Tag Archives: dental implants

Phoenix Dentist

Can I Dump My Dentures?

I wish I’d been born 30 years later than I was! There are so many marvelous advancements everywhere that life would have been so much easier. One of those is with my stinking dentures. I hate them. Passionately. Now I hear they have dental implants which are like having real teeth. They don’t move or slip out. Am I too old to get those and dump my dentures?

Eugenia

Dear Eugenia,

Too Old for Dental Implants?

I have a feeling you’re quite the spitfire. Just so you know, you’re not the only dental patient who’d like to dump their dentures. You’re definitely not too old to do it. However, there may be one procedure you’d need first before going forward.

You mentioned your dentures slip and even come out. That’s due to the length of time you’ve had dentures. You’re suffering from what’s known as facial collapse. Your body reabsorbs the minerals in your jawbone after your teeth are gone to use elsewhere throughout your body. That has the unfortunate side effect of shrinking your jawbone.

Without enough bone structure, there will be nowhere to anchor the dental implants. Don’t despair, though. A simple procedure called bone grafting can build back up the bone in your jaw. This will give you the support you need to retain the implants.

With dental implants, you’ll be able to eat what you want without anything getting underneath your dentures. You’ll never have to worry about them slipping, AND you’ll look even younger with your jaw built back up. How’s that for a plus?

Which Dentist Should Do Your Implants?

Before you jump into this, be very careful in choosing what dentist you choose to do the dental implant procedure. Make sure they have lots of experience and a high success rate. You’ll want a success rate of at least 98%.

Here’s how it will work. First, you’ll get the bone grafting done, which is a one-day procedure. After you’ve healed from that, it’s time for the dental implant surgery. Once you’re healed from the surgery, then your dentist will place your overdentures which attach to the implants.

Let us know if you get it done and send us a picture of your new smile.
This blog is brought to you by Drs. Kevin and Hillary Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Affordable Solutions for Teeth Falling Out

My mom is almost 87. She recently had to have a filling and then later that day when I went to check on her two teeth just fell out. Her dentist never even mentioned they were a problem. I can’t just leave her that way. She needs to replace them, but I don’t know if a bridge is a good idea at her age. Maybe her other teeth are too old? What would be an affordable solution for her?

Bridgett

Dear Bridgett,

I need to say up front it sounds like your mother needs a different dentist. If she has teeth just falling out from no obvious issue, it means she has an advanced periodontal disease. He should be checking her gums at her regular check-ups and warning her about the state of her gums. There are steps which can be taken to treat gum disease.

If I’m right and she has gum disease a dental bridge is out of the question. It will just pull out the remaining teeth it’s attached to. Ideally, you’d replace missing teeth with dental implants, but that’s also out of the question with gum disease. Plus, you asked for an affordable solution. Dental implants can cost upwards of $40,000.

An image of complete dentures

Normally, I wouldn’t recommend dentures because of their complications with bone resorption. However, your mother is 87. I don’t think that’s going to be an issue for her. It usually takes between 10 and 20 years for it to become a problem. Now, if your family has a history of centenarians, you may reconsider. But most don’t.

Cu-Sil partial denture

If you go to another dentist who thinks he can save quite a bit of her teeth, please do that. You don’t have to lose all your teeth to get dentures. There is something called a Cu-Sil partial (pictured directly above). It will leave holes for her healthy teeth. It uses little rubber rings to keep it secure to her teeth. It actually makes it more stable. Then, if the tooth is lost in the future, it’s simply a matter of closing up the hole and adding another false tooth.

Affordable Dentists Will Work with You

Most patients, especially elderly ones, don’t have the funds to just pay for large procedures outright. However, most dentists are willing to work with patients giving them payment plans. If you can’t find a dentist like that. Sign your mother up for Care Credit. It’s a medical credit card of sorts, which will allow her to pay off her treatments slowly. In fact, depending on the state of her credit, she can even get 0% interest as she pays it off. They also have no penalty for early repayment, so it’s a win-win situation.

This blog is brought to you by Drs. Kevin and Hillary Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Are There Affordable Dentists Who Care?

