Get him to show you the radiograph and explain why. Personally and this is only person opinion I would avoid implants as our gums recede and they are going to be a temporary measure until you need a denture. I cannot see the point to this, but then I cannot see any bone infection etc. Get him to justify why you should have it done, and removal of all teeth is not uncommon they are not designed to last as long as we live these days so gum and bone problems are not unusual, but the advantage of implants over plates / dentures is something he needs to explain.
I strongly support getting at least one more opinion. I’d also suggest getting more information about how this would be done.
To have all your teeth removed in the chair would take many many local anesthetic needles and a very very long and unpleasant time with your mouth open. The alternative would be a general anesthetic. This is something to be avoided at 77, as it seems that it sometimes can result in the onset of dementia or deterioration of any existing issues.
The next step would be a wait while your gums heal – at least a week, probably more. Plenty of time to find out about how to eat without teeth!
The following step would be hours and hours in the dentist’s chair with locals and your mouth open, while implant after implant is performed. Or of course another general anesthetic – probably several, as implants take longer than removals.
I have had all these procedures, but not together. General for wisdom teeth (age 24), a week when I couldn’t open my mouth wide enough to clean my teeth. Root canal (failed - age 65) then extraction with an aching jaw from keeping it open for what certainly seemed like hours. Implant for one tooth in my lower jaw, with my decision being not to repeat it if I lost another tooth. Then a decision that the dentist was more interested in major procedures and making money, and a change of dentist. I pass the rooms of the first one occasionally, and he now has a complete new expensive building.
I wouldn’t buy a car for $35,000 without researching another opinion. I certainly wouldn’t go along with this without another quote – and another one if the second comes up the same!
My dad had all of his teeth surgically removed in one visit. Took 44 minutes, a twilight type sedative and he walked out in an hour. So it doesn't have to be as traumatic as you describe.
No real food for 2 weeks was his biggest challenge, however, he really enjoyed all of the milkshakes that I gave him to reduce swelling and help with the pain.
He was getting dentures and it only took 3 weeks before the 1st fitting. We opted to wait until the swelling went down and saved 2k.
I would not invest $35k on teeth your age. It seems a bit unethical for a dentist to make such a recommendation. Did he give you other options besides expensive implants? You need to get 2nd opinion, maybe even a 3rd.
lealonnie1 - dental school procedures are done by students but monitored and checked at every step by a qualified dentist/professor. Dental students must have practiced enough on real patients before they can graduate. The costs are usually free to a fraction of the costs at a dental office. So, it's a win-win situation for patients and students.
My best friend and SIL are both dentists and they tell me those procedures they did in dental schools had to be done by the books, and checked by their professors.
The down side is the long wait for every procedure, because their professors had to check everything.
I do however would prefer a seasoned experienced dental surgeon to do my implant. But for cleaning and other usual procedures, I don't mind having a dental student work on me.
I have had one implant done by a very good dental surgeon. She was very gentle, very thorough, and the implant is still as firmly in place 10 years later as it was the day she put it in. Her fee is higher than others though, but worth it.
Dental school students do have their work checked, and corrected, by their professors to meet standards, which is good. However, the process of meeting those standards can be problematic. They don't have the practice or refined skills often needed for patients, especially people who fear dental work. They cam cause unnecessary pain, inappropriate use of medications (such as use of laughing gas), and guessing what to do next at the expense of the patient. Not all dental students get As.
Providing you have the funds, the desire for implants AND the bone mass to support such implants, yes you should do it, after getting a second opinion. I would never go to a 'dental school' to do ANYTHING having to do with my teeth, never. But that's just me.
The second option is dentures but only a top denture should be considered. A lower denture moves around too much and having both top & bottom is a nightmare for most people. If you're losing bone mass, you'll have to have a new denture made every couple/few years but that's no big deal from a cost or aggravation perspective either. It takes about 6 weeks to acclimate to a top denture; lots of pain and adjustments involved, but nothing compared to getting 16 implants which is a surgical procedure for EACH tooth. The up side of a top denture is it looks great all the time and once you get used to it, you can eat almost all foods with no problem. If you can keep most of your lowers (say the front 6) and get a partial plate, that would be your best bet in my opinion.
Are you satisfied with your life as a 77 year old obese toothless female?
I ask, because I wasn’t, so I lost over 100 pounds about 6 years ago, and had two massive root canals- major dentistry. If I need implants down the road, I’m ready.
My point is, that you’re really the boss. I had a super important reason to lose weight and save my teeth, so I gave it a shot and I was successful enough to now be a very happy 77 year old.
In your situation, I’d have my bone strength assessed first. Then you’d have a better idea about whether or not to proceed with the implants.
IF, at some point in the next five years, I get a recommendation for implants, I’ll certainly consider it.
I had my first implant 2 years ago (age 60) to replace an infected tooth under a cap. I am all-in on implants because of their permanent low maintenance and practicality. I have several more capped and crowned teeth that I plan to replace with implants at some point.
