Dentistry magic

My neighbor has been making treks to a teaching hospital in San Antonio, where he is receiving stellar care at excellent rates.  He's having a whole series of dental implants -- the sort of treatment that would have been unthinkable a few decades ago, when the automatic course would have been to extract his teeth and replace them with dentures.

My wealthiest relative made a fortune in the 1960s with a newfangled process for casting and producing dentures very quickly.  Apparently the traditional process had required a much longer and more uncomfortable procedure for the patient as well as an extended delay in manufacture.

Some months back, I believe I may have mentioned an article about an experimental treatment being developed in Japan that offered hope for treating infected roots that up to now would have required a root canal.  Today's news brings word of a new Japanese "tooth patch" made of a very thin, flexible layer of the primary ingredient in natural tooth enamel.  The material is draped onto a tooth and fixed in place with lasers.  Early versions are transparent and invisible, but work is underway to make white, opaque versions for cosmetic purposes:  capping without grinding.  The tooth patches should help dentists eliminate tooth sensitivity resulting from worn-enamel and exposed dentin.

Pain-free chewing into old age is a very recent development in human history and one of the crowning glories of civilization.

14 comments:

raven said...

Amen. I grew up with my parents old dentist-he had a belt drive drill and did not believe in Novocaine...
When friends complain about going to the dentist, I tell them "you do not know what you are missing!"
Had my first wisdom teeth out at the VA hospital -that was a brutal chop and chisel fest-the next ones were taken out at a university hospital, by a student-what a difference. I am very wary of Doctors and Dentists who are near the end of their careers, as too often they have not kept up with advances in medicine.

E Hines said...

I have a modern implant. I remember my father had a false tooth that was fastened into place by clamping onto the teeth on either side of it. It was designed to be removable.

The long pole in my...mouth...was waiting for the matrix to cure in my jaw so it could receive the screw that would hold the tooth.

I ragged on him about pouring slow-setting concrete into my jaw so he could jam a Bakelite tooth into it.

Fortunately, he has a sense of humor.

Eric Hines

bthun said...

"Had my first wisdom teeth out at the VA hospital -that was a brutal chop and chisel fest"

I had all of mine removed by the USN dentist on the birdfarm shortly before I separated from active duty. One was impacted and had to come out regardless, so I considered free versus three more removed via my pocket and told the USN dentist to take em all... While he was in there.

That was quite some time ago. Come to think of it, the USN dentist may have studied under this dentist. They share a similar technique.

From that adventure I learned a valuable lesson. Free isn't always what it's cracked up to be.

Grim said...

My wife's grandmother was the first woman dentist in the territory of Alaska. Her mother, my mother-in-law, grew up fighting grizzly bears over elks she'd shot.

Lars Walker said...

My first dentist didn't use novocaine either. Years later I mentioned that to my dad, and he said, "Funny. He always used it on me."

Sadists. They're everywhere.

Texan99 said...

I still have all four of my wisdom teeth. I figure I may need them -- for chewing, I mean, and not just for wisdom.

I don't know what's going on with the teaching program in San Antonio, but it must be experimental, because my neighbor has a sort of concierge who walks him through all the appointments and procedures, as if he were a celebrity. He's getting fantastic work, very cheap. I have another friend who's had a great experience with dentist students, but in her case, although the work was cheap and good and merciful, it also was incredibly s-l-o-w.

I must live a protected life. I've never had a dentist hurt me, despite many fillings and a root canal.

bthun said...

With the exception of the USN dentist, and on reflection, my childhood dentist was not on the varsity team...

Since then, I've had dentist that rage from very good to excellent. Of course I've since learned to select dentist via word of mouth...

bthun said...

rage = range

Anonymous said...

I had all four wisdom teeth cut out, which may explain some things in the years since . . . I also got an implant after cracking a baby-tooth that managed to hold on until I was in my mid-30s. (The warranty expired.) Only problem with the implant was that I'm only the third patient to get this new kind, and the others had been younger males. My bone matrix did not regrow as fast as theirs did. But the little beggar is in and solid now. Truly amazing times.

LittleRed1

Mike said...

Please let me know which San Antonio hospital is involved. I neet the implants but can't afford the market rate.

Thanks

Mike

Texan99 said...

Will get back to you asap after I consult my neighbors.

Texan99 said...

Here's the link: http://dental.uthscsa.edu/becomeapatient.php

Now, don't take me to mean that this is literally cheap -- it's just much cheaper than we've had quoted to us on the private market. But the service really is stellar.

My neighbor had his final appointment yesterday, and telephoned his wife to say "Have some steak ready."

Mike said...

Many thanks for the link. Will keep you informed as to progress.

Mike

douglas said...

Many years ago, I had work done by students at UCLA's dental program, and thought they did a pretty good job (one more so than the other). Had my wisdom teeth pulled there too, but that was more by the instructor with student assisting. Prices were pretty good. I might need to look into that again for some implants.