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Hi, I just went to the dentist yesterday, for a cleaning.
In the meantime the hygienist took x-rays and the
dentist took a look at them and said that my molar
on the top right side, needs to be removed
and be replaced with an implant.
Then, he decided to go another route.
He’s going to cut where the decay is and try to fill it
so that it will not progress any further and also buy
me some time to save $$ if I still need the implant
in the future.
My friend told me that I shouldn’t have
that done because she feels it’s drastic, costly and
will probably need it replaced later.
She also said that the thought of having a screw
drilled into my bone does not sound good.
What advice can you give me. I’ve been going to this dentist
for a long time and I’ve had no problems with him.
His wife is the dentist for my kids, and there has
been no problem there either.
He told me that he’s been keeping an eye on the
tooth and it’s hard to clean in the area where the
decay is because the tooth is slanted and now it’s at
a point where the decay has gone all
the way up near the bone.
He said an implant can cost about $3600.00.
–“O.F.”
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Well it does sound like you have a good, conservative
dentist, O.F.
And congratulations for getting good dentistry
and for having your kids get good dentistry.
Now let’s talk about economics.
Dentists are in a tough spot. They know implants are
very expensive. $3600 sounds about right, it’s in the
range.
Yet, they know patients need help and can’t always
afford the implants.
The dentists I know hate to see someone’s teeth
get worse and worse. When an implant or something
else would solve the problem. Or when a certain
restoration would save the tooth altogether.
(Not that this is the situation you describe, O.F.)
So dentists will often try another route in
order to help the patient through until such time
as they get the implant.
This is perfectly reasonable.
I have investigated implants thoroughly and I am a
huge believer in them. My daughter has an implant and
I am getting on myself.
There is no better dentistry, nor has there ever been,
for a way to replace a tooth that is a goner, or that
has already been lost.
If you have a really bad tooth that has been worked
on as much as possible, it can be a conduit for
infection. If the tooth can be saved for awhile, why
not?
As far as your friend’s concern, implants have been
done by the hundreds of thousands. They are a proven
and effective system and very safe.
Visit us at www.FresnoDentalImplants and we’ll gladly extend you a free
implant consultation for reading this article.