Dental Implant (1st stage - Mr Ziff)

i was so scared about this, i got dropped off at fiance's so he could keep my mind off things as my parents would keep reminding me if i stayed at home

app was at 1.30pm

dad gave me and fiance a lift there
when i was called up, i sat in the chair, mr ziff was pleased to see my teeth with my braces off.
i gave him my retainer which he put in some antiseptic
first he took a couple of xrays, then took a photo while one of the nurses held my lips opens with lip retractors.

he said he'll also remove the lil flap of gum that joins to my upper lip, this is called a labial frenectomy.

he gave me some green medicine as sedation, then later came back to numb the area with freeze.

i got scared at this point as i hate injections, my eyes were tightly closed as he injected the area. one injection hurt a bit which made me emotional and i cried a bit and started shaking. the nurse came over and held my hand and i calmed down.

once that was over the nurse gave me a tissue to wipe my tears and joked bout mr ziff hurting me saying he's a nasty man, lol.

they left and prepared a room nearby for the implant procedure so i was lying there on the chair getting more worried and numb and thinking the sedation thing wasn't working to calm my nerves.

finally the nurse came in with a hair net and goggles for me and said i'll have to wear them even thought they're not attractive. i see they have a sense of humour :o)

she told me to remove my shoes as no outside shoes are allowed in the surgery area to keep things clean and she told me not to be alarmed, hmm..

i walked in and saw all the staff (4 in all including my ziff)
i was told to sit down and lie back on the chair, a blue reprotective sheet thing was put over me and secured behind my head.

during the procedure i kept my eyes mainly shut.
from what i understood, first mr ziff cut an incision into my gum to expose the jaw bone, then he moved the gum apart and drilled into the bone (this made my head vibrate and ears hurt a little). then he was using a chisel and hammer to make the hole the correct size (this hurt my ears too).
all throughout this a nurse had a suction thing in my mouth.

once he was happy with the hole size the implant pole was inserted and hammered in.
i think he also then put a little sliver of bone somewhere after that.

then he started stitching me up, lastly he performed the labial frenectomy using a scalpel and stitched then that up.

once all complete the removed the blue protective sheet and i went to the other room with a nurse and sat down on the chair. i was still bleeding a little from the labial frenectomy so he put a couple more stitches in.

mr ziff checked my retainer and adjusted the false tooth by shaving some of the top of it off so it didn't interfere with my stitches and sore part of my mouth etc.

once he was happy with that he put it back into my mouth.
the nurse told me to rinse my mouth and gave me a painkiller and two antibiotic capsules to take.

i took these over the lil sink with difficulty as i couldn't feel my top lip so couldn't tell when the water was in my mouth properly, also the capsules kept getting stuck to my retainer!

once i was done i sent sent downstairs with the nurse to reception so they could give me my medication and a mouth wash.
i was told i had to pay £1200 which I didn't have on me so we asked to pay it by cheque..

i was advised to eat soft food for the rest of the day and for the following day and to avoid the area when brushing. i can start using the mouthwash from the folowing day but only 4 weeks at a time as it stains the teeth!

i have to go back in 10 days for a review and to presumably get my stitches removed

NB:- I ended up paying over the phone later in the week.

(Mr Ziff) & No record of app made?

implant app -
mr ziff in coalville - recommendation by my dentist

took xray
checked bite etc thinks my bite is off centre
went thru options of implant and veneer to cover gap
asked if ok with bone from cow for implant to heal and skin from pig, dad said ok for medical purposes! (cow) hmm.. (we're hindu and don't eat beef)

ortho app -
got there to find we have no app, nicky apologised and booked us in for next day
receptionist had given app and written it on our card but didn't update system
they were fully booked or would have fitted me in today

(Mr Ralston)

mr ralston (dental and cosmetic clinic) in south wigston - 2nd cousin recommendation

he said lil flap of gum over tooth needs removin (called a labial frenectomy) as it may affect implant space
he filled gap with a filler and took photos before and after to show what a big tooth in the gap would look like
he took xrays to check bone etc is okay for implant
asked us to get mr s to move false tooth to the side so i can see gap in middle

this one had to be paid for in advance!
fancy equipment in practise and on site parking

Pre-operative assessment

I went for my pre-op to the Leiceser Royal Infirmary's (LRI) Maxillofacial department.

First I got called in for an x-ray.

When I went back to wait to be called again, my boyfriend told me another nurse had called me and that he'd told her I was having x-rays taken.

