Raffeer (Nov 19, 2008)

*DrDLN* (dr.s.dhillon) said:


> Have a question, I just thought. I wonder if anyone with dental implants can share their experience with airport security. Do these interfere with metal detector?


Absolutely not! No problems and I have travelled extensively and been through all types of metal detectors.


----------



## traceya (Apr 26, 2010)

I'll be praying that all goes well for you Sandpiper.  I may well end up in the same boat, I've got an appointment with the dentist July 12 to see about my cracked and broken top teeth.  I've lost one, near the front, already, have a major crack from top to bottom in another and one that's broken in half - all happened in the space of a month but my teeth just went to hell in a hand basket all of a sudden.  Now I'm not sure what the dentist will recommend as a way of repairing but I'm fully expecting to lose more of my top teeth - no smiling from me for a while


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Good luck with it all, Tracey.  As I said, the only pain I felt was getting novocaine shots and pain in the wallet.  No dental insurance.


----------



## traceya (Apr 26, 2010)

Fortunately we have free dental care in Oz for those on low incomes such as myself so the money won't be a big problem.  I'm not looking forward to the shots as they do hurt like a son of a [email protected]#$ but what has to be done has to be done I guess.  It would be nice to be able to smile again without looking like an eight year old orphan waiting for Christmas


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

traceya said:


> It would be nice to be able to smile again without looking like an eight year old orphan waiting for Christmas


Once I had been to my dentist and he pulled the rotted tooth and did the first surgery, he made a retainer with a fake tooth that covered up the temporary gap in my teeth. I wore that for a year while I waited for the implant to be done. I hated it, but I wore it anyway because I know what you mean about looking like "an eight year old orphan waiting for Christmas." Well said.


----------



## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

I have one, finished with the crown just a few months ago.  My surgeon is fantastic.  I didn't even take pain killers after the various surgeries with the implant.  The crown was made and put in by a dental cosmetic surgeon.  I'm so happy with the result that I think in the future it's worth the extra cost of just having the implant done off the bat, instead of going for a regular crown for a few years first.  I guess it does happen that a body will reject an implant (I wonder if that's what was happening with the OP?), but supposedly it's very rare.  My surgeon warned me that it was a possibility though.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

DYB said:


> I have one, finished with the crown just a few months ago. My surgeon is fantastic. I didn't even take pain killers after the various surgeries with the implant. The crown was made and put in by a dental cosmetic surgeon. I'm so happy with the result that I think in the future it's worth the extra cost of just having the implant done off the bat, instead of going for a regular crown for a few years first. I guess it does happen that a body will reject an implant (I wonder if that's what was happening with the OP?), but supposedly it's very rare. My surgeon warned me that it was a possibility though.


Happy to hear these positive results stories. I haven't needed pain killers after various procedures either.

I just keep wondering why the implant came out. I doubt very much it was a matter of rejection. To me it felt like the dentist was using a good bit of force to unscrew the implant cap (not tooth cap). More than he should have? Should have needed to? Or maybe after four months, the implant still should not have come out? Should have been in rock solid? I don't know. If it was something done in error by dentist (or surgeon), doubt I'll get straight story. I'm still OK with both of them. Now just waiting time between procedures. Nothing more to be done until at least October.


----------



## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

Sandpiper said:


> Happy to hear these positive results stories. I haven't needed pain killers after various procedures either.
> 
> I just keep wondering why the implant came out. I doubt very much it was a matter of rejection. To me it felt like the dentist was using a good bit of force to unscrew the implant cap (not tooth cap). More than he should have? Should have needed to? Or maybe after four months, the implant still should not have come out? Should have been in rock solid? I don't know. If it was something done in error by dentist (or surgeon), doubt I'll get straight story. I'm still OK with both of them. Now just waiting time between procedures. Nothing more to be done until at least October.


