Lainey

^
I'd be upset too. Losing teeth is scary. I've had a lot of work done on my teeth. Braces as an adult, I've got a bridge, a couple of caps on molars, and I still have dreams of my teeth falling out.

MsPerky

Stitches came out today and healing is going well. Was supposed to be about four months until the next step, but part of that will be spent wearing Invisalign upper and lower prior to the actual implant(s). Dentist says my bite needs realignment. Oh well...good thing I did not make any major vacation plans for the rest of the year. Whole process will be over by March. Hope no other surprises. Any of y'all done the Invisalign thing?

boltonblue

Not me Deb.

since we're in the I'm thrilled with life thread.
My Thunderbird email installation broke.
and I have two zones of my AC down at the moment.
So first things first, I need to learn how to fix AC systems.... . ..

Kyras

Deb, isn't Invisalign like having clear braces? I've never had braces and kind of wish that I had. Both my kids did and they have great teeth although my son's jaw is misaligned and his top and bottom teeth don't overlap the way they should. But the teeth themselves are straight and pearly. Walmart Not horrible but would be nice to have a more straight up and down set.

Lainey

I had braces as an adult, as did a few of my siblings. Braces were not in the family budget when we were kids. My sister also used the invisalign for a quick "re-do" as I guess her teeth shifted. It was a choice to make a slight correction not a real dental need.

Deb I've never heard of this being recommended in conjunction with an implant. You are comfortable with this recommendation? Will insurance pay for this? I can tell you from personal experience that some dentists will "see things" that others may not agree with. As mentioned I had braces as an adult. Later on I had some gum surgery. I had a few cleanings at the office of the periodontist. He was recommending a bite adjustment. In my case that was done by slight alterations to the tooth structure. I was not convinced and declined. I was still being seen by the orthodontist for routine checks and gave them a call. He said he didn't think that would be necessary based on my last check. At my next exam he checked my bite, asked if I had had it done and I told him I had not. His opinion was that it was not something I needed to have done. Just FYI

MsPerky

Yes, Patty, they are clear braces. But instead of being fixed you wear upper and lower retainers (or whatever the word is) that can be removed to eat. As for whether they are needed or not, I think my dentist is concerned about the front tooth implant (which is already going to be tricky) and the way my teeth are lining up when I bite. He assured me that I would be pleased with the results outside of the need for bite correction, so we will see. I go back next week to go over exactly how they will appear after I'm done.

The scan is kinda cool. The tech put this wand thing in my mouth and moved it around. The picture of my teeth appeared on the screen and the view could be rotated in all ways to see every angle. Upper and lower. Very detailed. The only thing I didn't like was that the wand was kinda big for my small mouth. Hard to reach some areas to get a clear picture.

Dentist also said, since his recommendation is connected to the implant procedure, I will get a discount. None of this is cheap, but I don't have a choice. Also, in my case, none is covered by insurance (as far as I know). I have basic dental coverage. There are more comprehensive dental plans available, but I've chosen not to get one.

Lainey

^
Sounds good. Yes, dental work is most expensive. Most dental plans have such limited coverage annually, the premium is not worth it.

Morris

A couple months ago one of my veneers broke, my top front tooth, so very obvious. My dentist met me at his office on his day off. Long story short, my insurance sent me a notice they had paid half of the 1500 bill, which was my policy limit. It's been two billing cycles and I haven't gotten a bill, I don't know if I should call him and ask if I'm getting a bill or let it ride. What would you do?

MsPerky

If you think you owe the money, I would call.

skunkworks

It may seem un-American or a bit disconcerting, but my wife has visited her dentist during her multi-year vacations to Puerto Vallerto, MX. My wife has had checkups, cleanings, verniers, and an implant for ~ 1/3 of the cost of US dental charges. Her dentist was trained and licensed in both Germany and the US, she now resides in MX and controls her complete staff. Her efficiently and coordination also controls the time lapses and multiple visits you would unnecessarily experience by dentists in the US.

My wife’s savings and her overwhelming satisfaction has erased our vacation expenses. I must admit that I had a vernier on a discolored front tooth three years ago by the same dentist and multiple cleanings by her assistants - I’m happy too.