I had an aunt with dementia who went into a care facility and immediately lost her dentures (she probably either hid them or put them on her tray rolled in a napkin and got accidentally discarded). I will never have dentures or anything that may cause me problems in the future. I had an uncle who, at 92, did exactly what you are considering, just so he could eat steak again. And he did and it made him happy. There are so many indignities in aging and decline, and our teeth can cause us problems, from infections to appearance to needing liquid diets. I realize not everyone can afford implants but I think they should look at the most permanent and fuss-free options they can afford. After having to cart my in-laws to the School of Dentistry and try to get them into the chair with PD, chronic back pain and memory loss for a simple check-up, only to watch their teeth get grey and chip in half over time anyway, I decided that if at all possible, that won't happen to me. I have some impressive longevity in my family (my mom and all her 7 siblings lived well into their 90s and 1 is 101.5) and by God's grace if I live that long I want to look the least of a wreck as is possible. But that's just me and no judgments on anyone with a different viewpoint.
I'm not sure you should do all your teeth at once, and maybe do find out which are the "essential" teeth for chewing a larger range of food and do those only. FYI for mine, the dentist had to pull out the old tooth and it had to stay out for several months so that it could heal properly -- will you be toothless for 3 months? If you have bone loss they can put in a bone graft. Not sure about the healing time for that. Ask your periodontist.
I would shop all options, making certain I understood all possible outcomes, complications, and etc. If the remaining teeth you have a healthy and your gums are healthy there is little reason you would need to do this. It is a personal decision on which you measure your assets, what you wish to spend your assets on, and the outcome and complications. A personal decision for you.
My DH wanted a missing tooth replaced. He just wanted to do a bridge. To do that the dentist explained that they now (like when doing a crown)is drill down the teeth on each side and then put in a permanent piece of the 3 teeth. Seems the gold on the old bridges ate into the the teeth the bridge would anchor to. Since a crown cost at least $1000 that probably would have cost 3k. I probably would opt out for dentures. See if there is a dental school near you. But at your age, unless rich, 35k is a lot of money.
My Mum has a permanent bridge. She is 86 and got it in her 20's. Every 5-10 years it gets lose and on occasion comes out. She just takes the tooth back to the dentist and he secures it back in place. That tooth is 60 years old and unless you know it is fake, you cannot tell.
The price given is actually an average cost in our experience here. My son has 4 front top teeth as implants and that was $10,000. I got into a research program and have 3 lower molars for a discounted price of $3,000. I did check with several dentists on options and pricing. One specialist who I trust told me there are 6 particular teeth that if they can become implants, you would still be able to eat and chew. Unfortunately for me, an implant for a long-missing front top tooth failed. Turns out I am losing bone density. So that's why the dentist generously offered to give me one implant lower jaw and I paid for 2 adjacent molars.
Easy to say "pull them all" and "get dentures". But my Sjögrens Syndrome means that I will continue to have more and more bone density loss over time and I'm 69. So if I were to get dentures, they say I'd have to replace them every 2 years. I went with having more crowns, better dental preventive care, and hoping I can keep as many teeth as I can.
My former husband lost an upper tooth in 1992, not a front one, the molar beside his eye tooth. He asked out dentist about getting a referral for an implant and was refused. Why? He had had chronic sinus infections for years and the risk of piercing his sinus cavity when placing the post was far too great. This was for a healthy 24 year old.
I am sure technology has changed, but before our divorce he asked about his lower jaw where he was missing two molars. His remaining bone density was too low and he was not interested in having cadaver bone used to try to regrow the missing bone., He was 48 then.
While at 77 years old gumming your food doesn't seem like the best option. But, $35,000.00 for implants seems a bit expensive. I suggest you make a few calls as I am sure there are reputable dentists that won't cost you your life savings for implants. However, there has been mention about your gum bones being able to handle the implants and I totally agree with that. You have several teeth missing already and putting implants there may not be in your best interest. Give consideration to dentures as the cost is less and results for having teeth and not gumming your food for years to come. It seems to me the dentist is out for making money not for your financial or personal interest.
If you have rotting teeth you can have them pulled, but you do not need implants. You can decide if you want dentures, or you can do as my Dad has and gum your food from now on.
At 77 and with only 16 teeth now, I'd seriously doubt you have enough bone mass in your jaw to hold implants. That bone deteriorates when there are no teeth there.
My brother was born without permanent incisors (hereditary problem), and he's worn a removable bridge his whole life. Now he's in his early 60s and has been told for at least 10 years that he doesn't have adequate bone to do implants. Same for my mother-in-law -- missing a tooth for years, and inadequate bone for implants.
At the very least, get a second opinion from a reputable dentist.
To have all your teeth removed in the chair would take many many local anesthetic needles and a very very long and unpleasant time with your mouth open. The alternative would be a general anesthetic. This is something to be avoided at 77, as it seems that it sometimes can result in the onset of dementia or deterioration of any existing issues.
The next step would be a wait while your gums heal – at least a week, probably more. Plenty of time to find out about how to eat without teeth!
