Do Doctors Use CR4

Where do you live that dentists only know how to remove teeth?

There are different qualities of dentures. There are also implants that are man made teeth that are attached directly to the jaw bone. These supposedly are indiscernible from real teeth. But, like everything else.......it comes down to money and what a person can afford.

I don't have dental insurance and recently had to get a root canal. I still have my tooth, but it cost $1200 US. Fortunately, they had a payment plan. When the day comes that all of my teeth start going bad, I guess I'm just going to have to get used to soft food.

A cheap replacement would be nice. I don't know if you're aware of implants (where one or more metal posts are inserted in the jaw to hold replacement teeth--I don't have any, but they sound like a very good replacement, but very very expensive).

If you want to initiate a discussion, it would be nice if you registered. Also, it would be nice if we knew approximately where you live, etc.

Remember that we are not allowed to "practice medicine" here. I'm sure technical discussions on materials and techniques could go on.

I just dread to think what some engineers would come up with, a fully welded tungsten tipped set of teeth don't appeal to me.

Why, if "they" have mapped the complete human genome have they not done this after they found the trigger for teeth growing?:

My patent attorney and his dentist investor friend were not even convinced that it could work after I showed them my cat.

1. Take a pill in the morning

2. Collect the fallen out teeth in the evening (and from the tooth fairy)

3. Let it all regrow in its own time. (there will be teething problems)

4. Buy the fancy car from the dentist at a very low price.

5. Move to a country were the Dentist Lobby can't find you.

Disruptive technology has its name for a good reason.

Dr. BS Ky.

Practice medicine? Whose doing that? Forums are just people sharing stories and experiences between themselves. I wouldn't advocate that something that helped me would necessarily help someone else, but they should be free to hear the information and determine for themselves whether or not they would like to try the same thing. So far this is a right we all still have in America. For how long? Who knows.

So you would advocate Al Qaeda or some other Terrorists right to freely recruit other of a like mind to their cause through public use of forums like this, and for others to feel free to partake in such activities if they feel it may help them in some manner? Since this is a story of what they may feel has helped them in some sense. Funny how absolute freedom of speach is ok as long is it is our own opinions that are being discussed, isn't it. Let say you advocate teenage suicide as a solution to pregnancy, would that be ok?

We do not allow questions of a medical nature - as they pertain to diagnosis or advice:

http://cr4.globalspec.com/announcement/62/Please-no-medication-questions

If you wish to discuss the mechanics of teeth and dentures, go right ahead.

Like anything in life it really depends on what you can get your hands on and how much you are willing to spend. There are many options with regard to artificial denture fixes or full replacement (I believe they can even grow you a set of real ones).

What country are you talking about and what cost? If you are talking about a third-world country with a back-alley or free public clinic giving out wooden dentures? If so then there is your problem (poor selection but at a price the local population can afford).

Man made dentures are poor replacement for nature's set of teeth.

I have not found that to be the case. I inherited my father's weak teeth, and have been wearing the same set of full upper and lowers since the mid-70's. They come out for 15 minutes per day for cleaning, and I do not use "stick-um". Most of the time I'm not even aware of them. They cost a total of $500 (US), including extractions, in Nuevo Progresso, Mexico, south of Weslaco, Texas, where I worked for USDA.

Have you read the logo at the top iof the page right under CR4. It seemed pretty specific to me, they do already have biomedical and biomechanical section.

Why engineers need to look at this issue!! Let us be clear I am aware of issue of implants and it is prohibitively expensive. Here is Engineer's way of looking at the problem.

Teeth have been set firmly by nature in jaw bone - which takes the full force - compression (while biting) / tension (while tearing).

The gums surrounding give gap less support and contain nervous system.

When one brushes well etc - food particles do not get between / underneath the teeth.

The tongue has a function - for talking as well as beautifully churning while eating.

Imagine eating a sticky substance with dentures !! The dentures stick together!!!

When teeth are removed - gums cover up. The compression force through the denture resin falls on the gums - not on the jaw - giving rise to pain.

Let us assume implants are inserted- Nature held teeth in the jaw in certain cavities. Will implant be exactly in the same cavity or may be even between cavities(as the dentist drills at random- which could lead to weakening of the jaw bone!!!!

Implants seem to be a new phenomena (may be last decade). It was not there may be 20 years back - when my parents had dentures. So the dentures must have been moving around along with food inside the mouth!!!

Why not a tooth - to replace fallen tooth / teeth with silicone support - placed in the same cavity of the jaw?

I will not defend the dentists today- but I am looking for engineers to look at this as a professional engineering problem - looking for a solution.

and this would be a biomedical/biomechanical problem. If there is money in it to reward their efforts, I am sure some engineers would look at it.

Thanks - that is a positive approach involving multi disciplinary projects. Let us look at practical side of it.

I have interacted with many dentists- who themselves are young and never have dentures fitted. So all their advise is bookish and based on academics- no personal experience. Users - very few like me are engineers and do try to think, but we are not doctors and denture manufacturers. After all necessity is mother of invention. Person who wears the shoes knows where it pinches. Now you showed interest - but who will agree that there is money or market- is it the dentist? So marketing an idea is not so simple. At least _ I brought to attention a problem - which needs attended to, and dentists are not there to solve it.

I have this dumb idea--I'd like to consider making a replacement tooth for myself. I've been told that the only practical solution (well, aside from an implant) is a bridge for my particular problem (a molar missing on the side of the mouth--not all the way back--not normally visible when I smile).

Thoughts / questions:

• Unless I do something myself, I won't worry about this tooth, so far it hasn't bothered me (gone over a year)
• I wouldn't think that making some replacement tooth would be "practicing medicine (dentistry) without a license" (maybe it's a little more like first aid or self help)
• I'd think about using something to take a mold of my mouth / teeth--I know that is done, I think I've even seen something on the material that is used (to bite down on) to create the (negative) mold
• Then I'd think about finding a (small) hunk of stainless steel and starting to carve away everything that is not a tooth (and metal prongs to fit over adjacent teeth)
• With extreme luck, I might even find a way to then attach a ceramic wear surface, a process something like metal enameling

So, any (constructive) suggestions are welcome!

FYI anyone can practice medicine on themselves, and can tell anyone else anything they want as long as it is free. You need the license to charge a fee for medical services. So feel free to do any self help first aid you feel you want to do, just don't charge for it (or for a subsequent product, as human testing of products is restricted).

I think dentures could be made a whole lot cheaper.

One big U shaped tooth on top, one on the bottom. No need for spaces in dentures. For a more natural look, just etch lines where the spaces would be.

I hope when I need them, J-B Weld will be available in white, I'll make my own.

Where have all of you been? This conversation sounds like it is taking place in 1940.

Due to my own negligence, I've been the recipient of both dentures and two implants.

The partial denture was made by the US Veterans Administration dentist around 1980. I hardly notice that I have it and my present dentist sees no reason to replace it.

I've had two implants done with titanium posts and the teeth fastened to them are impossible to tell from the real ones, both appearance and function wise.

Implants have been around for at least 20 years if not longer. There are lots of engineers working in the dental field and making great strides in replacements and in the equipment to make this happen.

I can't believe you folks aren't aware. FLOSS and USE A RUBBER PICK !