I am in need of ADVICE! (this is long and complicated)

[Zac]

I am going to explain everything as I need advice on teeth.

I was on vacation this week and I bit into a ginger snap and the molar tooth furthest back chipped...or I thought it chipped. In fact, it broke in half from decay. What happened was the tooth was most likely cracked a long time ago and over time, junk grew inside of it and caused it to literally collapse. While I have been trying to go out and what not, the pain is very much so and so I am home on a Saturaday when I should be at good friend's birthday party. But life goes on and she will understand. Now we will get into some background information.

I was born without 2 permanant molars. These are the 2 nearest to the canines and are very visable. After going through a bunch of BS with keeping the baby teeth for 18 years until the root just gave out and semi-fake teeth, last year I got something called dental implants. Simply said, these implants are a titanium rod that goes into the jawbone and has a specially made tooth which is laser cut attached to it. It looks perfectly real, feels real, never needs to be removed, is fully permanant, allows normal eating habits, and allowed me to make a full smile again (it may be somewhat shallow but I am very conscious of my looks and especially teeth). This is a relatively new technology which will in time replace partials and bridges. As of now, it is considered cosmetic. For anyone who has suffered from other means of teeth and then gotten implants, they understand why I reasoned in paying $5,000 a tooth. Dental implants are undoubtely the best thing to hit teeth since flouride.

Now; I have a tooth which has gone bad and are faced with a few options. It is the tooth which is most used for crushing and grinding food. As of now, the decay was drilled off and their is a (quick fix for a bit) special filling put over the tooth. However, it hurts like crazy. The cheaper option involves crowning the tooth. I was told in all honestly (by my normal dentist who does not even do implants), that given the pressure the tooth takes, my age, and where I chew that this will by no means be a 'long term' fix and that there is no way to be positive it still will not hurt nor that it will perform well for a long period of time. Obviously, looks mean nothing in this case as I could not see the broken tooth without 3 mirrors. I have a few friends with crowns and they occasionally give out, cause pain and look exceptionally fake...mind you I do not know their dentist and the idea of implants is still new to them as the older you are, generally the slower you are to accept new ideas. An implant in this case would mean a tooth even better than the original. The main part of resolving the problem is attaining a functioning tooth. So you ask, why not get the darned implants?!?! The main barrier is price and time. The oral surgeon who did my other two implants is renown and quite frankly, I could not be happier with him...so why switch? While he is a few bucks more than most dentists who do implants, he does the best, just like Spyderco does the best in knives. Both are pioneers and experts of their respected fields.

The costs for the entire process is about $5,000 and spans over about 4-6 months. The time is well worth it and the money is too, however, that is a large investment, but not impossible for me to do. If I do this, I would need to start making sacrafices and probably sell some things as well (don't worry, not my Spydercos). I'm just confused as what to do and trying to reason 5 grand. If I do this, it would mean not getting a new vehicle as I was planning on doing soon. Any thoughts?

[DAYWALKER]

Aloha Zac,

Whoa buddy, I feel for you. I had some major dental work done sometime last year. See, I know I had some fillings missing and teeth cracked from either fights, training, faceplants from my BMX Freestyle days (pre-XGames...why do you think Raven and those dudes wear FULL Face helmets!) or a combo of all. At the time, I had no good dental plan, so I procrastinated in getting anything done and suffered. Example: "Wow, this shave ice is great and AAAAAAARRRRRRGHHHHHH!!!" LOL!!! However...

I think you KNOW the answer to your situation...the "vibes" from your thread says so.

New cars and such can always be bought later. Just think, with the price of gas, you could get your chompers fixed!

Seriously though, take care of that mouth. It's the only one you have.

God bless, take care, and choose wisely.

[zenheretic]

If a crown is less than permanent for that tooth than you can expect to have two or more crowns in your life time. Weigh the cost of the total number of crowns needed (not to mention time and pain suffered) vs the titanium tooth. Get a few more Ti teeth and you can become Jaws (of James Bond fame).

[TeamAlan]

my dad tried everything out there for a tooth that got knocked out in childhood. the implant is the way to go as a permanent fix. the sacrafices you make now will pay off in the long run as you wont have to periodically refix your problem.

[silverback]

Get another opinion from another dentist, the more informed you are, the better.
But the bottom line is: You probably know what you want already. :)
The only problem I see is that your preferred solution will cost you a lot over the years, as you replace every bad tooth with the expensive implant...
Start saving now.

[yablanowitz]

Let me get this straight...you shelled out ten grand for implants on two teeth that were used less but showed, but you hesitate to spend five grand for one that will be used more, because it doesn't show. Okay, I'm a ugly old bald fart, so I really never caught on to the whole vanity thing, but I think it is more important to be able to chew than to be able to smile. My girlfriend has (well, had) bad teeth, with several crowns. The crowns kept coming off at odd times, and had to be replaced periodically as the remains of the tooth underneath deteriorated over time. She recently had all her upper teeth removed (the ones that were left) and had a denture fitted. That is where crowns lead. If that isn't a destination that appeals to you, put off buying a new car for a while and get the implant.

[Zac]

Let me get this straight...you shelled out ten grand for implants on two teeth that were used less but showed, but you hesitate to spend five grand for one that will be used more, because it doesn't show. Okay, I'm a ugly old bald fart, so I really never caught on to the whole vanity thing, but I think it is more important to be able to chew than to be able to smile. My girlfriend has (well, had) bad teeth, with several crowns. The crowns kept coming off at odd times, and had to be replaced periodically as the remains of the tooth underneath deteriorated over time. She recently had all her upper teeth removed (the ones that were left) and had a denture fitted. That is where crowns lead. If that isn't a destination that appeals to you, put off buying a new car for a while and get the implant.

The 10 grand shelled over those teeth were vital (and I had a bit of help paying for them)...I had no other options that would not destroy the other surrounding teeth which were exceptionally healthy (as I was born without adult molars) and if I left the gap there, it would close making all of my teeth gap significantly.

Down the road, your girlfriend may want to look at the implants available for the full mouth. No, these are nowhere near 5 grand a tooth but they are still expensive...however, I convinced my 72 year old great aunt to do it over removable dentures and she said it was like having her own teeth back again. So I guess you can never be too old as many people say they are too old to spend that kind of money,

I appreciate the comments everyone and I think I know what I have to do...

[KSDbass]

I would most DEFINITELY go with the dental implants like what you explained. I'll spare you the details, but I knocked my two front upper teeth out. The dentist just built new teeth out of dental glue (I forgot what it's called) but they kept breaking off, once while I was eating an apple, again while I wasn't even moving my mouth, a third time when i sneezed... so I got dental implants and I'm pretttty sure they're invincible... I've done everything from getting hit in the mouth with a lacrosse stick to biting on a flashlight, so like I said, I'd go with the dental implants. they were worth every penny.

[Rebeltruce]

ZAC,

If you have the financial capability get the implant.

Over this past weekend I was eating a Jolly Rancher candy, and pulled a crown off my bottom right molar. I have a few crowns, and over the years have had them be pulled off a couple times.

The price of a crown in my neck of the woods is 1000-1400 dollars per toothe, that is if a root canal is needed, and it almost always is.

To get my crown re-glued (i guess thats what they call it) is going to be anywhere fron 50-100 dollars. If the dentist has to re-do anything or if for some reason the old crown was damaged or won't fit correctly the price goes up......so a permanant solution is way better in my opinion.

Good luck!

[Zac]

Thanks for the advice everyone...I'm gonna do the implant. I can eat a few more PBJs and not eat out as much. No pain, no gain. And this gain in the long run pays itself off.