Oh heck.
One does not simply regrow jaw bone.
These guys lost vastly more than bone mass!
Did they actually use their own jaws like suckers or did they drink all of their nutrients?
The dentist said they cannot reuse any of the expensive hardware I brought in. The very first crown I received was the one that came loose first and the tooth opposite it attempted to fill the wake, so they said only a gold crown would fit, and the dentist still felt it was necessary to grind the tooth that moved in the way.
He hadn't anesthetized that tooth.
They said that will cost at least $600 and I think they are supposed to replace the other crown for less than that, but when I asked about the implant they said that I would need a new system--a new titanium screw, a new abutment, and a new crown--for the low low price of $3,200.
The manager, who I have known for decades, suggested finding dental insurance without a waiting period or a missing tooth clause.
She seemed to believe they exist (and are worth mentioning).
Dave Ramsey says that extended warranty companies pay out 12% of the money they take in, so if you just put your money in the bank, you would have 8 times as much to show for it.
I feel like insurance that would cover a significant fraction of a $3,200 implant system would have monthly payments that more than compensate.
It was weird. I saw 2 dentists in 2 days and nobody said "You need to stop eating candy and drinking soda all the time! You need to start brushing your teeth!"
The lady today said that crowns eventually fail.
However, I mentioned that my old dentist had me come in for a deep cleaning every 3 months, and they told me that I need to start that again.
I usually flossed every day because I almost always had food stuck between my teeth.
It hurt!
I didn't have a cleaning for 5 years, though.
The dentist put a temporary crown on my back molar, but I don't know what good it will do me since I am missing the tooth directly in front of it, and I plan on sticking to soft foods for a long time.