|   so Leel says to me... | Brodiegrrl
Nov 7, 2002 8:01 PM | | since I rarely fall on my face, do I really need Implants?
A question to anyone who has had either a bridge or an implant;
Why did you pick between one and the other?
Would you prefer the other?
Have you had any problems with your bridge or implant? if so what? |
| I prefer implants. | Zonic Man
Nov 7, 2002 9:25 PM | | For obvious reasons. |
| re: so Leel says to me... | Trav
Nov 8, 2002 7:06 AM | | If you can afford implants go that route. A bridge requires the reduction of some healthy bone structure. The bridge relies on the two reduced teeth as abutments leaving a space under the pontic or middle tooth leaving room for bacteria and the gunky stuff that causes bad breath. The implants are surgically inserted into the bone using titanium hardware that is like shot peened allowing the bone to naturally heal itself to the implant hardware. The implants are more hygenic. and they can be removed easily with a tiny srew that is on the occlusal surface of each implanted tooth. Alot of multi unit implants are also bridges just not abutted to other teeth. I hope this helps. Trav |
| How much of his teeth are left? | kristian
Nov 8, 2002 7:07 AM | | Would they pull them or would they build a crown-type bridge on top of what's left of his teeth? If they don't pull them, would they canal them before doing the bridge?
I landed face first on a BMX crash as a kid and chipped one of my teeth. I got it fixed and didn't think much more about it. Ten years later I had the most unbelievable pain in my sinuses. After a few trips to the doctor he sent me to the dentist and I ended up having THE MOST INCREDIBLY PAINFUL ROOT CANAL EVER! By that point the tooth was so infected that the novicaine didn't do anything. It felt like the dentist was drilling straight into my brain.
Anyways, it took 10 years for that tooth to die. It would really suck to have an expensive bridge built only to have the teeth die on you in the future. I've looked into implants before (for other teeth) and they seem to be the best alternative--very much worth the price difference. My father-in-law has a mouth full of implants and he has been very happy with them. |
| two are gone | Brodiegrrl
Nov 8, 2002 7:54 AM | | another is cracked.
The cracked one may not survive, so he may need three in the bridge. |
| recent crash? | islander
Nov 8, 2002 8:48 AM | | I hope this isn't from a recent crash ?! |
| Implants are quite expensive but worth it..... | Ebo
Nov 8, 2002 7:23 AM | | Hi Brodiegrrl. I hope Leel is feeling ok. About 3 years ago I had two implants done and so far so good. Cost was a little bit more than a bridge, but as others mentioned, the adjoining teeth are left alone. It takes about six month's for the foundation to heal after implants are put in. Then they put the teeth in. I also had to have an artificial bone graft done to build up the area. Insurance covered zip. Whole cost about $7k. Worth it? Yes! Boy would that have gone to some good bikes. Hope all goes well for Leel. Cheers. |
| re: so Leel says to me... | mcseforsale
Nov 8, 2002 8:39 AM | | I have a question along this thread, somewhat. Would a full-face helmet such as the Giro help in this instance? I'm on the fence about the full-face. I hope Leel can recover fully from this. Give him my best.
AJ (I lose teeth without falling)
mcseforsale@yahoo.com |
| Yes, it will help | kristian
Nov 8, 2002 9:15 AM | | For the last four years I've been using a Giro Switchblade with the face guard for XC riding and a Qrank Qamaqazi for DH riding and I'll NEVER again ride without a full face. As I mentioned in my post above, I've already had major dental work done from a riding injury and I don't plan on ever having that experience again. Of course, like everything else in the world, even the best full face might not protect your face in a hard crash--still I feel good knowing that there is at least something there.
Helmets like the Switchblade are XC helmets despite their face guard. If you plan on doing DH or agressive freeriding, get a full-on DH helmet. |
| I've had a bridge since 1986... | sdbelt
Nov 8, 2002 9:14 AM | | Bicycle car accident claimed one of my front middle teet and shattered an incisor as well. The other front tooth was fine. The shattered tooth needed a root canal, because the root was exposed. To attach the bridge, the shattered tooth was used along with the other front tooth that was otherwise fine. That tooth was ground down to a 1/4 of it's normal size (baby tooth size), but no root canal on that tooth.
So in my case, the bridge uses one shattered tooth and one otherwise good tooth to fill in where one tooth was completely gone.
I was told that a bridge is expected to last 20 years...that was 16 years ago. It seems as good as the day it was new to me. My gums have receeded slightly, and above the root canal tooth is visible a thin black line where the enamal no longer butts up completely to the gum.
From the sound of it, I would think these implants are an excellent alternative. In my case a cap over the root canal'd tooth and an implant for the missing tooth would have been enough. Another benefit, is that I expect implanted teeth are a bit smaller. To make my bridge look right (with no space between the fake teeth), the teeth of the bridge are slightly bigger than my old teeth.
--sdb |
| Implants - definitely | moneyman
Nov 8, 2002 11:28 AM | | Several years ago, I was in an emergency room for a non-cycling related incident. In walked an old lady (80ish) who complained that her jaw hurt after she had bitten into an apple. The MD took an xray and told her that her jaw was broken. She had dentures for 40+ years, and when you have dentures and /or bridges, the bone in your jaw actually wears away. This poor woman had a broken jaw from biting into an apple because so much of her jaw no longer existed. Implants prevent this.
I was missing a couple of molars for a long time. I had to have braces put on to straighten up my teeth (2 years) and then go for the implant surgery. The oral surgeon puts the patient under, drills into the jaw and implants the female end of the implants. He then screws in a cap to keep stuff out of the new female ends, and covers the whole thing with the skin flaps in the gums. Healing time - 3 to 6 months. Go back to the oral surgeon, he peels back the skin flaps and uncaps the holes. Healing time - couple weeks. Go to the DDS and he takes impressions and makes the teeth. A week later, you go back in and he installs the teeth on top of screws that go directly into the holes in your mouth. He actually uses an itty-bitty torque wrench to screw it in. By the time its all done, from diagnosis to shiny new bionic teeth, it took me about 4 years and $6,000 for two implants.
Expensive, complicated, sometimes painful - yes. Worth it - yes. They are permanent, and I will be able to eat apples when I am 80 years old.
$$ |
| lol - Jaws returns | Shockee
Nov 8, 2002 4:13 PM | | I'm amazed how much y'all know about prosthetics! Need to get more of my wife's patients on-side for implants (= new Porsches and Marzocchi Shivers for us). |
| geeze... | Brodiegrrl
Nov 8, 2002 5:45 PM | | You're mocking my guy!!!
Just you wait until you come up here buddy! |
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