I hadn’t been to a dentist in years for financial reasons. I started to get worried about my oral health, not because of any specific issues, but it’s just been in the back of my mind. I did an internet search for affordable dentists and found two in my immediate area. I’ve been to both of them. They were both awful. The first one was just plain smelly. I don’t know why. It’s like he just didn’t care about bathing. I could barely stand to stay in the chair because of them smell. I know he said I needed some work. I expected that. But, I can’t remember anything he said because I just wanted out of there. I don’t think I could go back to him if it was free. The next one at least cared about personal hygiene. He was a bit rough in how he handles patients. He told me I have a tooth that could go any minute. I could try to save it with a root canal and crown or I can just extract and replace it. I tried to ask him some questions but he said he doesn’t have time to answer patients. I can call the office and leave a message and one of the hygienists will get back with me. On the way out I told the desk lady I didn’t understand why he doesn’t answer patient questions. She said if I want low prices he needs to keep people moving so he can make up profit losses. Is it possible to get quality service by a dentist who cares AND affordable prices? Please don’t make me go back to Mr. Stinky.

Elaina

Dear Elaina,

Dollar sign hatched from an egg
Cheap does not always equal affordable.

It’s great that you’re working so hard to find a dentist which you can afford. It’s a shame your choices have been so limited. It doesn’t mean you won’t be able to find one, though you may have to go outside of your immediate area if those were the two closest choices.

Reasons Dentists Choose to Have Affordable Prices

There are several reasons dentists may choose to have prices that are lower than the average around them. Some of those motives are better than others, as you’ve unfortunately experienced.

  • To Draw in Patients

This isn’t a bad motive (in some cases). It mostly depends on why they need to draw in patients. Sometimes it is simply a matter of being a brand new practice. They haven’t had time to develop a patient base. We’ve all had to start somewhere. However, other times a dentist isn’t that great. They need to draw in patients because they have horrible patient retention. The only way to keep their income going is to lower their prices and draw in new victims.

  • Compassion

Other dentists simply know that every human being is working at a different budgetary level. They don’t want the working poor to be without dental care simply because their current job salary or life circumstances make affording those types of things feel like a luxury. Many of them have been in difficult circumstances before and still remember what it felt like.

Their quality doesn’t suffer from their compassion. Often you won’t find them the absolute cheapest, though. Why is that? Because they also think patients deserve quality care. They refuse to sacrifice their patients at the altar of cheap parts to make up profits. That leads me to an important warning.

A Cheap Dentist isn’t an Affordable Dentist

A man holding his jaw in pain.
When a dentist uses having the lowest prices to draw patients in, sometimes they try to make up the profits by purchasing low quality (cheap) materials. One place we’ve seen this often is with dental implants.

In the United States, an implant fixture can cost several hundred dollars. That’s because we have high medical standards and regulations designed to keep the safety of patients in mind at all times. But, if a dentist wants to come in significantly lower in price than his nearby peers he has a couple of choices: make less money or make up the profits somewhere. Too many of them choose to make up the profits elsewhere. The dentists can simply purchase is implant part from out of the country for just a few bucks, saving him hundreds on just one phase of the procedure. Unfortunately, those cheap parts have led to many infections causing not just a dental emergency, but complete implant failure. I’ve even seen some patients come for help because their implant simply snapped in half.

Now, that patient has to start over again, missing more work. Plus, in addition to having to get their dental implants done again from scratch, they have to add bone grafting to the mix because dental implant failure removes too much bone structure. Instead of saving money, they end up paying more than double.

How do You Know if You’re Getting a Good Affordable Dentist?

There’s no foolproof way to ensure yourself against a dud, but there is one simple step you can take— check their reviews. People post reviews of their experiences when they’ve either been very good or very bad. Either way, you’ll have some idea of what others experienced at the dentist’s hands.

This blog is brought to you by Drs. Kevin and Hillary Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Affordable Full-Mouth Reconstruction?

