Dental Repair Technology

Look into implant(s), but it can be very pricey. And it takes about a year to do though

I had a front tooth chipped and repaired almost 25 years ago and I finally had them rebond it because it was slightly discolored, but not loose!

I was told by many dentists that it would only last 5 or so years. So, that time is obvious highly variable depending on a number of variables.

A permanent solution is to remove the tooth and replace it with a implant that is screwed into bone. Most people just get it bonded.

I fell down in ±1965 with a slide rule in my hand, In my attempt to protect the valuable instrument my one front teeth took the impact and also broke off (2/3).

The dentist then made me a 100% porcelain crown. This thing lasted through rugby, one boxing match and wire stripping for 25 years until it eventually gave way to a piece of biltong (dried meat).

It was then replaced with an implant. After 17 years it is still OK.

(I still do wire stripping).

I don't take injections but I actually don't go to a dentist that often. I grew up in an area with natural fluoride in the water - The (war) veterans are still strong.

I think an implant is the best.

Steve, I vote strongly for a crown. Modern denistry has rendered crowns practically painless. As far a longevity goes, I had 10 crowns "installed" about 20 years ago and they're still going strong. No obvious wear and tear.

Seems to me like the implant approach would be much more painful and involved, i.e., somewhat major surgery IMHO.

Most important thing you can do, regardless which approach you choose, is to have REGULAR checkups/cleanings. In other words, make your dentist your best friend.

-John

Yes, I'll talk to her about a crown, we discussed it last time but I don't remember the details. I went for the quick and easy solution then, and I may do so again...

I got to looking at it this evening, and I am really only missing about 15 to 20% of the tooth, that makes the bondo more attractive.

I am a dentist coward as well. I had not gone to the dentist for nearly 18 years when, one Christmas holiday, I grew this nice abscess. Visited the emergency dentist who gave me a right bollocking for wasting her time as I should have gone regularly and it would not have happened. Anyway, after the holiday I did go and I was amazed at how painless it all was. They can now put a pasty kind of stuff on the gums before injecting and I swear I didn't feel a thing. You also don't have to wait any more like in the old days.

I would take the plunge and go for the best solution right now, any more postponement is only deepening the fear.

Sorry forgot, Good luck with whatever you decide.

Also discuss getting a root canal done on that tooth, that way they do not damage or need to replace the crown later in time. Just a thought.

You are NOT wise to consider an implant for this type of situation. That would require an extraction of the real tooth, just to replace it with a fabricated stump on which to place a crown. A crown is the best restoration in a case like this, and the options are many. If price is your primary concern a simple PFM, (porcelain fused to metal) restoration would be the best bet. If done well, by a competent dentist, and dental laboratory, it has the longest, 5 to 30 years expectation of service. Often if oral conditions are good the life expectancy could exceed even that. If you might desire a more exotic, and somewhat more costly restoration, consider an all ceramic, bonded restoration. However, you sound like one of those persons who thinks of teeth as only a device to break up food, and not worth spending a rational amount of money to preserve. Well you could go snaggle toothed, and use a blender to break up your food, while giving everyone around you a barrel of laughs at your hideous smile, and of course a lot of unkind remarks behind your back. If finances are a problem, but your payment history is good, most dentists, even the really good one will work out agreeable terms. Good luck.

"However, you sound like one of those persons who thinks of teeth as only a device to break up food, and not worth spending a rational amount of money to preserve. Well you could go snaggle toothed, and use a blender to break up your food, while giving everyone around you a barrel of laughs at your hideous smile, and of course a lot of unkind remarks behind your back."

I don't know where you got that from... The break was never that bad, and I went to a cosmetic dentist who was happy to try epoxy resin to repair it the first time, in fact she recommended trying that instead of something more invasive. I have plenty of money, and I am more than willing to spend what it takes... BTW in my 45 year life I have had a grand total of one cavity.. Not too terrible bad from a oral health standpoint....

I am an engineer doing a cost benefit analysis on an investment in a technology solution for a problem. I came here to get some input on that decision... I will see her late next week for a consult....

I have to go practice escaping ditched helicopters Monday through Wednesday.

Are you a dentist ? You sound like the one I use. Quite frankly, although I take good care of my pearly whites and get checkups, etc at the required frequency from a some high end dentist, I am totally frustrated with their work. I have had far more problems with my teeth when I stay away from them. I think they have done more damage to my dental health than if I had done nothing.

Mine are partly ruined by parents who did not think for them self. They just made me go every 6 months for these check ups but the dentist was a retard who did not even realise that my jaw was too narrow so when I changed dentist at 18 years of age, the first he asked why I had never gone to my regular check ups. I said I had and pointed him to the offending dentist and he was silent after that. Another case of medical professionals protecting their own.

I stayed away for some 22 years and only had that abscess problem 2 years ago. I had one tooth removed as a result and been relatively fine since. My teeth will never be advert material but they will do the job until I need a nurse to feed me liquid mush in some retirement home. Hope she will have her buttons undone, finally

and what part of OZ are you from?? Here, if you don't have a dental insurance card, they don't want to even talk to you. Same for medical!! Several years ago, '85' I needed a "nose doctor" for my broken nose. He REFUSED to come to the hospital to treat me because even though I had a $40+K salary,which was quite nice for 1985, I didn't have insurance. So they taped a band-aid across my nose to hold it in approximate place and let it go at that.

I currently have approximately 1/4 tooth left in my head. The rest of it broke off a few months ago. The nerve died several years ago so that doesn't bother me.

I am in the USA

In 1953, I broke both upper front teeth (plus the one to the right) to approximately 1/3 loss on each one. They were capped (crowns) around 1958.

These survived high school, College, Military (including combat and 2 air crashes), and 2 motor racing crashes, through 1975, when I incurred jaw problems which were caused by the crowns being a bit too long for my mouth.

They were replaced in 1976 and have survived well ever since... Works for me!!!

Ya pays ya money and ya takes ya choice. I had a crown fail after about 10 years, My father inlaw had implants afil after about 10 years. My failed crown was far easier and far cheaper to repair... His jaw bone degenerated around the screws and now he eats Jello only...

I know it has been some time since my original post, but between my dentist moving offices, and my travel schedule, I finally got in for the repairs today.

She used an epoxy resin repair technique, and it came out lovely. Can't even tell that the tooth was ever broken.