The following step would be hours and hours in the dentist’s chair with locals and your mouth open, while implant after implant is performed. Or of course another general anesthetic – probably several, as implants take longer than removals.
I have had all these procedures, but not together. General for wisdom teeth (age 24), a week when I couldn’t open my mouth wide enough to clean my teeth. Root canal (failed - age 65) then extraction with an aching jaw from keeping it open for what certainly seemed like hours. Implant for one tooth in my lower jaw, with my decision being not to repeat it if I lost another tooth. Then a decision that the dentist was more interested in major procedures and making money, and a change of dentist. I pass the rooms of the first one occasionally, and he now has a complete new expensive building.
I wouldn’t buy a car for $35,000 without researching another opinion. I certainly wouldn’t go along with this without another quote – and another one if the second comes up the same!
No real food for 2 weeks was his biggest challenge, however, he really enjoyed all of the milkshakes that I gave him to reduce swelling and help with the pain.
He was getting dentures and it only took 3 weeks before the 1st fitting. We opted to wait until the swelling went down and saved 2k.
My best friend and SIL are both dentists and they tell me those procedures they did in dental schools had to be done by the books, and checked by their professors.
The down side is the long wait for every procedure, because their professors had to check everything.
I do however would prefer a seasoned experienced dental surgeon to do my implant. But for cleaning and other usual procedures, I don't mind having a dental student work on me.
I have had one implant done by a very good dental surgeon. She was very gentle, very thorough, and the implant is still as firmly in place 10 years later as it was the day she put it in. Her fee is higher than others though, but worth it.
The second option is dentures but only a top denture should be considered. A lower denture moves around too much and having both top & bottom is a nightmare for most people. If you're losing bone mass, you'll have to have a new denture made every couple/few years but that's no big deal from a cost or aggravation perspective either. It takes about 6 weeks to acclimate to a top denture; lots of pain and adjustments involved, but nothing compared to getting 16 implants which is a surgical procedure for EACH tooth. The up side of a top denture is it looks great all the time and once you get used to it, you can eat almost all foods with no problem. If you can keep most of your lowers (say the front 6) and get a partial plate, that would be your best bet in my opinion.
Good luck!
I ask, because I wasn’t, so I lost over 100 pounds about 6 years ago, and had two massive root canals- major dentistry. If I need implants down the road, I’m ready.
My point is, that you’re really the boss. I had a super important reason to lose weight and save my teeth, so I gave it a shot and I was successful enough to now be a very happy 77 year old.
In your situation, I’d have my bone strength assessed first. Then you’d have a better idea about whether or not to proceed with the implants.
IF, at some point in the next five years, I get a recommendation for implants, I’ll certainly consider it.
I had an aunt with dementia who went into a care facility and immediately lost her dentures (she probably either hid them or put them on her tray rolled in a napkin and got accidentally discarded). I will never have dentures or anything that may cause me problems in the future. I had an uncle who, at 92, did exactly what you are considering, just so he could eat steak again. And he did and it made him happy. There are so many indignities in aging and decline, and our teeth can cause us problems, from infections to appearance to needing liquid diets. I realize not everyone can afford implants but I think they should look at the most permanent and fuss-free options they can afford. After having to cart my in-laws to the School of Dentistry and try to get them into the chair with PD, chronic back pain and memory loss for a simple check-up, only to watch their teeth get grey and chip in half over time anyway, I decided that if at all possible, that won't happen to me. I have some impressive longevity in my family (my mom and all her 7 siblings lived well into their 90s and 1 is 101.5) and by God's grace if I live that long I want to look the least of a wreck as is possible. But that's just me and no judgments on anyone with a different viewpoint.
I'm not sure you should do all your teeth at once, and maybe do find out which are the "essential" teeth for chewing a larger range of food and do those only. FYI for mine, the dentist had to pull out the old tooth and it had to stay out for several months so that it could heal properly -- will you be toothless for 3 months? If you have bone loss they can put in a bone graft. Not sure about the healing time for that. Ask your periodontist.
A very long time to be without teeth and not a good idea for anyone that requires bone graft done for their entire mouth.
I agree about getting a diagnosis of bone health as a 1st step for any work.
Easy to say "pull them all" and "get dentures". But my Sjögrens Syndrome means that I will continue to have more and more bone density loss over time and I'm 69. So if I were to get dentures, they say I'd have to replace them every 2 years. I went with having more crowns, better dental preventive care, and hoping I can keep as many teeth as I can.
I am sure technology has changed, but before our divorce he asked about his lower jaw where he was missing two molars. His remaining bone density was too low and he was not interested in having cadaver bone used to try to regrow the missing bone., He was 48 then.
My brother was born without permanent incisors (hereditary problem), and he's worn a removable bridge his whole life. Now he's in his early 60s and has been told for at least 10 years that he doesn't have adequate bone to do implants. Same for my mother-in-law -- missing a tooth for years, and inadequate bone for implants.
At the very least, get a second opinion from a reputable dentist.