I never got to go to the dentist as a child. As a young adult, I couldn’t afford it. Now that I’m in my thirties, I decided to bite the bullet. I wasn’t surprised to be told I needed a lot of work. The dentist said he usually recommends a full-mouth reconstruction. He explained what it was, but the price was well out of my ability. It sounds like something that would really help me though. Is there some way to get an affordable full-mouth reconstruction?

Elaine

Dear Elaine,

A smiling blonde with a beautiful smile

Even if you had the money for a full-mouth reconstruction, I’d recommend you get a second opinion. There may be a better way to repair your smile without crowning every tooth. That alone will give you more affordable dental care.

Go to another dentist and ask him to first list out all the work your mouth needs. It’s very likely you have teeth which don’t need work. You didn’t mention having any pain, so it doesn’t sound like you’re losing any teeth and need something like dental implants.

If it turns out you do need a full-mouth reconstruction, you need to verify the training and credentials your dentist has. This is a serious procedure which is well beyond what a dentist learns in dental school. It requires an advanced knowledge of both aesthetics and reconstructive dentistry. If they don’t get the aesthetics right, your smile will look horrible. If they don’t get the reconstructive done properly, you’ll end up in pain for the rest of your life from a misplaced bite.

How to Afford Dental Care When You Need a Lot of Work

It’s hard when you haven’t been able to go to the dentist because of the amount of work you end up needing. It sounds like you’ve been fortunate and haven’t needed any emergency dental care. As I mentioned earlier, you want to preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible.

When he lists out the work you need, have him list it from most urgent to least. A good dentist will also give you all your alternatives. So if you need a tooth replaced, which I hope you don’t, and the teeth on either side of it need crowns, it would make more sense to get a dental bridge instead of a dental implant. It’s like getting three procedures in one.

The reason for the list is to allow you to separate out your treatment into affordable bites. Make sure he tells you about any procedures you can double up on to save money.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Phoenix Dentist

Dentist Said I Only Have One Option

Hi, I’m annoyed with my dentist. He’s one of those people who think because he went to dental school I shouldn’t have to many questions and should just do his recommendation. This isn’t working for me. I have a tooth I’m trying to save. If I can’t save it, I want to know what options I have in replacing it. He says I only have one option—dental implants. I’m a believer that there are always options. What are other procedures available in this situation?

Carl

Dear Carl,

There are too many dentists who work that way. Unfortunately, the dental school promotes the attitude that the dentist always knows best. However, we are also taught that we’re ethically bound to give our patients all their options and never move forward with treatment without their express permission. Your dentist seems to have forgotten this. Feel free to show him this post as a simple reminder.

First, let me say I’m glad you’re trying to save the tooth. It’s always best to preserve as much natural tooth structure as possible. If it doesn’t work out, you have several options:

Dental Implants

illustration of a dental implantThis is the option your dentist mentioned. It is at the top of the line, the ideal option. In fact, it’s a lot like having your natural tooth back (when it was healthy). The downsides are the cost and the fact that it requires surgery. The surgery is actually its benefit too. It implants a root form into your jawbone which protects you from losing essential bone structure. Click here to learn more about dental implants.

Dental Bridge

Image of a dental bridgeThis is a second good option. It suspends a false tooth between two dental crowns. The downside is it does remove tooth structure from the adjacent teeth to make room for the crown. This makes more sense if those teeth already need crowns. Then you’re getting two for the price of one. The upside is it’s less expensive. Click here to learn more about a dental bridge.

Removable Partial Denture

Removable partial dentureThis is my least favorite option, but sometimes it’s all a patient can afford, so I help them make the best of it. It just uses a partial denture and clamps to your teeth. There are various types of clamps, all of which come with ups and downs, as well as varying price tags. Your dentist is obligated to tell you about them if you decide to go that route. The obvious downside to these is they’re not fixed in your mouth and can move around. Plus they put pressure on the teeth to which they’re clamped.

Have a Frank Discussion with Your Dentist

It sounds to me like you and your dentist need to have a pow-wow. If he’s not willing to help you navigate these options and give you all their pros and cons, you’re better served by going to a completely different practitioner. I’m sorry he’s making you reach out elsewhere for information. I hope you’re able to save the tooth and won’t have to bother with any of the above, but it’s always good to be prepared just in case.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Dental implants

Why Are My Gums Gray After Dental Implants?

