They are rather expensive. I think my implant cost about $5,000 but I'm not exactly sure.

You need good gums in order to get them, I think, and so you should consult with an implant specialist.

You would mist likely need more than four implants, if no natural teeth are involved. However, if you are getting implant retained dentures, four may be sufficient. You should see a qualified prosthodontist, a dentist that specializes in complex crown, bridge and denture cases. And please stay away from the chain implant offices that promise “your teeth in one day”.

I have had three implants but not whole mouth. I know people who have had two implants and a bridge between them and it has worked out well. I am very pleased with my implants. Not much pain involved, it can be a long process while the implant settles in and yes, it is expensive. Nevertheless, it’s worth it as they are far better than bridges which often means work on the teeth alongside.

If you choice is between this and future dentures, I would strongly consider the implants. Getting an opinion from the very best specialist in your area is good advice. My first implant was done by one endodontist who set it a bit too high. The other two were done by a different endodontist who did a great job.

Yes, I am considering implant retained dentures. Still expensive, but not as expensive as individual tooth implants. I am considering the implant retained dentures as more and more of my teeth are breaking off. When I smile now I feel like a "redneck hillbilly" with a hole right in front. I have had a partial in the past, but with continued tooth loss, I am starting to think a full denture on top and bottom with 4 on top and 4 on bottom (retaining implants) might be the way to go?

You may not need the 4 on the top, but I would suggest at least 4 on the bottom.

You may have enough bone on the top to support a full upper dention since your palate and the ridge support the denture.

On the lower, the ridge supports the denture but the tongue can have the potential to dislodge the denture and the ridge can often be very thin with loss of teeth over time and periodontal disease.

The initial studies of implants, long before they started using them to replace individual teeth were on cases where the upper arch was restored with a conventional full denture (no implants) and the lower arch was restored with 4-6 implants and a denture (either fixed or removable).

It may be possible that you could have 4-6 on the lower arch with a Fixed restoration that screwed onto the implants (so only a dentist could take it back out) and a regular denture on the top.

I think the All-on-Four procedure often loads the implants immediately the day they are placed. This is possible, but sometimes it is preferable to place the implants, keep them submerged for 3-6 months with no load on them and then make the restorations and load them after that 3-6 months. This may also be the less expensive option vs. one of the "all in a day" (or close to that) options.

I am required to wait 3-4 months-- i am guessing because i have bone grafts? I have to pass a "torque test" before putting the load on them.

One thing I should have pointed out-- aside from looking more natural, the all-on-4 doesnt cover the palate. This is a huge benefit.

I have been working with an oral surgeon and my dentist. There are outfits that do the "all in a day" approach and i believe they are cheaper and have different approaches/protocols. Because I needed bone grafts and I had a small (benign) tumor inside my cheek, i stuck with the oral surgeon. (ps. my tumor was the result of biting the inside of my cheek. It was very unlikely to be cancerous but we needed to confirm).

Thank you everyone! I am setting up several consultations to see what the proposed outcome and cost might be.

Lars - that is one concern I have. I do have periodontal disease. Also some of the back teeth have been pulled for a number of years so there is potential for additional bone loss.

Jb1568 - I am curious what you mean by "chain implant offices"? One of the consultations is with Affordable Dentures and Implants. They have several locations in the state I live in. A friend is in the process of getting full mouth retained dentures and has a cousin who also went through the business 5 years ago with good results.

Detired - I wish it were only a few teeth, but currently I have no back chew teeth as well as now missing a front tooth. So I would still have a fair amount of teeth to have pulled. But those that I still have have shifted and are quite loose.

Palimpsest - one of the reasons I am considering both top and bottom of "all on 4" is that the permanent top denture would then not cover the roof of my mouth. I am very concerned that I would have a hard time adjusting to it being covered.

Funky art - thank you for sharing your experience! I can so understand the emotion involved! I am already there. Part of me thinks it is ridiculous to spend that kind of $$ on my teeth at my age. Heck I had a minor heart attack 2 weeks ago! I could spend the money and shortly after die! But I so dislike how I look; I do not want to smile! Also eating is not enjoyable as I am limited to softer foods! I was diagnosed with diabetes last year, so my diet is getting more and more restricted. My sweet DH says I should go for it, that the rewards outway the cost.

Your face and especially your smile is so much a part of you-- I think you owe yourself the opportunity to make such a big improvement. I didn't have tooth loss but i did have some shifting-- i had a gap in my front teeth and others were crowding. I probably could have delayed the procedure but it would have been inevitable. (And believe it or not, the pandemic was a great time to get this done and recover.)

You have already lost a lot of quality of life -- your limited diet can't be helping your diabetes or the joy of meals and holidays. You deserve your smile back-- and a means to eat more normally.

That said, i was VERY concerned that through the soft food phase I would be eating primarily carbs. Literally for the first week, i had only Rita's Italian Ice lol. After a few weeks, i could eat potatoes (mashed and baked), angel hair pasta, stovetop stuffing (not homemade-- just stovetop brand because it is mushy), jello, pancakes (i never ate pancakes much before but they were little clouds from heaven in week 3-5!) .. and of course, lots of eggs. I did not gain weight at all through that phase but i did make sure to get my protein via eggs. I can't eat yogurt or cottage cheese but i would encourage them to keep a better balance if you can eat them.

Funkyart, thank you for the encouragement. Yes I am a little concerned about the soft food phase. Being diabetic I do eat limited carbs. In fact in the past year since eating a diabetic diet I have lost 30 lbs! I have also given up much of the soda I used to drink. I haven't been down to this weight in almost 50 years!

*Edited to correct spelling.

That's great-- so if you do opt to go this route, I highly recommend planning for the soft food phase. I'll be honest-- my soft food phase lasted longer than others report online. I won't go into the gory details but i couldn't wear the temp denture immediately after surgery. You actually have an advantage since you've already lost your back teeth. That was the area that took the longest to close up and heal.

Let us know how your consultations go and what you decide. I am happy to brainstorm soft foods with you if you decide to go this direction. I doubt that you will gain any weight back but you won't want to upset your blood sugar levels either. I had some surprises-- like how well whole wheat pancakes worked for me-- and how poorly split pea soup worked. Feel free to reach out to me in PM or here. I'd be happy to share my email address also.

Pal, so glad your mother had some time to benefit from her decisions. My oral surgeon told me he was sorry but that we all have to deal with the genetic hand we're dealt... which is true but it sounds like your mother had more than her share.

Mary lu, that’s exactly the type of office I mean. We have a different chain that advertises in our area, but in general, any office that has the word ”Affordable” in it’s name, is anything but. In our 33 years of practice, we saw many patients come from these practices. They are not inexpensive, they typically work on volume, and will rush the treatment plan so they can move on to the next patient. Of course, it is possible that the office your friend is going to, may be better than most.

I only have one implant and I love it. It's my favorite tooth in my mouth! I was born and have lived my whole life in an area with low minerals in the water, likely before prenatal vitamins were the norm and so have had poor teeth (as many PNW babies of a certain age do). I've had my implant for 20+ years and it's been no trouble of any kind. I wish you (and Funky) a similar outcome. I hope you listen to jb1586 about selecting a provider. Often, the cheapest is not the best. I am unsure of this, but maybe there is a licensing board in your state that can give you info about complaints against anyone you decide to go with. Next Door (the local neighborhood app) is sometimes a great resource for recommendations but also a good source to learn about problems with providers.