Tuesday 8 July 2008

The tooth is a gonner...

Latest in the 3rd root canal saga- ie The Front Tooth


So, M got a copy of the x-ray that was done in January at the dental hospital. I am really angry because the damage was evident then. Bear in mind that I had gone with a problem in that tooth so the dentist was looking for a problem with that tooth yet failed to see it. However,it hasn't affected the outcome, but I still think it is pretty poor...


M consulted with an eminent dentist that he knows. It seems that the tooth is not being resorbed from the inside out as he had originally thought, but from the outside in. This has been caused by trauma in hte past - possibly when I was beaten up when I was 17, or a number of other events. My accident insurance in Switzerland *might* cover the cost, or they might not.


Where does that leave me? Well, the root treatment has been completed as a (literal) stop-gap We have to keep an eye on some other teeth for the same problem.... this tooth will snap off, so I will have to have it removed. The plan is that I will have an implant. This will take about a year from start to finish. At no point will I have a gap in my smile - this is *so* important to me, as I am sure everyone will understand. The plan would be to remove the tooth, immediately screw(!) in the implant, cut the root of the tooth and glue it to the teeth either side. Part of what has been upsetting me has been the procedure itself, but also the idea of that gap. I think some gum may need to be transplanted, maybe a bit of bone as well. All in all, a long drawn out procedure.


I am going to allow myself to wallow for today. Tomorrow it has to stop - I haven't just been given a terminal diagnosis.


Edit - sorry if the post only makes sense to me - I'm not in the best state right now to be making sense.

5 comments:

  1. Oh dear India, I really do sympathise with your dental traumas. I cannot offer much by way of practical advice but I do know two people with implants and they have both been delighted with the results.

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  2. I'm so sorry to hear this. I had both my front middle teeth extracted and I wore a "flipper" for about a year and a half before I started orthodontic treatment. The flipper was a retainer with acrylic fake teeth. Most people couldn't tell my front teeth were fake. But you do deserve to mope and then learn everything you need to know about the options.

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  3. I'm glad that there's a solution on the way, though. I have a friend who had most (if not all, I don't remember exactly) of her teeth pulled and replaced with implants, hers were so bad. After the gums recovered & grew back around the screwed-in bits she had teeth which were more durable than natural teeth!

    Good luck with this!

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  4. Just reading this made my wisdom tooth throb.

    I really hope you're alright - have never experienced a dental trauma and I'm already afraid of dentists!

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  5. Good grief - how annoying that they didn't spot this at the dental hospital *sigh*

    I've read/considered the possibility of the implants - try to think past the treatment - the end result is going to look great - and more importantly - be permanent.

    Plus you'll be well 'out of it' during the treatment I'm sure - God bless sedation!!

    See you soon
    Elaine x

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