Anyone had dental implants?

[swee'pea99]

Another extraction, leaving one tooth (molar) standing rather forlornly between a brace of gaps. My dentist's talking about maybe getting implants, and I'm definitely interested - the idea of falsies doesn't appeal, and with luck I should have a decade or two to get my money's worth out of any investment. But we are talking a big investment. Also, I've heard of complications...things not quite working out...ongoing pain/discomfort....the need for follow up treatments, again at major expense...and so on. So, has anyone had them done? Worth it? Recommended? Regretted? Any thoughts appreciated.

 

[perplexed]

Another extraction, leaving one tooth (molar) standing rather forlornly between a brace of gaps. My dentist's talking about maybe getting implants, and I'm definitely interested - the idea of falsies doesn't appeal, and with luck I should have a decade or two to get my money's worth out of any investment. But we are talking a big investment. Also, I've heard of complications...things not quite working out...ongoing pain/discomfort....the need for follow up treatments, again at major expense...and so on. So, has anyone had them done? Worth it? Recommended? Regretted? Any thoughts appreciated.

I've never had one, but Mrs P has.

She has one tooth implant, inserted about 4 years ago which cost a few hundred quid. She's had no trouble with it at all and no pain. She's not had any follow up treatments (not required) other than routine dental check-ups.

The only thing is that the dentist could not give any guarentees regarding how long it would last. In theory therefore, it could've failed quite quickly - but conversely it might last for donkeys years.

So all I can say it was well worth it in her case, but hers was pretty simple - one tooth in a good base!

 

[I like Skol]

Mrs Skol had one of her top front teeth snapped off when she was nutted by my brothers boisterous dog a couple of years after we met.
It was replaced by an implant, pegged into the remaining base of her tooth. Still going strong now about..... 25+ years later

 

[EltonFrog]

Yes I had one, about ten years now it’s great. I had it done at a dental college in Portishead because it was half the cost. They did a good job, but feck me it hurt like hell for about five days after the main op.

 

[chriswoody]

My front tooth was rebuilt over ten years ago now, a metal post inserted into the gum and then the rest of the tooth rebuilt around that, with a crown over the top to protect it all. In all that time I've never had any pain or issues and it's still going strong. I also have a bridge inserted in the lower right side, where I'd lost the middle molar of three and one of the remaining molars was also in a poor state. The bridge itself was made in China, a fraction of the cost of a German made one and recommended by the dentist, however still bloomin expensive. Again, like the front tooth, it's been trouble free and works fine, but it is a lot younger at only 2 years old. All a legacy of some poor dental habits when I was younger sadly.

 

[Dave7]

Not had it done but have the decision to make shortly so without hijacking this.......may I ask a couple of extra questions.
1. Are you awake or asleep when they do it?
2. If awake is the operation painful?
I am a real whimp I admit.
My thinking at the moment is to go for a bridge glued to the next teeth. @swee'pea99 have you considered that?

 

[EltonFrog]

Not had it done but have the decision to make shortly so without hijacking this.......may I ask a couple of extra questions.
1. Are you awake or asleep when they do it?
2. If awake is the operation painful?
I am a real whimp I admit.
My thinking at the moment is to go for a bridge glued to the next teeth. @swee'pea99 have you considered that?

I was awake during the three different procedures and it didn’t hurt at the time, just later when the anaesthetic wore off On the last one.
I had a bridge for a while, feckin useless.

 

[swee'pea99]

Thanks all. Very interesting. Pain after the op I kind of expect and can live with (I had my eyes lazered using an old technique about 15 years ago - if I survived that I can survive anything.) But it's reassuring to hear so many 'it's been fine for years' accounts. If it was 'a few hundred quid' I'd probably be less hesitant - my dentist is quoting a grand a pop! Interesting to hear they can't guarantee any particular lifespan...I'd kind of assumed you have it done and that's it, for the duration. Anyway, thanks again - some valuable additions to the mull over pot...

 

[Smudge]

Mrs Skol had one of her top front teeth snapped off when she was nutted by my brothers boisterous dog a couple of years after we met.
It was replaced by an implant, pegged into the remaining base of her tooth. Still going strong now about..... 25+ years later

I've had that done, but it isn't an implant if the root of the tooth is left in place. A post is inserted in the tooth root and a crown tooth is placed on the post. Mine lasted for many years, but in the end the tooth root split and it had to be removed. I then had bridge for that gap attached to the adjacent teeth each side.
An implant has all the tooth removed, including the root, and the implant is screwed into the jawbone.

 

[kapelmuur]

I’m an absolute wimp where dental work is concerned, but I don’t recall any pain from having a molar implanted. Just a little discomfort.
You do get lots of warnings about the possibility of failure, these mainly concern keeping the area clean and preventing infection. Obviously this is good advice, but there’s a big CYA component.
The procedure isn’t cheap but I’m glad I had it done as I can now eat nuts, pork crackling and crusty bread without difficulty.

 

[Smudge]

Another consideration of implants, is if there is enough bone for the implant to screw into. People sometimes have to have a bone graft. An xray of your jaw can show if this is so, and it obviously adds to the overall cost.
I've considered having implants done, but the high cost with no guarantee, plus added costs of ongoing maintenance has put me off.

 

[midlife]

I've been involved in hundreds and hundreds of implants as it's part of my job. Best recommendation is to stay in the UK and have a consultation with someone who is recognised. Where are you?

 

[alicat]

@midlife is our resident expert, i believe.

I had two molars done last year. I went to a specialist recommended by my dentist. It cost me £4.5k including the extractions.

I am glad I had them done. However, some things I wished I had known are:

• I was very glad to go straight home after both the extractions and insertion of the implants. If someone can go with you to make the journey home easier, I recommend it.
• I have to floss under the implants religiously using expensive Superfloss. Expect to spend ages using TePe brushes and flossing every night and making very regular visits to your dentai hygienist for the rest of your life.
• Implants don't absorb biting forces as well as natural teeth. Apparently I clench my teeth in my sleep and having the implants has made that more apparent, especially on one side of my mouth. I tend to chew on the other side.

 

[swee'pea99]

£4.5k

PS Just mentioned this to my wife and she reminded me that they didn't quote me a grand a pop - it was 2K/gnasher.

 

[Dave7]

Thanks all. Very interesting. Pain after the op I kind of expect and can live with (I had my eyes lazered using an old technique about 15 years ago - if I survived that I can survive anything.) But it's reassuring to hear so many 'it's been fine for years' accounts. If it was 'a few hundred quid' I'd probably be less hesitant - my dentist is quoting a grand a pop! Interesting to hear they can't guarantee any particular lifespan...I'd kind of assumed you have it done and that's it, for the duration. Anyway, thanks again - some valuable additions to the mull over pot...

Yes, you would think that for a grand there would be some kind of money back guaranty.