Once the decision had been made we developed a time schedule
together as the implantation process happens over several
stages.
In the first treatment session, following a local anaesthetic five implants were
secured into the lower jaw and a surgical treatment of gum disease to improve
the bone density was carried out. It took a long time but could thankfully be
done all in one go. In the second session the upper right jaw got five implants
and two weeks later the upper left got the same treatment.
Whilst the implants were settling into my jaw, I was supplied
with temporary dentures. Of course, at the beginning, chewing
was not easy and I lost a few kilos – which made
my GP very happy. Once the implants had settled and could
serve as the “synthetic roots” for the tooth
replacements, I was overjoyed.
I was also happy that Dr. Bartels was able to keep my
own front teeth in my lower jaw. As I suffered from gum
disease and the jawbone was already infected, loss of teeth
was imminent. With surgical treatment of gum disease and
a controlled regeneration of the jawbone, degeneration
could be stopped and my teeth firmly secured. During the
whole treatment, one thing was particularly important to
me: having complete trust in my dentist.
All in all, I must say that I have never regretted my
decision to have implants. On the contrary, I would make
the decision again to have them. It is hard to describe
the feeling of having a permanent denture - without wanting
to mention how good it looks! In order to maintain my implants,
and my own teeth for as long as possible, I visit Dr. Bartel’s
surgery on a bimonthly basis to see a hygienist.
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