I need some advice. I’ve been looking forward to getting dental implants for a long time. But, now that I have them, the gums look gray. I don’t know what to do. Why is this happening? Did I get faulty materials?

Lisa A.

Dear Lisa,

Phoenix Dentists who do Dental Implants

It is not a matter of faulty material. An important consideration when implants are placed is the thickness of the surrounding gum tissue. That is especially important when you’re putting implants on front teeth. If they are not ideally placed, you end up with a situation like yours because the posts are made of metal and will show through. These days, we have zirconia and ceramic implants which are metal-free and don’t have that same issue.

In your place, I’d go see a dentist with some expertise in dental implants to get a second opinion. He’ll be able to give you solid solutions. Without an examination, it would dangerous for me to tell you what to do. If it’s determined that your dentist poorly placed the implants, you could get your money back. That may mean doing the procedure over, but you’d end up with solid teeth AND a beautiful smile.

Make sure you DO NOT tell the second opinion dentist who your original dentist was. If they’re pals, he might hesitate to say he did something wrong.

Making Your Smile More Beautiful with Dental Implants

I’m a firm believer in making something positive out of a negative. If it turns out you have to start over, use this as an excuse to give yourself a cosmetic treat. Once your implant crowns are made, their color can’t be changed. This would be the time to get your teeth whitened. Then, your new implant crowns can be made the same beautiful color.

Now, not only do you have stable new teeth, they’re also gorgeous and take years off your appearance.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Affordable Dentist

Are All Dentists Judgmental?

I’ll admit I don’t get to the dentist as often as is recommended. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just I can’t afford it. Not only do I not have dental insurance, so everything must be paid for out of pocket, but I lose income by going. I’m paid by the hour and dentists only seem to be open during normal working hours. I have to miss work to go. Essentially, I’m charged twice if you think about it. Even though I don’t go very often, I do try to go every two years. I rarely have a problem with my teeth, but I get a lecture every single time. I’ve switched dentists every couple of years for that very reason, but no matter who I go to, there’s still that lecture. Why are they so judgmental? Why can’t they seem to understand it’s a sacrifice for many people to get to the dentist?

Avery L.

Dear Avery,

I can understand your frustration. Here you are trying your best, making sacrifices to even get to the dentist and when you do, they treat you like someone who doesn’t take care of things. First, I want you to know that not all dentists will lecture you. In fact, some dentists will just be grateful you came and tell you so. Both sets, judgemental and non-judgmental, likely have the same mindset behind their response. They care and want you to get the proper care for your teeth. They go about it different ways, some more productive than others, but they mean well.

It sounds to me like you want dental care, but you need an affordable dentist. There are dentists who work to keep their fees down. They may even work with your schedule, so you don’t lose income. Explain your work situation. It may not be that they hold regular Saturday or evening hours, but would be willing to meet with you twice a year at less than peak times so you don’t lose income to get your teeth cleaned. They wouldn’t want you to advertise they’re doing that, but would be willing to help.

Another option is to consider using a program such as Care Credit. It’s a medical “credit card” of sorts. It allows you to go ahead with treatment and then slowly pay out the bill for the services you receive. Depending on what type of credit you have, you may even be able to get zero interest payments.

Something patients don’t generally consider is how much going to the dentist regularly saves them money, health, and time. If you get your teeth cleaned regularly you’re less likely to develop a cavity. If you do happen to develop one anyway, they’re often caught so early that a simple, small filling will be enough. When things are left to progress without early intervention you end up with a more invasive (and costly) procedure, such as a root canal treatment, or worse, an extraction and the need to get a tooth replacement.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Emergency Dentist

My Face is Swelling Near My Dental Implant

My dental implant has been feeling odd lately. It started hurting and now the surrounding gum feels bouncy. Now my jaw is hurting and it’s painful to eat. The dentist who did my implant is out of town. Do you have a recommendation on how I can take care of this?

Lucy D. – Montana

Lucy,

I’m a bit concerned about the situation you’re in. You’ve got an infection at your dental implant site. If this isn’t dealt with immediately two very bad things can happen.