I was told to wait at least 6 months before going for the crown. Which is what happened before the surgeon sent me in to get the crown. I can't even imagine how much force would be needed to tear the implant out!! The thing should be in there rock solid, part of the bone. That's why it's an implant and is better than a regular crown. A crown on an implant might break like any tooth, I suppose. But the implant itself should be part of the body now.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

My oral surgeon who did implants said if bone graft not involved, implant would be ready for tooth cap at four months.  Two posters here have said SIX months.  I do have one tooth cap that went on at four months.  That one seems OK.  Three implants to do yet.  (One is the do-over.)  Only one does not involve bone graft.  Will wait six months on that one also.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

I'm sure I'll never know the truth of the matter.  Dental practice I go to is two dentist practice.  Older dentist (Dr. P) and his younger associate (Dr. H) who I have been seeing.  I've been going there only since this past January.  I like them both.  I was there last week for semi-annual cleaning / check-up.  Dr. P said Dr. H is no longer there.  He gave me some double-talk as to why.  Hmmmm.  I'm thinking something Dr. H did was, at least, good part of reason why implant came out.  

ETA:  And a cap that Dr. H replaced (not on implant) in January is now loose.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

How's it going with the implants now, Sandpiper?

I just got my teeth cleaned the other day, by a licensed oral hygienist.  She was on the back of the implant when she made a funny noise and said, "Oh wow. Just a sec. I need to look at your x-rays. There is a weird purple dot behind this tooth."

"That's an implant," I said.

"Oh! Really?  Wow!  Well that explains it.  Gosh, that is a great implant job!  It looks like a real tooth!"

So, even a licensed oral hygienist can need to be reminded that we have implants.


----------



## DYB (Aug 8, 2009)

Cherise Kelley said:


> How's it going with the implants now, Sandpiper?
> 
> I just got my teeth cleaned the other day, by a licensed oral hygienist. She was on the back of the implant when she made a funny noise and said, "Oh wow. Just a sec. I need to look at your x-rays. There is a weird purple dot behind this tooth."
> 
> ...


That's funny! Once time I went to an eye doctor for a check up. He happened to be the one who several years previously did my Lasik. But they couldn't find my chart when I showed up because I came to a different office than the one they used to occupy and so they had to create a new chart for me as I was a new customer. As he was examining me he said: "You had Lasik. They did a really good job. Who did it?" I laughed. He said: "What? Was it me?"


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Nothing more to report.  Week after the cleaning, Dr. P took loose cap off (that Dr. H had originally put on) and did better job of putting it back on.  Had to do a little filling.  Said I have night grinding going on.  GAVE me a bite guard.  Next thing is single implants on upper and lower left in later October.  That will be six months after bone graft / sinus lift on upper left.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Sandpiper said:


> GAVE me a bite guard. Next thing is single implants on upper and lower left in later October. That will be six months after bone graft / sinus lift on upper left.


Hm, interesting that they GAVE you the bite guard...

Glad they are waiting the 6 months after the bone graft. I had to wait 6 more months after that before they would put the crown onto the implant. Be prepared for more waiting.

DYB: That's funny, too!


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Cherise Kelley said:


> Hm, interesting that they GAVE you the bite guard...


It was gratis. Dr. P said value is app. $300. Maybe in part due to not such good work, I'm guessing, that Dr. H did? I do like Dr. P alot and the hygienists and office staff in his practice. Someone on another message board o) referred me to him.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Sandpiper said:


> It was gratis. Dr. P said value is app. $300. Maybe in part due to not such good work, I'm guessing, that Dr. H did? I do like Dr. P a lot and the hygienists and office staff in his practice. Someone on another message board o) referred me to him.


Yes, that all sounds very fishy, the bit about Dr. H no longer working there. Here's praying the implant takes this time, with no muss nor fuss!


----------



## Jan Hurst-Nicholson (Aug 25, 2010)

As a child I was scared of the dentist. As an adult I'm scared of the dentist's bill  .


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Jan Hurst-Nicholson said:


> As an adult I'm scared of the dentist's bill .


Right. The bill is the scariest part. The only place a dentist has ever hurt me is in the wallet.

I've really only seen total of three dentists in my life. (Lot of years when I didn't.  Won't go into reasons why.) During my childhood years, it was only dentist and his receptionist. No one else. Dentist did all dental work. Could not understand in later years why he needed a dental assistant, etc. He did all the work by himself at one time. Now he needs help? It's gonna cost me more. I didn't like that.


