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Hello, I had a few questions about my situation, I know everyone has different issues based on their personal needs and maybe their is not a simple cut and dry solution.
Here is my situation:
I'm a 30 year old Male, with really bad teeth. most of my back teeth on my lower jaw are missing (unfinished root canals on one side with no post, and missing teeth from tooth fractures on the other side) my front teeth are in good shape (health) but I have very crooked and buck teeth in the front.
I saw a dentist who specializes in implants and it was determined I would need 6 implants to fix the missing teeth (I have good bone structure for them) and I would need 4 root canals and 5 crowns (one crown to replace a temporary I had done before).
While I was doing this he presented me with two options to fix my front teeth (I told him I did not want braces) He could remove my front 4 teeth and do a mini implant and bridge new teeth from canine to canine, or he could shave my front teeth and build up the teeth next to them to give the illusion that they are straight.
The advantage of this being that it would be cheaper and I could keep my original teeth, the disadvantage is I would still have the bone structure of my buck teeth so they would look better but not as good as just removing them.
I guess my question would be, should I try to keep my real teeth and not have the cosmetic look I want, or just go for it? Obviously I am going to get the implants and root canals I need for my health. I'm not really that attached to my teeth so I have no sentiment towards keeping them.
i know its a late reply, but IMO I would not go though with root canals and add more implants. it will be costly up front, but it will last longer and you'll be happier on the long run.
as far as healthy teeth go.. they're always a good keep. if YOU dont like them, you can remove them.
it seems like you could be a possible candidate for a fixed/removable prosthesis. that involves removing all of your teeth and placing 4-6 implants (maybe more depending on the dr.) and attaching a prosthesis (denture) to it. it can be fixed or removable.
but again, we dont know what your teeth look like. and if you want to save your front teeth, then you might not want to do a whole arch for implants.
just be careful. make sure your dentist has the experience to pull this off. ANY dentist can be a specialist by going to a weekend course or two about implants. if he specialized in implants, then what about the cosmetic part of the procedure? you cant be perfect in everything.
take care
My $.02 is to preserve your natural teeth if at all possible- so long as it's reasonable to do so.
I have a small concern about reshaping the front teeth. I suggest seeking out a cosmetic dentist and getting a second opinion.
I also realize you do not want braces, but have you looked into a particular type called Invisalign? Any orthodontist will be very familiar with the system and if you're a candidate for them they are clear and you'd end up preserving your natural teeth without any reshaping.
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