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Dental Implants


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DNMH
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 2:07 pm    Post subject: Dental Implants Reply with quote

How effective are dental implants? How do they compare in support to a bridge for the four upper front teeth?
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trickg
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have an implant. It isn't on my front row, so I can't speak intelligently about that, but what I can say is three things:

1.) In my case, it took a long time to complete. Part of that was because my main dentist, who happens to be a reconstruction specialist, was going through some medical issues and was convalescing during the time when I was dealing with getting an implant. I was told I needed a minimum of 6 weeks for the bone graft to set after my molar was pulled, and a minimum of 6 weeks for the implant to set before they'd put on the post and the crown. It ended up taking a bit over twice that amount of time due to those other issues.

2.) Once it was completed, it's absolutely rock solid. It looks, feels and functions like a real tooth. It will never decay, and barring some kind of serious injury to my jaw, it will never come out or be rejected by my body - it (the titanium implant in the jawbone itself) is absolutely permanent. If the crown should ever break, it can be easily replaced.

3.) I would absolutely do it again, and will do it for other teeth that I may lose in the future.

I would tend to think that implants would be better than a bridge to replace your front teeth - as long as your bone structure can support it and you have the $$$ for it, (insurance didn't cover most of the cost of my implant - I had to pay out of pocket for it) I'd do those over a bridge any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
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Last edited by trickg on Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:26 pm; edited 2 times in total
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dershem
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PostPosted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 5:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I studied with Red Rodney, and he said he would have had to give up playing were it not for his implants.
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Andy Del
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 12:13 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The difference is superglue v. Attached to you just like a real tooth is (or better). If (when) an important tooth is lost, I'll be going for an implant.

Cheers

Andy
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JMWTpt
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 4:38 am    Post subject: Dental Implants Reply with quote

To answer your question, yes they are very effective. I have an implant in the top front right position as a result of the original tooth breaking off about 4-1/2 years ago. The tooth was injured more than 50 years ago, and I had two root canals on the tooth, the second because the first was incomplete.

Following extraction of the remaining root, ground cadaver bone was packed in the socket, and after six months the implant was inserted. The final tooth was attached three months later. During the nine month period, I did not play trumpet. For the first three months thereafter, I worked on basics to get my chops back.

The results exceed my expectations. I can play higher and with greater clarity in the upper register than before. No special care required of the implant. My long-time dentist took care to match the original tooth size and position. (A case for getting dental impressions as insurance which I didn't do.) BTW, my dental insurance didn't pay either.

There is no question that I would do it again if necessary. Bridges and plates are a pain and not effective for playing.
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Irving
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 5:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

@jmw, Did the implant prevent you from playing for 9 months, or did you choose not to play?
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trickg
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 7:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think there's really a question anymore about the effectiveness of dental implants. They are superior to any other kind of bridgework you might find. The issue is the cost - I think I ended up paying $2000+ out of pocket for mine, so they can be pretty costly if you are having several done at once.
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cheiden
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:39 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The last time I had my top front crown worked on I was told to start saving for an implant (long story). I was told that a bridge on the top front could completely alter my ability to play and was advised strongly against it. I was also told that the entire process would take around a year and that I wouldn't be able to play during that time. I'm hoping that when I need to take action that the process time will be less.
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homebilly
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