1. You could die. I know it sounds ridiculous in the twenty-first century, but it still happens that people die from tooth infections. In fact, just this past February a 40-year-old man in California died when his tooth infection spread to his lungs. An equally great risk is your heart or brain, because of their proximity to your teeth.

Don’t think this can be treated just by taking antibiotics. Many people make that mistake and end up in quite the dental emergency pickle. Antibiotics will forestall the infection, but the only way to truly get rid of it is for the dentist to get in there and remove the infected portion.

2. Your implant can fail. If the infection really gets hold, you could lose the implant. If that happens, you can’t just get a new implant. You’ll need to have bone grafting done, then start all over with surgery and healing time, then finally get your implant crown again.

This needs to be dealt with right away. I do realize your dentist is out of town, but I”m sure he has some procedures in place for dental emergencies. If not, then you can just do a Google search for an emergency dentist.

If you get the care you need soon, you’ll have a much better chance of saving your implant.

Now that I”ve likely completely depressed you (sorry about that), let me cheer you up. Once your implant site is healthy, you’re going to love having it as a tooth replacement. Nothing comes closer to having a healthy, natural tooth back. I’m sure your dentist has told you this as well, but you’ll be able to eat, brush, and floss normally. No restrictions.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Pediatric Dentistry

What the Real Reason My Toddler Can’t Get a Dental Flipper?

My son lost a tooth prematurely. He’s only three and it’s a front tooth. I’ve been told children’s teeth shift if the spaces are left open. I asked my pediatric dentist to provide him with a dental flipper. Instead, the dentist started shouting. He said it was the most ridiculous thing he’d ever heard. No child can sit still for a flipper. I’m not only offended, I’m sure with sedation it could be done. Unless you give me a better reason, I’m going to a different dentist.

Marilyn H. – Michigan

Marilyn,

I’m sorry your dentist was rude. That’s not a great way to build trust with patients, especially when you’re talking about their child’s dental health. While I’m sure you could work with sedation, the pediatric dentist is right, a dental flipper is a bad idea. Here’s why.

1. A child’s mouth is constantly growing. The flipper won’t fit for long. You’d have to keep making a new one.
2. It’s a choking hazard. Flippers are removable appliances. Even if he didn’t pull at it, which is highly unlikely, it could just slip out and he’ll partially swallow it.

I have some great news for you, though. The only teeth where you have to worry about shifting are the back teeth. In those cases, we’d place a space maintainer to prevent the shifting. Also, your child’s age means he won’t be self-conscious about the tooth loss. In fact, he might be proud he’s the first among his friends to lose a baby teeth.

You didn’t mention how he lost his tooth. If it was due to trauma, it might be a good idea to have the adult tooth checked for damage. In the unlikely event the adult tooth is damaged, don’t panic. There are plenty of options for his adult tooth. Dentistry has developed tremendously. Even if he completely lost the adult tooth (and again, unlikely, so don’t panic), we now have dental implants that mimic having a natural tooth exactly, even down to the tooth root.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Kevin Peck.

Affordable Dentist

My Dentist Won’t Listen to Me

My dentist has in mind the type of treatment I need for a tooth that I would prefer to save, but he wants to replace with a dental implant. The tooth starting hurting me last week.  I went in to see my dentist.  He said the tooth is unsavable and wants me to get a dental implant.  I can’t afford a dental implant and he won’t listen to me.  I can’t believe that a tooth that JUST started hurting could be unsavable.  What do I do?

Samantha J. – Washington

Samantha,

It sounds to me that you need a second opinion. I agree that it would be unlikely a tooth couldn’t be saved if it had just started decay. Of course, there may to decay you never noticed. Another dentist might look at the tooth and have other ideas.

However, even if the tooth cannot be saved, dental implants aren’t your only choice. There are more affordable options for a tooth replacement.

A dentist has an ethical responsibility to tell you all of your treatment options.  For a tooth replacement, you can get a dental bridge, or even a removable partial denture. .

This blog is brought to you by Drs. Kevin and Hillary Peck.