Dental implant or gap in my mouth?

[ferntwist]

Help - my crown has failed and the dentist says there is nothing that can be done to save my tooth. My choice is either to have the tooth removed and have a gap or save up a terrifying £3,000 for a dental implant. It's the second tooth from the back on the bottom. What would you do?

I had same problem as you op but due to my having endured 5 lots of root canal work.

Same tooth as your referring to, I did not want to have a gap and the other teeth moving and jiggling along due to the missing tooth, so decided to have an implant put in.

Getting the implant was fine but by god the headache after was brutal, but within a couple of days it was fine. I use the small brush cleaners and make sure its kept clean at all sides, even after eating.

I have had no problems what so ever and glad I had it done, cost just over £2,600, and that was in 2003, so its been in for 15 years now.

I have several gaps from my teens/early twenties. Implants never offered and couldn’t have afforded them anyway. The teeth either side haven’t got weaker and the gaps helped a lot when my wisdom teeth came in (all four) and vied for space in my mouth, I’ve had problems with none of them. You can’t see the gaps when I smile and I just don’t worry about them.

Get another couple of opinions. It depends on what else is happenibg with your teeth. Maybe a bridge would work for you.

I got an implant and every tooth crowned abroad about 10 years ago for about 1500 all in. I had to have the bridge stuck back on a couple of years later but other than that it's been good.

The teeth either side won't get weaker providing you take care of them, which is easier than taking care of an implant.

Problems that can come from an implant are things like infection of the gum, infection of the bone around the implant, fracture of the implant. They can cause wear to the opposing teeth because they are harder than natural teeth.

I'm a dentist and I wouldn't get an implant for a lower molar, I would just leave the gap. But it's your mouth and you can do what you like OP. If that's money you have to spend, baring in mind you might need to spend it again in 15 years and then again, and you are really worried about a gap then it's your choice

If it’s not visible I’d leave it. If not, get a second opinion. My sister had a bridge for a gap which WAS visible. Didn’t cost £3k

I have experience of both gaps and implants for missing molars. My gaps are on the upper jaw - I never developed adult molars, so had my baby molars removed, then braces to narrow but not close the gaps - and my implant is on the lower jaw to replace a missing adult molar.

I would 100% go for the implant. Even those the gaps were narrowed with braces, good frequently gets stuck in the gaps on my upper jaw and despite a fixed plate on my front 4 teeth l, my teeth have moved and become more gappy due to the extra space.

Conversely my implant was a total doddle and is very easy to take care of - electric toothbrush and floss. It was £2,600 in 2016 and I’m very pleased with it.

Food gets stuck not good gets stuck!

Thank you, this is all very useful information. It’s so expensive that it obviously all needs serious thought.

waffly where did you have yours done?

I had the offending tooth stump partially removed today and am now on the sofa in agony, about to start gargling with salt water as advised by the dentist. Argh.

Oh God, poor you!

I grew up in the 60’s so, I know only too well the way dentists ripped teeth out of kids mouths, for no apparent reason. I have had much dental work done and my fear has never lessened.

Don’t do it.....unless you really have to!

Serbia. I can't recommend my dentist tho as he doesn't speak English.

Hi I had exactly the same problem as you last year and couldn't afford an implant so my dentist recommended a false tooth that is made to look exactly like mine and slots in between the gap . It is absolutely brilliant never falls out and cost me around £300 I believe. There are definitely other options available so maybe see other dentists.

I have 2 gaps, where previously filled molars essentially dissolved by virulent and ongoing throwing up through 2hyperemisis pregnancies. They are both in the top,2nd from back on R and 3rd from back on L.

The further back gap happened first. My knee jerk reaction was to get an implant. I looked into it and had an initial appt, but was warned that an implant is not without further maintenance and may well need replacing in future. I decided to live with the gap a bit, and tbh it died to bother me at all, and no one has ever noticed it.

The other gap is slightly further forward and occassionally noticeable. I had a Maryland Bridge in it, which kept falling out, and now a bonded bridge, which has been no trouble at all.

Would a bridge be a option?