if i were getting implants i'd want the Hollywood sized DD teeth
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doclev
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dental implants are excellent. Bridges are also excellent replacements. But which ever you choose--as a trumpet player--you must have your primary dentist make models of your teeth--upper and lower--so that the restorative dentist/laboratory tech can duplicate the size, shape, length and position of your replacement. If that is not duplicated you will not have the same embouchure you did before the replacement. Do this first, then decide upon implant or bridge.
I am a dentist. I have done both. Both work very well if properly done. If poorly done, you can expect failure with either one. Choose your dentist carefully, i.e., has he done a lot of these and has he ever worked with a brass player.
Good luck!
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Bill Ortiz
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 1:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bridge work doesn't last as long as an implant, and bridges can cause issues longterm with the neighboring teeth. The other side is that implants are expensive and take months for the whole process-once in however they are as good and dependable as real teeth. I'm in the process of getting a molar replaced with an implant-I had to take a month off right away and the two weeks recently. All in all, if you have the money and time implants are much better.
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doclev
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Bridges CAN last as long as any other restoration we can provide. They do not necessarily cause problems with the neighboring teeth. Neither of these apply if everything is well done.
Implants are more costly and take longer to complete and require certain conditions in the mouth to be considered as an alternative. However, implants--when all the stars align--are excellent alternatives. I would suggest it is a personal choice, not "this is better than that".
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Irving
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 1:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am assuming that when one of the front teeth need to be replaced, then that will have directly affect the embouchure. What about having to replace a molar? Will this end up affecting the embouchure as well?
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doclev
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 2:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Not at all.
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american boy
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 2:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I`m soon going for 4 implants in the front to be holding a denture in place;;I`v been playing with the denture(as is) attached to a tooth on each side,but those teeth have fallen out,so now i`m denture only,and it ain`t fun..Often times I have to sneak into a rest room during a break on a gig to re-cement the thing,and i`ll tell you, the denture by itself makes the feeling of response and sound kind of "Dead"..So i`m hoping and praying that having a denture attached to 4 implants(with also gum grafting) will make things a lot better..Better enough so that I can pay off the massive credit card bill this will cost! Oh well
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Bill Ortiz
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 3:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When you get a bridge, the two teeth neighboring to the missing tooth are shaved down-often this is creating an issue with 3 teeth instead of the original 1. Gum disease with the two teeth anchoring the bridge is an issue to watch out for, and it's not as strong an implant. Bridges don't last as long either. I would recommend and implant when possible.
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trickg
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 4:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Irving wrote:
I am assuming that when one of the front teeth need to be replaced, then that will have directly affect the embouchure. What about having to replace a molar? Will this end up affecting the embouchure as well?
doclev wrote:
Not at all.

Replacing a molar doesn't affect the embouchure itself, but it will affect the blow - I know this from personal experience. It wasn't a big change, and I was able to roll right through it, but it was enough that I did notice it - my sound actually opened up ever so slightly when the tooth was missing, and when the crown was put on the implant, it tightened back up, and my upper register became just slightly easier.

In front of the bell no one would have noticed, and it was barely perceptible audibly, but I could feel the difference. I don't think I imagined it either - even changes in certain areas as small as a couple of thousandths of an inch will affect how we sound and play, so it's not a stretch to think that a gap in the teeth might affect things similarly because the tongue lays alongside the teeth when we play.
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ButchA
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PostPosted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 5:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Andy Del wrote:
The difference is superglue v. Attached to you just like a real tooth is (or better). If (when) an important tooth is lost, I'll be going for an implant.

Cheers

Andy

Superglue... LOL...

Fixodent is what I use. Yes, I have a complete, full, upper denture plate and still play trumpet and cornet. My bottom teeth are still real (thank God). You all remember - it was from an ice hockey accident back in the 80's...

I currently play 2nd chair trumpet with the Shriners "Million Dollar Band" and have told all the guys that when we end up with a harmony part for a few bars, I will always ALWAYS take the lower harmony, to save my chops.

If I could have afforded dental implants, I would have done it, but I couldn't do it - not on my salary! So, I have to be extremely careful with my range and try to use larger 3C, Curry 3M, Schilke 14A4a, etc... MP's to help me along.

Put in in a 1st chair jazz band, constantly playing above the ledger line, and I'll pop my denture plate all the time, and be forced to stop.

See, when I lost my front teeth crashing into a defenseman on the other team, etc... (I don't remember much, but laying facedown in a pool of blood and teeth ) they originally fixed me up with a permanent bridge that looked great. But after all these decades, age, and deterioration, it broke it two and I had no choice but to go all the way and get a complete upper denture plate. No lie... It took me MONTHS and MONTHS of hard work to learn how to build my embouchure up and get back into playing!
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DaveH
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 1:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

So I get some mixed impressions based on the above information....I've read and heard different and conflicting reports on this topic - sound to me like the experience varies quite a bit form person to person.

Sounds like in many cases it would be better or easier or simpler to just learn to play a different instrument that doesn't rely on the mouth, such as piano or guitar or something like that? That is, if a person wanted to play some kind of instrument.

I'm not sure that everyone is a candidate for implants anyway, regardless of the cost. I think there might be some pre-existing conditions that may make implants unfeasible anyway, yes?
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ButchA
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PostPosted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 3:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

DaveH wrote:
Sounds like in many cases it would be better or easier or simpler to just learn to play a different instrument that doesn't rely on the mouth, such as piano or guitar or something like that? That is, if a person wanted to play some kind of instrument.


Uh... Yeah, I already do. I currently have 16 different instruments in my house ranging from guitars, harmonicas, a clarinet, trombone, keyboards, violin, etc...
and a little of everything in between. I stuck it out with trumpet, as it was my childhood instrument that I started playing in 4th grade. Granted, yes, I had to start all over again, and slowly build my chops back up, but I am living proof that you can still play with a complete denture plate!

NEVER GIVE UP!!!
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