facial collapse Archives - Cornerstone Dentistry

Where Can I Find Affordable Dentures and Implants?

Posted on November 6, 2023 by AllSmiles.

I’ve checked ten places for affordable dentures and implants, but the prices are too high, even after insurance, so removable dentures are my only option. At age 52, I know I won’t be able to avoid facial collapse. I’ve had four consultations for dentures with four to six implants and contacted my insurance company to estimate how much they will pay. My out-of-pocket costs are too high. I looked online for assistance, but I still cannot afford implant dentures. Am I overlooking any programs for people who can’t afford implant dentures even though they have insurance? Thanks. Amy from Newport News, VA

Amy,

We understand your concerns about the cost of implant dentures and the emotional effects of jawbone shrinkage and facial sagging or collapse. We wish we had better news for you, but dental implants are an upgrade that requires the patient to share most of the cost.

Where Can You Find Affordable Dentures and Implants?

Although you will share some of the expense, even for affordable dentures and implants, consider exploring the following ways to make them more affordable.

Dental schools that teach implant dentistry

If your community has dental schools that teach implant dentistry, they may ask for volunteers for their courses. The school will offer discounted services for the inconvenience of getting treatment from students.

Charity dentistry

Some cities have charitable dentistry programs for people who cannot afford a dentist. However, the programs offer the most affordable dental solutions. If all your teeth are missing, the program will offer an affordable removable denture, not a costly implant-retained or implant-supported denture.

Alternatives to four to six dental implants for dentures

A snap-on denture is an affordable dentures and implants option

A snap-on denture is an affordable alternative to four to six dental implants for dentures. You can get two implants instead, although your denture will be less secure and stimulate a smaller area of the jawbone. Or, you may qualify for mini implants, which have a smaller diameter than standard implants. According to the Journal of Prosthodontic Research, studies show that implant-retained dentures, such as snap-on dentures, improve your experience with dentures, including comfort, stability, and eating.

Get an implant denture in phases

You could get a removable denture now and save to have it fitted for dental implants. Getting the work done in phases may be more affordable for your budget.

Precautions for Affordable Dentures and Implants

Prioritize quality over affordable dentures and implants by not choosing a dentist because their fees are the lowest.

Consult with dentists with post-dental-school implant training and experience.
Ask dentists about their training and qualifications.
Ask dentists how many implant denture cases they have completed from start to finish.
Ask to see before and after implant denture cases of the dentist’s patients.
Search for Google or Yelp reviews about the dental practice.

Gum Disease and No Dental Insurance

Posted on January 25, 2021 by writeradmin.

I went to a dentist for the first time in a while. He told me I have gum disease. I don’t have money right now so am waiting on getting dental insurance. Now one of my teeth is loose. What can I put in its place if I lose it?

Mary Lou

Dear Mary Lou,

Gum Disease is serious. You cannot afford to wait on your dental insurance. You need to get in to be seen right away and see if there is a dentist near you willing to work out a payment plan for you. Preventing gum disease is not that difficult as long as you go in for cleanings and do your oral health care at home, such as brushing twice a day and flossing nightly

Once a tooth is loose, you are at a very high risk for losing it. Other teeth will not be far behind. Replacing teeth is much more expensive than regular maintenance.

Tooth Replacement Options

Dental Implants: This is the ideal tooth replacement because it mimics the function of your natural tooth. However, they are not cheap.
Dental Bridge: This anchors a false tooth between two dental crowns. The crowns are anchored on the adjacent teeth. However, if you have gum disease this will put additional stress on those teeth and could cause them to come loose as well.
Removable Partial Denture: This is an inexpensive option for a single tooth.

The Danger of Complete Dentures

You didn’t mention how old you are, but unless you are in your 80s, complete dentures will be a disaster in the long run. Once your teeth are removed, your body begins resorbing the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body in places it feels the minerals will be more useful. After all, you don’t have teeth to anchor.

After ten or so years, you will have lost so much of your jawbone structure that it will result in facial collapse. You won’t even have enough jawbone left to retain your dentures.

This is why, if you lose all your teeth, most dentists will recommend implant-supported dentures. The implants serve as prosthetic tooth roots and signal to your body that you still need your jawbone. However, this procedure is very expensive.

You will save a lot of money by getting your gum disease under control as quickly as possible.

This blog is brought to you by Sugar Land Dentist Dr. Siny Thomas, a Cater to Cowards Dentist.

