Since 2016, I have no upper teeth and wear a full upper denture. Good fit (suction) and I don't mind wearing it. It's a lot more comfortable than enduring pain and discomfort with problem teeth.

My local dentist sent me for a consult with an implant dentist to see if I'm a candidate for implants. That was last Monday.

Bottom line is that I will have the last 10 of my (problem/terminal) lower teeth pulled on Feb 9th and 9 implants installed. 5 upper and 4 lower. The implant dentist ONLY does tooth removal and implant install. So, my local dentist will have to take care of the traditional temporary dentures while my bone and gums heal for 3 months after implant install and permanent snap-in dentures after the implant dentist then installs the implant abutments.

Don't know why the implant dentist doesn't also do/arrange dentures. Only thing I can figure is maybe it's a bad business model for him. Not the same money/profit margin in dentures as there is in implants maybe. Dunno. I guess he stays quite busy while limited to and specializing in implants, otherwise I wouldn't have to wait 2 months for the procedure.

I have Delta Dental (High) Insurance, available for retired federal (military) but don't know how much of the cost Delta will cover ... if anything. If Delta pays nothing, each implant will cost me $1675 each for 9 implants and then after healing (3 months), $325 for each of 9 abutments. That doesn't even include what I'll pay for temporary and permanent dentures and anything else.

I could have chosen to be put to sleep for the teeth removal and implant installation which would have been an additional charge but chose to have the procedure done with local numbing. Not really a cost consideration but felt I could handle it. I've never been put to sleep for dental work even when a good number of upper teeth were removed in 2016 and think I can handle it. During the procedure I hope I don't realize, "What were you thinking" LOL.

So I'd like some of your thoughts, hints and oh by the ways from those of you who have gone through something like this. Thanks

I just had a(other) crown and although that’s nothing as compared with what you’re looking at, whenever I ponder what I’m thankful for, modern dentistry is near the top of the list.

All the best to you.

Get the anesthesia. It allows the dentist to work much more quickly and efficently. I had a local for impacted wisdom teeth. You feel the pressure and hear everything going on. Your mouth is jacked open and you cannot speak. Most dental plans do not cover your procedure.

My wife has been going through this for a little over 2 years now. She had bad teeth, and decided, a couple years ago, to have all her teeth pulled, and get dentures. That didn't work for her. The tops worked OK, but she couldn't keep the lowers in no matter what kind, and how much adhesive she used. She finally pretty much quit wearing the bottoms.

We finally went back to the office that pulled her teeth, and talked to them about alternatives. We settled on the CONUS system which sounds like what you are getting if the teeth snap in and out with a tool. She had trouble with one of the implants, on top, because the bone wasn't strong enough to hold it. The dentist tried one more time, and failed again. The alternative was to have some kind of epoxy placed in her nasal cavity, and have the implant installed in that.
She ended up wanting the full blown implant system with 5 implants on top, and 6 on the bottom. She had the additional implants were put in about 2 months ago, and we have to wait another month before we can go to her regular dentist to have her teeth made. And that's if the upper implants all work. If they don't, I don't know what she'll do.

So far this has cost about what our 2014 Explorer did, but hopefully she'll be able to enjoy eating a meal again.

quote:

Originally posted by Hobbs:
Don't know why the implant dentist doesn't also do/arrange dentures. Only thing I can figure is maybe it's a bad business model for him. Not the same money/profit margin in dentures as there is in implants maybe. Dunno.

Is the DDS doing the extractions and implants an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon? That is often the case.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: MNSIG,

Worst thing about not being put to sleep is there's no funny videos of you waking up.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
Is the DDS doing the extractions and implants and Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon? That is often the case.

The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon is doing both the extractions and implants. My local dentist is doing the arrangements for dentures.

I have a molar that NEEDS to come out, like 2 months ago. I've lived with discomfort, ache and can't chew on that side. Thing is, it's tied to another tooth with a bridge, two teeth (and the bridge) would actually have to come out. I can't get those extractions done ASAP. I have to wait until Feb 9th when the extractions and implants procedure is done. Otherwise, if I went ahead and had the molar and other tooth extracted, like right now, I'd have to wait 3 months for my gums to heal before the implant procedure could be done.

Bottom line is that they like to extract and put in the implant at the same time. So I'll live with an achy sensitive molar until Feb 9th. Will just make me more glad when the procedure is done. Can hardly wait.

quote:

Originally posted by Krazeehorse:
Worst thing about not being put to sleep is there's no funny videos of you waking up.

HA !!! ... well I was wondering if there'd be movies on this flight.

I've been going to the dentist with problem teeth since I was 2 years old and spent a small fortune on my teeth over a lifetime. At one point, ALL my teeth were crowns and bridges ... then ... 30yrs later when my gums had receded a bit, I had ALL the crowns replaced. All very expensive.

Now 67, I just want to cut to the chase and be done with my natural teeth. Just hope the implants "take" first go round. If push comes to shove and I have to live with traditional dentures, so be it. All that is better than dealing with problem teeth and the endless expense. Sure, there will still be expenses of regular maintenance and periodic denture replacement. At least I know what's coming and how painful to my wallet, rather than painful to the middle of my head where I live. And I might even be able to eat better. Bonus

quote:

Originally posted by Hobbs:
The Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon is doing both the extractions and implants. My local dentist is doing the arrangements for dentures.

That's exactly the way it is usually set up. Sounds good to me.

