Jan, I had one over 10 years again and have been very happy with it. Since it was one of my front teeth, I felt I really didn't have a choice. A bridge would have affected a couple of good teeth. Originally, I went to the dentist that my regular dentist referred, but found he had done less than 10 implants. I quickly checked around and found someone who did them on a regular basis. I actually worked with 2 doctors in the same office, one who inserted the pin or screw into the jaw bone and another who made and inserted the tooth. The surgeon also did a bone graft to build up the bone. The procedure is a bit drawn out because the original tooth has to come out, a temporary tooth hung in there, and then another temporary is attached once the pin is put in the jaw. Finally the actual tooth is attached.
My implant is still solid as a rock and I'm happy I had it done. I understand that if you have certain health problems, like diabetes there is a higher failure rate than normal. My advice is find someone who does it regularly and ask a lot of questions. Mine was done quite awhile ago, so some of the procedure may have changed. I'm happy to answer any questions. Good luck.
Connie

My ex FIL had his entire mouth done back in the 90's. It was a long process, but he sure has great teeth. Never heard of him having any problems either. I remember when he just had the metal posts put in, sure looked painful, but worth it.

Ill give you a contrary opinion. It seems like DH's teeth have just started falling apart in the past three years. We've been dealing with three dentists before we found one that's competent. (Why is it that the hardest person to find when you move is a decent dentist?) We've spent approximately $15,000 over & above our dental insurance, on his teeth. He's been poked & prodded; had teeth pulled & implanted & finally we got the job done. Now we've gotten a postcard from the dentist telling him he needs his regular check-up. I think I'm going to have to hog tie him to get to the dentist, who we've now started calling Dr. Mengele. If you've ever seen the movie "Marathon Man" you'll have a fair idea of what he's been through in the past three years.

My dad who is 85 had what was called a pivot tooth implanted when he was in the Army back in to late 40's...think it was the same basic premise a metal post with a tooth screwed into it...think that's one of the last few he has left.

I have,very bad one.My single upper front completed two weeks ago has only cosmetic property.beyond that is not functional, sensitive to touch,to a biting pressure and it aches.My dentist says it is only one way to fix the problem.
Namely:6-8 implants more.I paid for the implant Can.$ 4,000.00 It is a lot for me and I can not aford having done more of them.I feel very unhappy about that.

I toyed with the idea, because I had the good fortune, in this smaller burgh to be located near a very reputable dentist who does implants as his specialty. I am not a sissy, and the pain or ickyness wasn't an issue. Money is. I opted the bridgework down the road, but had money not been an issue, I'd have gone an implant or two. I know a man who had his whole mouth implanted. After years of living with pain/unpretty teeth, his smile is brilliant. He prolly spent his whole retirement nest-egg getting it however. He said he'd do it again if he had it to do over. Like so many other procedures I'm sure a lot of it is the skill of the practioner.

Jan, I wonder if you are talking about something other than what we usually think of as implants. My uncle had a false tooth implanted on a peg into the jaw back in the 1940s. A procedure that has been around for over 60 years can hardly be called experimental.

You could be right about the insurance not wanting to pay for it. They probably would think the usual partial plate would work just as well.

My husvand has just finished the LONG process of getting implants for his front teeth--after literally decades of bridges and I can't remember what else. He is very happy with the result. But it was expensive and insurance covered practically none of it.

I wonder if there are university dental schools around that do these things? They are usually a lot cheaper but I don't know about quality.

I have a space in the back of my mouth and am faced with the same question. Luckily I can pretty much do what I want but for me it's a no brainer because I don't want a hole drilled into my jaw bone.

To me, it was not that painful, not even as bad as a root canal, and although we don't have much money, my implants are worth every cent.

I got two implants way in back, lower jaw, over 8 years ago. The crowns on them were connected at the top for strength. Finally, just recently, the crown began to "show mobility," and--to make a long story short--our dentist ended up having to remove the crowns this week so a periodontist could check what was going on. Fortunately, the furthest back implant turned out still to be solid as a rock, while the one in front of it is only a bit wiggly, due to an infection and some bone loss. The dentist thinks it can probably be saved with a bone graft, but I'm looking at around 6 months or more of having temporary caps on those implant posts. Fine with me!

