Paul's Infrequently Updated Blog

Today I had the crowns put on my dental implants. The gaps I had have finally been filled and I also had a little work done to a few of my front teeth.  Looking at new “teeth” you cannot tell that they are not real. I can actually feel that they are not real with my tongue but they still look and feel great.

Although I have spent at least $10,000 on my teeth I feel that the money has been worth it. If I had not got this done, then I would have lost my front teeth in a few years and that would have been awful. I think I may still have to have gum grafts to replace lost gum tissue, but that is a fairly minor thing. All the major work is now complete.

Today I finally paid the last installment of my braces. It has cost about $6500 but I think when it is finally all done it will be worth it. I am hoping that I can get my treatment finished by the end of the year and have my dental implants sometime this summer. My orthodonist has recommended that I get dental implants to fill the spaces she is opening up were my original teeth were that the dentist in England removed over 20 years ago.

Of course implants are going to cost me about $3600 dollars but they will be permanent and will not require the curing down of four of me teeth that wolud have to be done if I decided to have bridges put in to fill the gaps. It would be sad to cut down perfectly healthy teeth so I am planning to have the implants. Once my orthodonist says it is okay to get the implants done I will make the appointment with the periodontist.

On Thursday, I went to the periodontist for a gum graft. For almost two years, I have worn braces because I had a large overbite caused at least, in part, by poor orthodontic treatment that I received in England. My overbite not only was damaging my lower front teeth, but had begun to strip away some of my gum tissue as well. I had expected the procedure to be long and painful, but it took less than ten minutes and then I was sent on my way. It was slightly painful after the procedure, but that was all. It’s been three days now and everything seems to be going well. It was not as bad as I had expected.

During the summer, I finally had braces put on my teeth. I had been putting it off for a while because I did not know if we were going to be staying here. I have now had the braces on now for 2 months and I think I have to wear them for 2 years.

The problem with my teeth comes, in part, from the first time I wore braces almost 20 years ago. Turns out the dentists in England really messed up my teeth. They removed some of my teeth and did not straighten my teeth as they were supposed to. The result was a big overbite that was wearing down my front teeth and even the jaw bone. Clearly something had to be done.

I had been putting the work off because I did not know if I was going to have a job after each school year but I finally concluded that I needed to at least start the treatment now and, if I have to, finish the treatment in Nebraska. I started the treatment in the summer because in the spring I noticed part of one of my front teeth had broken away. I am glad the treatment has begun. I have already seen some changes and I think I will feel much better once the work is complete

A few days ago I went to a local orthodontist for an examination. I have known for some time that I needed braces because I have a very bad overbite and my front teeth are getting very worn. After the examination, I found out that all the orthodontic that I had had done in England when I was a teenager had made my bite worse. Also, they had removed teeth that even resulted in a bad bite.

So, now I am faced with two to three years of braces again and I will have to pay almost $6500 for the treatment. Unfortunately, I have no choice in having to get his done and will most likely begin the treatment sometime in the Spring.