A
alphabetstreet
Junior member
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2019
- Messages
- 13
- Location
- United States
Hi, everyone, I am new here, but have been a lurker for a bit now. I have dealt with some crippling dental phobia for years and years now. Recently I have been dealing with a cyst on the root of a previously endodontically treated tooth that is eating away at my bone. Although not infected or painful, it apparently needs to come out soon to avoid more bone loss/teeth loss.
I have been told by 2 surgeons now that the best method will be to 1, remove the tooth (#7, a front tooth); 2, scrape out the cyst after extraction; and 3, immediately place a bone graft, sew that up, and come back later for an implant.
The thought of this entire procedure terrifies me. I am also incredibly terrified of any sedation methods. I know, it’s ridiculous, but I can’t help it, and it makes this whole thing much worse. The surgeons I have seen have been pretty insistent that I take some sort of anti-anxiety medication during, but I know it’s just not going to happen and is not an option for me, so it has to be LA only.
I also am being told that I must take antibiotics (Z-Pak) for the bone graft part of the procedure, that it is absolutely necessary and standard of care for bone grafting (not for the extraction or cyst removal, however). This is another thing that is pushing me away from the implant/bone graft route. I have a long history of stomach problems, and taking antibiotics for an elective procedure is not something I want to do. Apparently there is no alternative, though. I asked if there was a topical antibiotic that could be placed with the bone graft—no such thing.
At this point, I am quite unsure how to proceed. Part of me wants to just pull the tooth and get a Maryland bridge (especially since this would be the antibiotic-free route). But everyone is telling me that I’m young (37) and the best option is an implant, that I will lose facial structure if I don’t do an implant, and that I may actually have a divot in my face afterwards if no bone graft is done.
I guess I am looking to see if anyone has experienced this particular problem before, or something similar, and came through it without too much trauma. I am also curious what people’s opinions are for implant vs. Maryland bridge for a front tooth. Part of me feels like these surgeons are just pushing implants because that’s just what they do and maybe it’s a great money maker for them, I don’t know. No one has once suggested that I just get a bridge or wear a flipper—they seem incredibly shocked that I would even consider such a thing (maybe it’s my age). But I feel like implants are pushed everywhere; I once had a dentist want to pull my crowned teeth and replace with implants.
Any thoughts or feedback would be so greatly appreciated. And I apologize in advance if this is a topic that’s been covered extensively already. I also was unsure which discussion board to post this in (general, ask a dentist, etc.) so if it’s in the wrong place, I also apologize and will move it.
I have been told by 2 surgeons now that the best method will be to 1, remove the tooth (#7, a front tooth); 2, scrape out the cyst after extraction; and 3, immediately place a bone graft, sew that up, and come back later for an implant.
The thought of this entire procedure terrifies me. I am also incredibly terrified of any sedation methods. I know, it’s ridiculous, but I can’t help it, and it makes this whole thing much worse. The surgeons I have seen have been pretty insistent that I take some sort of anti-anxiety medication during, but I know it’s just not going to happen and is not an option for me, so it has to be LA only.
I also am being told that I must take antibiotics (Z-Pak) for the bone graft part of the procedure, that it is absolutely necessary and standard of care for bone grafting (not for the extraction or cyst removal, however). This is another thing that is pushing me away from the implant/bone graft route. I have a long history of stomach problems, and taking antibiotics for an elective procedure is not something I want to do. Apparently there is no alternative, though. I asked if there was a topical antibiotic that could be placed with the bone graft—no such thing.
At this point, I am quite unsure how to proceed. Part of me wants to just pull the tooth and get a Maryland bridge (especially since this would be the antibiotic-free route). But everyone is telling me that I’m young (37) and the best option is an implant, that I will lose facial structure if I don’t do an implant, and that I may actually have a divot in my face afterwards if no bone graft is done.
I guess I am looking to see if anyone has experienced this particular problem before, or something similar, and came through it without too much trauma. I am also curious what people’s opinions are for implant vs. Maryland bridge for a front tooth. Part of me feels like these surgeons are just pushing implants because that’s just what they do and maybe it’s a great money maker for them, I don’t know. No one has once suggested that I just get a bridge or wear a flipper—they seem incredibly shocked that I would even consider such a thing (maybe it’s my age). But I feel like implants are pushed everywhere; I once had a dentist want to pull my crowned teeth and replace with implants.
Any thoughts or feedback would be so greatly appreciated. And I apologize in advance if this is a topic that’s been covered extensively already. I also was unsure which discussion board to post this in (general, ask a dentist, etc.) so if it’s in the wrong place, I also apologize and will move it.