Chompers

[Tammyzhere]

All those years of smoking

caused my gums to recede

about 1/8 inch above the enamel. 

So for the past 5-6 years 

I've been paying to have 

the tops of my teeth bonded.

It costs 185 per tooth and needs

to get touched up at least once 

per year and it still looks ugly.

So, I told the dentist I want a plate.

He said "NO-o-o-o-o-o Tammy, you 

won't like it"

So I pay 100 dollars for a consult

at a different dentist about a plate.

He said, NO-o-o-o-o-o, your roots are good.

You should cap canine to canine 

and get two bridges.... 16k for the tops.

And I'm thinkin---- I don't know anyone

who has all their teeth capped -- like 

I don't live in Hollywood.

So then my gf says, go see my dentist.

He will give you a quote on some veneers. 

So I made an appt for Monday, Dec 4th

There is another 100 consultation fee. 

With all the former smokers on here

there has to be someone else who 

completely messed up their teeth.

I Know I'm not the only one.... 

Anyone have any experience with this

that they'd care to share???

[YoungAtHeart]

I would think the veneers would also show a portion of the tooth if the gum continues to recede.  That is a question for the consult.  I would ask if you stop smoking, will the receding slow down or stop?  If not, I am not sure you are improving your circumstance with them.

I had little enamel on my teeth and had them capped about 12 years ago.  Now the infrastructure that holds them is not as strong, and I continue to have loose caps.  My only alternative is implants - and I have heard that infrastructure deterioration will also cause them to loosen.

I do know that some people have no problem with dentures, while others have a terrible time.  I DO know that you can't actually chew with them - you essentially have to pound your food to pieces - which most people find annoying!  I would not get them unless they are your only alternative.

Hope this information is helpful.

Nancy

[Tammyzhere]

Yeah I'm so outta my ball park here.  My folks had dentures at my age. 

I don't think there were as many options back then.

The new thing is those 4 in 1 where they screw the plate to your head- lol.  

They claim to be able to eat with them but, that's really drastic and pricey. 

I've seen those quoted at about 27k for uppers.  

I know they can ram the veneers up into the gums but, 

I dunno how long those hold up as it's kinda like fake fingernails.

It seems like a high maintenance, temporary fix for vanity purposes.

On the other hand, to let them file down all my teeth for caps...

seems kinda crazy and expensive too but, at least you can eat real food.  

Was it crazy expensive to get your teeth capped 12 years ago? 

Do you think it was worth it since you got 12 years out of them?

Or were you implying that I should just skip that and go straight to implants?

Maybe I shouldn't try to make major decisions that are expensive and drastic? 

[elvan]

Tammyzhere‌ I think maybe you should not make a decision now...take your time.  I used Care Credit too, if the bill is over $299, you can put it on the card and it is interest free for six months.  Mine were a little over $2,500 and I had to pay for it, I don't have dental insurance.  I went to a clinic in my city but it's not a franchise.  They do sliding fee but my reduction was minimal.  Whatever they charge is based on the Federal poverty guidelines.

[YoungAtHeart]

I LOVED my caps until recently.  They look and feel like real teeth and you can eat anything with them. I have not had any break off or chip.   I don't know your age - but I had mine done in my late 50's.  I had dental insurance, so there was a scale as to what they could charge. I think they were about $10,000 then...which was cheap, I think, and well worth it.  You might start with just getting a few caps at a time - say the top front four?  Then you could wait to do the bottom front four? I would start with the most obvious ones and work backwards.  If the ones after the front are holding and viable, i would do them later as you can, maybe - and maybe not!

Nancy

[Tammyzhere]

I have an appt for Feb 13th.  2500 for the bottom partial and get this

22k for the all on 4  screw it into your head  plate 

it's cheaper in Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba, etc 

if you wanna get off the plane wit 8k and end up in a bathtub

of ice water with no kidneys    

But for that kinda cash, could probably hire VEDO to be your body guard

and go on a nice vacation in some 3rd world country.  

[elvan]

I had to have multiple extractions after I quit.  My teeth were breaking off at or below the gum line, I also have receding gums in the front on the bottom.  They had no choice but to do extractions and I have an upper partial and a lower partial...the are not comfortable which is putting it mildly.  My dentist said they are wonderful fit...I thought maybe she should wear them, LOL.  I have to use denture adhesive to hold them in and I have accidentally...OBVIOUSLY, pasted a hair under my upper denture when I was getting ready for work.  I could not get the damn thing out so I spent the day with a hair in my mouth.  I suspect you are laughing out loud right about now. I sure would be if someone told me that story.  Most of the time, I do not wear them at home, they are that uncomfortable.  I would not recommend this to anyone unless it was, like my case, a last resort.  I would not be a candidate for implants because my osteoporosis is causing the bone to deteriorate and I would end up losing the implants and needing dentures anyways.  You are most certainly not the only person who messed up her teeth by smoking.  

Ellen

[Tammyzhere]

Ok so-o-o-o-o-o-o,

at the consult today 

he recommends getting 6 teeth pulled

on the bottom - then getting a partial. 

So, ok - I'll start with that I guess.

I have an appt for Friday 

He concurred with the other dentist, 

about getting the uppers capped  -1k per tooth. 

Still seems crazy to me.  

[darnPainter]

I can speak to this. My teeth were actually loose in the gums and I could move them with my finger. I lost one on the bottom front and one on the top front. I was embarrassed and self conscious about it and didn't smile much because of the way they looked. All the rest of my teeth were in pretty good shape. I made an appointment at Comfort Dental for a consult a year ago..   

So... What was going on was my gums had receded so much from smoking, and no regular dentist visits for years, (because I was a practicing alki those years), There was no way of saving the 4 bottom front teeth and one top front tooth. I ended up accepting a bridge from eye tooth to eye tooth on the top, and a denture on the bottom- from eye tooth to eye tooth, which medicaid paid for. I had to pay for the bridge, but they set me up with a payment plan through  Care Credit. The total price for the bridge was $3900.00. I don't really like the denture and have had to modify it to fit right. Eventually I got used to it. But the bridge is awesome. I'm really happy with it and  now I smile more often. Lol . So check out Comfort Dental, or some other Dentist franchise if you don't have one in your area. Most of them except all kinds of insurance and will work with you. Good luck with your chompers

[Mandolinrain]

As a former Surgical Asst for an Oral surgeon, I think , from what your saying, you will be happier with a partial or even a full denture. The key being WHO, WHAT dental clinic is making the appliance.. Ask them for referrals of other patients and see if they are happy with theirs. For the money anyway, it’s the option I will go for one day. I also grind my teeth and have worn them WAY down., so they are very sensitive.

Ive been lucky to a point. November 17th I had #3 extracted and an implant placed AnD and large bone tori removed all with a local by the Doc I used to work for. $3500.00 out of pocket. Because it’s in the back, I may decide to never get the abutment. Can’t for a few months anyway. 

Dental features are so heavily marked up. I used to unload and inventory supplies for out office years ago and back then a box of panoresx X-ray film was $20.00with over 100sheets in it, while the panorex was itself around $230.00.

For anyone who wants to whiten their teeth, I use baking soda with hydrogen peroxide mix a couple nights a week and rinse well after. Works for me..

Wishing you the best:)