Simultaneously Impressed and Hesitant about Clear Choice

Posted on January 17, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have put off doing something about my teeth for so long that now I have no choice. The amount of pain I was in drove me to my dentist. He doesn’t do dental implants so I went to see Clear Choice. Their recommendation is to take out both upper and lower teeth and replace them with an all-on-4 procedure. My dentist agreed that the upper teeth need to come out, but feels the lower teeth can be saved. I keep going back and forth. On the one hand, it would be nice to be done with dealing with these teeth, but I keep having this niggling feeling that makes me hesitant. I don’t know if that is a legitimate concern or just my fear of the dentist and actually going through with this. Do you have any recommendations?

Lewis

Dear Lewis,

I am glad you wrote and am sorry you have been in so much pain. There are a couple of things going on here. We’ll start with the uppers. From what you’ve said, your dentist does try to save teeth that can be saved. This is a good sign. There are some lazy dentists out there who’d rather just collect the fees from extractions than try and save teeth. If he is saying the uppers need to be extracted and replaced, I have some confidence in that. Your next choice with them is whether to go to Clear Choice or another dentist for your dental implants.

Clear Choice tends to push the all-on-4 procedure whether or not it is your best option. While there are times that the all-on-4 procedure is the right choice, it has its drawbacks. For instance. If one part of the appliance fails, the entire thing has to be re-done. Instead, I might look at getting implant overdentures for your top arch. Here is a comparison of the two:

All-on-4 dental implant appliance

With all-on-4, the implants are angled in a way that makes it possible for those who have already lost some bone structure to receive dental implants. As its name implies, it is done with 4 implants only.

dental implant overdentures

If instead, you were to get implant overdentures, there would be more security. While you could do it with four implants, you could use more as well. It’s generally suggested you get between six and eight implants. If one part of this appliance failed, you would only have to replace that part.

My suggestion for your uppers is to get a second opinion from a qualified implant dentist. See if there is someone in your area who is a fellow with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. These are the top implant dentists in the country. You can feel confident you are getting qualified, experienced advice.

Your lower arch is a completely separate issue. If your dentist thinks those teeth can be saved, do everything in your power to save them. First, I will tell you why. Then I will go over how you can do it without the terror you currently feel going to the dentist.

When your teeth are first removed, your body recognizes that and immediately begins resorbing the minerals in your jawbone in an effort to use those minerals throughout your body where it perceives they will be more useful. After all, you don’t need those minerals to keep your teeth in place any longer.

While an efficient use of your body’s resources, it has the unfortunate side effect of shrinking your jaw bone. After ten or so years, you will no longer have enough of a jawbone to even retain dentures. This is known as facial collapse. Placing dental implants helps prevent that, but they’re expensive. It is significantly cheaper and more advantageous to save your natural teeth, if at all possible.

Dealing with Dental Anxiety

I understand the prospect of continuing dental appointments is probably not appealing to you. Fortunately, I have something that may help. See if your dentist offers dental sedation options. In your case, combining your anxiety with the amount of work you may need, I would recommend oral conscious sedation. It will allow you to sleep through your dental appointments while getting more done at each appointment. If he doesn’t offer this, you will be better served by going to another dentist. I’ve seen patients with crippling anxiety have their experience at the dentist completely changed.

This blog is brought to you by Sugar Land Dentist Dr. Siny Thomas.

Several Dental Implants Fell Out in Less than a Week

Posted on November 24, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have paid half the cost of six dental implants that are supporting a lower denture. I was told this was important and therefore, emptied my savings account to get them. Within a week four of them have fallen out. Is this normal? Should I pay the other half of the bill? It seems like I should have dental implants that stay put. What is the normal procedure when something like this happens?

Mallory

Dear Mallory,

First, I will say up front that you made a good decision in getting dental implants to support your dentures, especially on your bottom arch. When your teeth were removed, your body recognized that there were no teeth roots there any longer and interpreted that as you not needing any more support for those roots. In an effort to be as efficient as possible with your body’s resources it begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere. After about ten or so years, your jawbone will have shrunk so much, you will no longer be able to retain your dentures.

This is known as facial collapse. You didn’t mention how old you are, but my guess is you’re young enough to not want to be without teeth. Having dental implants placed there signals to your brain that you still need to retain your teeth and thereby preventing any further bone loss.

Dental Implant Failure

The dental implant success rate is usually around 98%. Your dentist has a 33% rate. There really isn’t a viable reason for that. Even if you weren’t a good candidate for dental implants, if he would have done the proper diagnostics he would have known that and could have prevented this problem to begin with.

Without having examined you, I won’t know why your implants failed, but can give you an idea of some reasons dental implant failure occurs.

Infection at the implant site. This is usually because of poorly fitting implants.
Incorrect placement of the implant.
Not enough bone support.
Premature loading on the implant. By that, we mean the dental crowns (or dentures) are placed on the implants before the bone has had sufficient time to integrate.
Neglecting proper diagnostics.
Cutting corners with cheaper, substandard implant fixtures.