----------



## StephenLivingston (May 10, 2011)

Good luck for the rest of your implants Sandpiper.  I'm interested to hear as many stories from people with dental implants as I can as I'm considering that route for myself in the future.  Keep us posted.
Best wishes, Stephen Livingston.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Two implants on the left (one upper, one lower) were done yesterday.  Same as previous.  No problems.  No pain to speak of.  Only part of the whole procedure that I don't like are the actual shots of novocaine.  That HURTS.  A little screaming and squirming from me.  As the surgeon said -- worse pain (much) without the novocaine.  Wouldn't do that.  I survived.  One more to go in a couple months -- upper right that failed four months ago.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Sandpiper said:


> Two implants on the left (one upper, one lower) were done yesterday. Same as previous. No problems. No pain to speak of. Only part of the whole procedure that I don't like are the actual shots of novocaine. That HURTS. A little screaming and squirming from me. As the surgeon said -- worse pain (much) without the novocaine. Wouldn't do that. I survived. One more to go in a couple months -- upper right that failed four months ago.


I'm glad it went OK.

A few weeks ago, I was eating taffy and it pulled the crown right off of my implant. That part didn't hurt, but the little inner attachment was easily bent by my lip, which caused pain up in the bone where it is implanted, until the dentist got the crown cemented in place once more.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Cherise Kelley said:


> A few weeks ago, I was eating taffy and it pulled the crown right off of my implant. That part didn't hurt, but the little inner attachment was easily bent by my lip, which caused pain up in the bone where it is implanted, until the dentist got the crown cemented in place once more.


So the implant was OK? Didn't come out or become loose? That would NOT be good.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Sandpiper said:


> So the implant was OK? Didn't come out or become loose? That would NOT be good.


Yeah, the implant was OK. Just the crown came off. But, the implant was uncomfortable without the crown on it. It was only that way for 24 hours (happened on a Sunday).


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Final check-up today on the two implants done on October 30.  Caps / teeth on those after six months.  Implant scheduled for January 11 for the implant that failed on June 27.  Bone graft on that one was done June 29.  Oral surgeon said today he might do that the "old fashioned" way -- stitch the gum closed over it as opposed to a post poking through the gum which is screwed into the implant.  That way it's completely covered while implant "takes" which might be better as this one is a redo.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

It's a long process. The waiting is the hardest part!


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Last implant, which was the re-do, was done this morning.  He did not do it the "old fashioned way" (stitch it closed).  He put the implant cap on it.  Happy about that.  I don't want to experience novocaine shots again.  That needle stuck in the gum is the worst of the whole implant procedures.  It HURTS.  Other than that, getting implant is no biggie.  After a few visits for oral surgeon to check on implant, I won't see him again. Sorta  .  I like him and his assistants / professionals and office staff.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Glad to hear it went well. Yay!


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Completely finished with it all.  Got the cap on the fourth implant (which was first implant done and failed after four months) on August 22.  DONE!


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

So glad to hear it's all done!

My implant is bothering me just a little since last Halloween when the cap came off thanks to some taffy. I hope it resolves. It is bothering less and less, but yikes, that was almost a year ago.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

My four implants are fine. I have a cap that keeps coming lose on another tooth. Dentist talks about an implant on that one. I'm not into spending that kind of $$ now. Being an upper, that one may require a bone graft / sinus lift procedure.  For now, dentist keeps trying different cements. I suggest Super glue. Gorilla glue. 

Through the years I've had a number of root canals. Never any pain involved due to procedure. I don't understand all the complaints about it. Received this article from my dentist.


----------



## Cherise (May 13, 2012)

Glad to hear yours are fine. Mine is too!

I had to have this implant because a quack dentist did a root canal in 1971 and left it 'open to drain' for a week!   Naturally, infection set in. It hurt like... all the way up to the top of my head.

The weird thing is, the infection didn't show up on an x-ray until recent years, 2006ish. The recent dentist said x-rays had improved and they could now see the rot in my upper jaw. He said I had maybe 15 years before it ate into my brain. I was in my 40s.


----------



## Sandpiper (Oct 28, 2008)

Open to drain?!    Yeah, and all kinds of stuff could get in there to cause infection . . . which it did.  My dentist is concerned when this cap which is over a root canal gets slightly lose for that reason.  Infection.


----------