I loved having these implants, which felt exactly like my own teeth once I got used to them. Even if it had turned out that the present implants had to be completely removed and the whole procedure repeated all over again (spoken of as a possibility before the dentist found them in fairly good condition), I would gladly have done it.

Mwoods: It's your jaw, of course, but for me, at least, having a hole drilled into the bone was completely painless (after the needle with anesthetic), and even the day of the implant, with some good painkiller (hydrocodone), I was able to go out with a friend and pick out and buy a new car. Not a bad experience at all! The implants have never given me any pain in use.

I agree with others who say it is important to find a dentist with plenty of experience and a good technique for doing the implants. As for the money, you may be looking at several hundred (at a guess) for building up the bone, then more for the implant itself. Once it has healed well, a post is attached on top and a crown made to be glued onto it. The crown will also cost several hundred, probably. I can't recall exactly how much my total was.

I am looking at possibly having an implant done when we return home.

Concerning insurance coverage, in talking to my hygenist, who had implants done, she suggested that you can argue the issue with your ins. co. to cover at least what they would pay for an alternate procedure and you make up the difference. She wasn't covered either and successfully argued that they didn't have the ultimate right to determine what option she chose. If they would allow up to a certain amount for a bridge then they should provide at least that amount and allow her the option to use that payment towards an implant. Can't hurt to try and if you're aggressive, who knows!

I'm glad to hear about the bone graft option. I lost a tooth when I was around 22. Two of my teeth were still primaries, I never had teeth replace them. Consequently they've had more wear and tiny roots that weren't meant to hang in this long. The roots are too small for a root canal so I ended up losing one. I never had a bridge put in because I'd heard stories about it causing further tooth problems. I always considered an implant, but being young and lacking in $$$ and good coverage I never pursued it. Later marriage and kids took my attention. Now I'm thinking about it but was worried about the bone loss I've suffered in the meantime.

biwako,it isn't the pain that concerns me,it's the invasiveness of the procedure and stories from others I know who have had problems for years of one kind or another with their implants. I've never been in a hospital,except to give birth,taken antibiotics only a few times in my life and have been incredibly lucky..knock on wood. I guess I don't want to tempt the fates at this point in my life,if given a choice. The idea of a possible bone graft doesn't appeal to me. I guess if I had front tooth knocked out I might view it differently.

When I had to have a bridge & a couple of fillings done, I went through a dental college.

I'd go back there for any big dental project before I'd go to a private practitioner.

The reason:

"My student" (the appt desk would always say, "& who is your student") asked me one day,
"How does that feel?"
or some such, &, when I hesitated, he quickly added,
"Tell me the exact truth: I get graded on this stuff."

I think I got *better* care than I would have elsewhere, because sometimes private practices make decisions about your health based on what's best for their business.

The students are being taught how to do it the right way, & the controls are tight:
they have to design a treatment plan &
submit it to an instructor for approval,
the instructor examines you,
then the student does the work,
with the instructor checking at each stage.

and...

My work would have cost over $4000 at a private practice.

I paid about $1400 at the dental college.

about implants:
(what was the question?)

I only know one person who had them done.

If he were an emotionally expressive person, I'd say he was ecstatic.

One of my bosses had 4 done last year. I think the pain felt is relative to one's toleration of anesthesia - she was in agony for most of a week. I asked if she would do it over? "Absolutely!"

OTOH, DH is in the process for one tooth, and even after much discussion, the insurance is paying only the equivalent of a crown -- that is, we will get a refund of about $700 for an $8,000 procedure (Boss paid $10,000 per tooth, so we are getting a senior citizen's discout). If I'm ever faced with it, I will NOT do an implant. Anesthia considerations aside, I'm in my 60's and I feel that it's a waste of my money; $8,000 would buy a lot of food for the local shelter.