I don’t think your dentist is the one to fix this. The first thing you should do is ask for a refund. Your dentist shouldn’t have an issue with that. I want you to get a full-refund. Even though you still have two of your six implants. I honestly don’t think it will be long until they fall out as well.

Next, I want you to see a dentist who has excellent dental implant training and qualifications. Look for someone who is a fellow with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists. These are the top implant dentists in the country. Not only will they be able to diagnose what went wrong, they’ll be able to help you get the implants you desire.

This blog is brought to you by Sugarland Dentist Dr. Siny Thomas.

I Still Hate My Dentures After Ten Years

Posted on June 15, 2020 by writeradmin.

Ever Since I got my dentures ten years ago I have hated them. From the beginning, my dentist kept telling me I’d get used to them. The problem is no matter how long it has been he keeps saying I’ll get used to them. Let’s be honest, after all this time, I don’t think I shall. I keep reading about dental implants. Is it too late for me to get them?

Margie

Dear Margie,

It isn’t too late to get dental implants, as long as you are in decent general health. There is a caveat, though. You’ve been in dentures for ten years, which is enough time for facial collapse to set in. I don’t know if your dentist warned you about facial collapse, so I’ll give you a short summary of it here.

What is Facial Collapse?

When your teeth were first removed, your body responds by resorbing the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body. It did this in an effort to be as efficient as possible with its resources. Because you no longer have any teeth, it doesn’t feel like you need your jawbone, which is mostly used to retain your teeth roots. Eventually, you will lose so much jawbone, there won’t be enough for you to even retain your dentures.

This is a huge deal as you will not be able to eat a healthy diet, being limited to the softest foods that don’t require teeth. Your quality of life will take a dramatic turn for the worse.

Even though you will likely still have some of your jawbone at this point, you will need enough to integrate with the dental implants, so they will be secure and can support your dentures. This can be overcome by have a bone grafting procedure done. This will build back up the lost structure, enabling you to move forward.

What are Implant Overdentures?

It is too pricey to get a single dental implant for each missing tooth. Instead, it is more practical to get four to six dental implants on each arch and then anchor your dentures to them. This is known as implant overdentures. Fortunately, because it still places dental implants in your jaw, it has the same benefits.

Your dentures will be completely secure.
Your chewing capacity increases significantly.
Your jaw’s appearance will look stronger and younger.
You will be protected from facial collapse.

This blog is brought to you by Sugarland Dentist Dr. Siny Thomas.

I Can’t Keep My Dentures In?

Posted on June 11, 2020 by writeradmin.

I’ve had dentures for a bit over twenty years. It’s gotten to the point where they won’t stay in even with adhesives. I’ve recently found out I should have gotten dental implants when my teeth were still removed, but that was never even mentioned to me. Is there a way to get them now? If not, is there at least a way to keep them in?

Mable

Dear Mable,

What you are experiencing is known in dentistry as facial collapse. When your teeth were first removed your body recognized that. As a result, it thought, “Hey, you don’t have teeth there so you don’t need these minerals for the bones. They’re for teeth roots. We are going to use those elsewhere so we can use your body’s resources well.”

While remarkably efficient, it does leave those who wear dentures in a bit of a pickle. You need the ridge of that lower jawbone in order to keep your dentures in. In as little as ten years without teeth, some patients can’t wear their dentures at all. Not only is that detrimental to your health, but it also ages your appearance by at least a decade.

The Solution to Facial Collapse

The first thing you need to do is have that bone built back up. Without that, you will eventually not be able to eat. This is important. The way to build your bone back up, is a procedure known as bone grafting.

A qualified dentist or oral surgeon can graft either natural or synthetic bone into your jaw. Once that is done you have two choices. The first is you can get dentures refit. This is fine, but you will face the same cycle of bone loss. A second option is to get dental implants.

Implant Overdentures: The Solution to Facial Collapse

Dental implants place prosthetic tooth roots into your jawbone. Then, after a period of healing, your dentist can place dental crowns on top of the root form. This mimics your natural teeth and preserves your jawbone.

It would be financially unfeasible to get a dental implant for each missing tooth, for all but the wealthiest of individuals. Instead, I suggest you get implant overdentures. These use between four to six dental implants and then anchor a denture to them. It completely secures your dentures, dramatically improves your chewing capacity, and prevents facial collapse.

Ideally, you want a dentist who can do the surgery and the crowns or dentures. This eliminates the risk of miscommunication in a complicated, advanced procedure.

I hope this helps.

This blog is brought to you by Sugarland Dentist Dr. S. Thomas.