Dental question--implants?

For those of you who know about teeth--tooth #4 (a molar) needs a root canal and crown (Approx. $700). The tooth is quickly crumbling away, but I do have an appointment for this coming Wednesday (31st) to have this taken care of. My question is--would this be the best option for me, or would it make more sense to say f*ck it, have the tooth pulled, and have an implant put in? (The type where they put the titanium screw in your jaw bone, then the impmlant tooth screws into it.) I have had horrible teeth since the birth of my first child nearly three years ago--one cavity after another, and I found out at my last trip to the dentist that I need several fillings, and a total of *4* crowns. What would be my best option? I"m a healthy 31 year old woman who wouldn't need bone grafting or anything of that nature. What would you do?

Dental question--implants?
First of all, don't f*ck it, this tooth is a premolar and most likely a part of your smileline. 2ndly, once the tooth is gone thats it. no going back. 3rdly the financial part of it. an implant runs about 3000-4000 plus the cost of extracting the tooth


(200-400). it sounds like 700 is your portion due after insurance. if you did an implant , the insurance most likely wouldn't cover a thing.


you need to ask WHY you need the crowns. is it because of decay or are the teeth fracturing? there is a big difference. sometimes as we get older, the fillings that were placed when we were kids can flex and fracture over time causing small fractures in the tooth. if the tooth breaks in a certain way it can cause the need for a root canal and a crown. another thing to think about is if you are taking any types of medication, have dry mouth, or if your diet has changed. these small things can affect how your mouth fights the virulent bacteria that cause decay/gum disease.


if you are concerned about preventing future problems, talk to your RDH. she/he can guide you towards special toothpastes/rinses, electric toothbrushes ie sonicare, and I would also ask about a nightguard. (a nightguard will help prevent against fractures, you can still get them but it will put you in a lower risk category for fractures). I would also check on more frequent cleanings. there is nothing wrong with going every 4months to have a cleaning instead of 6. you most likely will have to pay out of pocket (about 100-115$) for the extra cleaning, but you should weigh that against the amount of work that you may need in the future. also, make sure you brush at least 2 times even 3times a day. make it a priority. are you flossing? most cavities happen in between teeth and regular flossing can prevent this.


if you were my sister, I would say crown the teeth that need it and definately do what you can to prevent future crowns. if the financial burden is stressing you out, dont let it. ask the DDS which teeth are a priority and do 1-2 crowns per year until all the teeth that need them are treated.





Hope this was helpful





RDH in WA
Reply:Hope your appt went well. A lot of people go through exactly the same thing everyday. Some people are just more prone to "bad" teeth" even though they brush and floss. Don't despair, I am sure the situation will turn out well. Jonim Report It

Reply:If the tooth can be saved with a root canal and crown, then go for it. An extraction plus implant would cost twice as much, or more.
Reply:The best thing to do is to save the tooth if it can be saved. You should talk with you dr and hygeinest about options to help with your decay problem. What we all know is we need to brush 2xday and floss1xday. But what you would only find out in the dental office is there are some options for you. They have a toothpaste that has higher levels of flouride to strengthen your teeth also there is a antiseptic moth wash called Chlorahexidne Gluconate Or one trade damn is Peridex. both may help with your decay problem. Also if you're not allergic to betadine then about once a month your mix equal parts of betadine and water and rinse your mouth with that and it's a very strong antiseptic. Good Luck
Reply:#4 is a pre-molar or bicuspid... NEVER an implant is better than a root canal, if your root is healthy endo, post and cap it.... and way cheaper too
Reply:There's no guarantee that an implant would be suitable in this position. the need for bone grafting or sinus lifts cannot be guessed at without Xrays. You'd have to ask the dentist for an opinion or referral.


Having said that, RCTs and crowns on premolars can be risky as there is not much tooth structure. If you're really talking about a molar, then that RCT and crown would be advisable.


Please don't blame it on the birth of your child. It has nothing to do with it. Teeth are NOT bone, and the baby does NOT take calcium from your teeth. I hear mothers say this all the time, and in front of their children. Apart from being untrue, how do you think your child might feel?


Have a serious appraisal of your dental history - How often have you been having checkups? With Xrays? Are there some dietary factors that might cause decay? has the dentist suggested a cause? Have you always seen the same dentist over the years? What about a 2nd opinion before you embark on this path? If your current teeth are going bad, is a single implant a suitable choice - what if other teeth crumble later? Just some thoughts to consider.
Reply:Your best bet is to ask the dentist if the tooth can be saved so that they can make a prep to have a crown put on it. If so then you should do that.





Your second option is an implant. The implant would included extracting the tooth (probably more painful than a root canal), having the implant put in. Then you would have to wait about 3 months for that to heal. Then you would have to go back to the dentist and have the implant crown put in. This would take a lot more time and a lot more money. Implants are usually a substitute for dentures or if you need bridge work and there are not enough teeth that can be preped for that bridge.





To save you time and money have the crown done.
Reply:I'm a dentist.





Make no mistake about it, darlin', implants are not the equivalent of natural teeth. They are the best way to replace a missing tooth, but by no means are they the equivalent of natural teeth. They have their share of problems that natural teeth don't.





It is absolutely worth it to spend the money on restoring the premolar--even if the prognosis is questionable.



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