Julie Lerman's Blog yesterday reminded me of an entry I have been thinking about making ... Take care of you teeth! If you do not and need to replace one (or two), this is what you have to look forward to:
Dental Implants = time + $$$
In my case, it wasn't a case of not taking care of my teeth it was a case of not having enough adult teeth (its a hereditary thing).
Warmer upper phase
Pull the baby teeth and add braces to straighten the roots so phase 1 can happen. This phase took me 4 - 5 months. Cost: $2,700
Phase 1
Surgery. Drill a pilot hole in jaw bone, then follow up with a bigger drill bit to then screw a special implant into the jaw. Let heel for 5 - 6 months. Cost: $2,400 a piece.
Phase 2
Cut open gum and screw a top onto the implant that a tooth can then be molded for. Let heel a week or two.
Phase 3 (the phase I am currently at)
Get a mold taken of you mouth in order to create a custom tooth for you. Order custom teeth, allow 3 weeks for delivery. Cost: $1,600 a piece.
Phase 4
Get new custom teeth you wish you were born with glued onto your implants
Today I get my molding done and order the teeth ... at least the worst part is over for me. Total time and cost is going to be something like 1 year, 5 months and $10,000 +
Please take this entry as a warning to take care of your teeth so you never have to go through this!
By the way: If the dentist says you need a crown, you want to get one asap or otherwise the tooth might crack ... then you need to pull the tooth and replace with an implant or bridge.