Sometimes the process takes considerably longer, especially if they have to do a bone graft first. My wife is quite happy with hers now that they are done right. Hopefully your primary dentist uses a good lab and is plenty experienced with putting the crown on the implant. There are a few ways they do that.

quote:

Originally posted by Oz_Shadow: Hopefully your primary dentist uses a good lab and is plenty experienced with putting the crown on the implant. There are a few ways they do that.

If I'm reading it correctly, he's getting an implant retained denture, so no crowns.

Yep, implant retained dentures. Called snap-in dentures or over-dentures. At least the layman's terms I guess. I'll not have a single natural tooth left in my head.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Hobbs,

I had that very thing done on my lower arch yesterday. I went for the full sedation. Yesterday was rough, today is better but sucks. Managing pain with lortabs, ibuprofen and xanax to help sleep. I had the uppers removed Nov 10th and am wearing a temporary denture for next 4 months, actually March 26th.

They call them all on 4 or all on 5 implants.

I have 5 implants on top arch and 4 on bottom then the denture will be torqued down in March once the implants bond to jawbone.

The surgeon does nothing but extractions and implants and the prosthodontist fashions and installs the teeth. Mine will not snap in/out. they are screwed down with the world's smallest torque wrench and can only be removed by prosthodontist.

I was offered the choice of screw in or snap in and after much discussion with the doctor and the fact that I am financially able to do either ... I asked the doctor, "All things considered and my particular situation, which choice would you recommend?" ... the doctor replied, "Snap in" and that's what we'll be going with. Not sure why he would recommend one over the other when there were only strictly dental issues involved but snap in was his recommendation so it is what it is.

I think it will be easier to keep dentures and gums clean if I can take the dentures out for one thing. Just not as time consuming and effort focused I guess you might say.

EDIT: Oh, and I pointed out there was one consideration besides a financial difference in the two and that is bite capability of each choice. The doctor said expect around 90% of bite and chewing capability as opposed to natural teeth ... with the screw in dentures. And expect about 75% with the snap in dentures. I'm okay with 75%. I heard many say they can eat apples and corn on the cob with snap in dentures. Don't know that I need any better bite and chew than that and besides, 75% is hella better than the natural teeth I'm currently left with and along with the current traditional upper denture.

For those that have had this done, can you advise the "all in" cost for extractions, implants, and upper/lower arch?

My wife may end up going this route eventually. She has lots of old crowns that are needing to be replaced at the rate of 2-3 a year, many with root cans needed as well.

She broke a tooth off recently and is getting a single implant tot he tune of $4500 for extraction, bone graft, implant, abutment, crown.

Oh, and that was a tooth that had previously been crowned, then root canal and re-crowned just two years ago. Total outlay for the single tooth is now getting close to $8000.

The implant in progress is being timed to deliver at the first of the year to let insurance pay for some, but it will wipe out the $2500 annual coverage in one fell swoop.

2 months after starting that process, her regular dentist said she now needs four crowns replaced to the tune of $7500.

We are talking with other dentists and both 2nd opinions say only one of the 4 need to be worked on at this point. They both were also cheaper on crown prices.

Also talked to an implant specialist, he said extract remaining upper teeth and do all on four upper bridge would be in the $25K ballpark.

We are Seattle metro area, internet research shows a wide range of prices for implants based on where in the country you have the work down. Not surprising, highest seems to be west coast to match the crazy cost of living in this area.

Our plan is to go ahead with crowns at this point as we are hoping to retire in the TN, OK, KY area and hope to save some money by delaying for 5-6 years.

52k full mouth. Dental insurance generally does not cover. Would not see the low cost provider.

@ 911Boss ... this was a document I had to accept and sign. I'm in Enterprise, AL and my local dentist referred me to this implant doctor in the next town over, Dothan, AL. I didn't shop around. And the document mentions crowns but I'm getting full dentures upper and lower, which my local dentist will still have to provide, both temporary and permanent. I'm getting 9 implants total. 5 upper and 4 lower, not 32 implants to replace each individual tooth LOL. Just enough implants to support dentures ...

quote:

Originally posted by doublesharp:
I had that very thing done on my lower arch yesterday. I went for the full sedation. Yesterday was rough, today is better but sucks. Managing pain with lortabs, ibuprofen and xanax to help sleep. I had the uppers removed Nov 10th and am wearing a temporary denture for next 4 months, actually March 26th.

They call them all on 4 or all on 5 implants.

I have 5 implants on top arch and 4 on bottom then the denture will be torqued down in March once the implants bond to jawbone.

The surgeon does nothing but extractions and implants and the prosthodontist fashions and installs the teeth. Mine will not snap in/out. they are screwed down with the world's smallest torque wrench and can only be removed by prosthodontist.

I hope it gets better soon for you !!! I saw one youtuber that had like 8 lower mini implants and 8 upper mini implants (16 mini implants total I think) for snap in dentures. She said it was uncomfortable for the first couple of days and got much better each day. Her video was on day 12, just a week and a half after the procedure and she was all glowing happy and smiles and couldn't brag enough about how great it was. She did say day 12 was the first day she felt back to normal.

EDIT: Here's the video I mentioned. She traveled and had it done in Mexico, which I would never consider. She also has several other videos about the procedure, up to 2yrs after and how pleased she is with the snap in dentures. She does recommend all on 4 in her 2yr video (4 implants that are larger than mini implants I think) and wants her upper to be screwed in ...




Link to original video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W5APz7kBtQk

Good information here. I very well may be looking at a similar situation in a few years...or sooner.