I have a couple of gaps, which are too far back to see. I had the teeth removed as they were milk teeth which had no replacement adult teeth underneath and they had begun to sink into the gums. They were removed when I was 12, I am now 40 and have had no problems with the surrounding teeth. I have no fillings. I can chew perfectly well without those teeth too. So I personally wouldn't bother with implants.

colly - I'm assuming you have a plate for your denture?

My front tooth is crowned and is failing after many years. My options are an implant or a denture, the first being too expensive at the moment, and with a denture I don't want a fake gum at the front when I smile.
(bridge isn't an option due to weak tooth on other side)

I had to have a tooth removed after failed root canal. It’s at the front. Implant was way above my affordability so I have a bridge. It’s kind of a false tooth but it is attached to the tooth next to it so not a false tooth that has to be taken out and put in a glass. Much more affordable, never had a problem with it & ive had it nearly a decade.

I lost a tooth and planned to get an implant. However it transpired the bone wasn't packed properly and my (new and better dentist) felt the bone would be too weak to support an implant. I ended up having a bridge as the supporting tooth needed to be crowned. Am thrilled with it.

My missing tooth was further forward and was horribly self-conscious about the gap and was convinced everyone saw/knew about it. It transpires no-one had ever noticed I had a tooth missing!

Such useful stories, thank you all. I see my dentist again next week, lots to ask about!

3cats my dentist does these tiny wee flexible partial dentures, which are just for one or two teeth. No plate. She showed me some samples and they look amazing. Only available privately and about £300. Might that be an option for you? They were made of silicon type stuff and didn’t have any wires which could damage surrounding teeth. I think the brand name was something like Valplas.

3cats my Dad has had a partial denture for an upper canine tooth for the best part of 20 years following multiple bridge failures. It’s literally just a tooth with a small plastic plate behind - no fake gum involved, and you would never notice the difference.

Interestingly my Mum is a dentist and I’ve just realised that she was very keen for me to get an implant, but obviously didn’t send my Dad down that same track!

I think you lovely people have just saved me a fortune. I’ve a failing crown (temprarily glued back on 14 months ago so on borrowed time) just one tooth further forward. I’d started regarding an implant as inevitable but perhaps it isn’t. The crown is gold, so not subtle, but now I think about it you really don’t see that far back. Though I had understood that the upper molar above it might move down if I left a gap. Do you gappy people find that?

If you can afford it, Implant. I have had several to replace shattered teeth, and it’s absolutely been worth it for me.

Leaving a gap can cause problems with the jaw bone (and that was true in my case), bone shrinkage over time might mean that you can’t get an implant, or may need bone grafting.

Missing teeth increase the stress on your other teeth and may cause the damage or loss of other teeth.
Bridge work is a very bad idea IMO as it damages the teeth.

Also - get a second opinion on the tooth. It may not be beyond repair at all. A specialist dentist may be able to repair and re-crown teeth that other won’t attempt to repair (I’ve had this successfully done with a broken tooth). Ask your current dentist what options do you have if you don’t want it extracted, and get a second opinion if you are not happy.

Judy & Fleur - thanks for that info;
I shall have a Google!

I have an implant being fitted soon to replace a tooth that’s 5th from the front at the top.
It was a tooth I’d had root canal on but it has eventually crumbled and although it’s not really noticeable, I’m self conscious when I laugh.
Not keen on getting the work done as it sounds horrible but my teeth seem to be brittle and weak and not having something there will put more work on to the others.
I already have a crown on the opposite side.
Also, I don’t want my teeth shifting position over time as they’re quite even and neat.

No I don't have a plate for the denture it just stays in place due to the nature of the material if that makes sense ?

Hi Ferntwist. I'm a Dental Nurse and we do a fair few implants where I work. They're great and work well but they are super expensive!
Have you considered getting a second opinion from another Dentist?
A gap or an implant may not be your only options. Have they discussed the possibility of a bridge? If this is an option for you it would be a much cheaper alternative to an implant.
A gap may not bother you aesthetically but it can have a detrimental affect on your other teeth in the long term.
Unfortunately there are some unscrupulous Dentists who will lead you to believe that an implant is your only option. A bridge may not be possible (condition of the neighbouring teeth is a big factor) but it's certainly worth discussing with someone.
Hope this helps