After a while I got called again and the nurse asked me questions to fill in some forms. I had my blood pressure, height and weight checked.

Then I went to speak to someone else who had the consent form for me to sign. The x-ray taken earlier was already up and he had had a chance to look at it.
He went through the risks etc with me, then he had a quick look in my mouth and took notes.

He basically told me everything I knew, my top jaw will be brought forward and lowered, a hip graft is needed to fill the gap when the jaw is lowered.
The bottom jaw will be taken back.

He also told me how they do it.
The top jaw is broken clean and once moved is fixed with metal plates and screws. A slice of bone is taken from my hip and put in.
The bottom jaw is cut in straight vertical lines at the back and then moved back.
Because of the awkwardness of the operation all done from inside my mouth, they can't use metal plates to heal it, so the only way for my bottom jaw to heal is to wire my teeth shut as soon as I'm out of the operation!

He explained that they used to do bottom jaw operations differently and that that way had a 1 in 10 chance of patients having permanent lose of feeling to the chin, cheeks, lips, tongue etc.

The way they are doing it only has a 1 in 3 chance of lose of feeling.

I asked if they will cut from the outside of my face and he said they will only cut inside the mouth so I will have no scars.

He asked if I had a preference to which hip they remove bone from.
I said I don't. He said as I am having bone taken fro my hip I won't be able to walk properly for a few days.

After that I was just asked to go to the Blood Test Centre to have blood taken before I left the hospital and I would be done.

So my boyfriend and I went to the Blood Test Centre. We saw that there was an hour wait. My boyfriend got the number (they call numbers out so we know who's next) and we got a bite to eat and waited.

After just over an hour, my number got called and I had blood taken.
After that I went back to work.

Ready to go!

Check up on the impressions.

I sat down on the chair as usual and Mr S looked at the impressions taken at my last appointment, he showed me how they fit together quite nicely apart from small gaps between my top and bottom molars.
He said he can sort that out after the operation.

I was a bit stunned when he said this as it seems I am finally ready for my operation. I must say I am starting to feel nervous and excited now.

Mr S had a look at my teeth, gave them a quick clean to remove some plaque and changed my 7 elastic ligatures which had gone a emerald colour again.

Mr S also took some photos of my face.
Facing him I had a normal shot with my mouth closed. Then one with my lips slightly open and one with me smiling showing teeth (which I never do).
Another with me facing towards the corner so he has my face at an angle on the photo.
And he took one more with my face facing to the right.

He then sent me for an X-ray and said my next appointment will be a joint clinic with the surgeon Mr O and Mr S. Eek!

I went and sat outside to wait for my X-ray and removed my earrings in anticipation.

For the X-ray I had to sit on a chair and a machine was behind my head.
It had ear plugs which go into my ears (presumably to hold my head steady)

I was told to look ahead and hold my teeth together but keep my lips relaxed.
I had my teeth and lips closed and the X-ray lady wasn't sure if my lips were supposed to be open or not, so she left me and went and asked.

Mr S's nurse came back with her and told me to just close my teeth and keep my lips relaxed as closing my lips may change the position of my jaw.

I eventually managed to keep my lips in the relaxed position which for me means they do stay open slightly. It feels weird though as I guess I'm used to closing my lips all the time.

I had the X-ray taken and then waited to make sure it came out okay.
After waiting for about 10 mins I was told I can go.

I'll see the X-ray at my next appointment with the surgeon and Mr S.

Wisdom teeth removal waiting game

Today I had my appointment at the Maxillofacial department at Leicester Royal Infirmary.

I had x-rays taken and they told me that I need to have my two bottom wisdom teeth removed.

They filled in a referral form and I'm placed on a waiting list!

My teeth will be removed in day surgery meaning I go into hospital in the morning and go home the same day to recover.

Hello Miss M

Today I met Miss M who will do my brace work.

I was a bit nervous as I am used to my old orthodontist and feel weird having a new person looking at my teeth.

She seems nice enough.

I have new molds and x-rays taken and I'm given a new appointment for my proper consent for the whole treatment.

Miss M told me I need a filling for one of my back molars. It needs to be properly shaped before the braces are put on.

I now have a wisdom tooth appearing on my bottom jaw for which there is not enough room so it has to be taken out.
It is also impacted (meaning it is growing in the wrong direction and into my back molar tooth).

I am told both my bottom wisdom teeth will need to be removed. One of which hasn't started to appear yet.
This is to make more room for my bottom teeth to spread out.

I also need to have two upper teeth removed by my dentist.
This will either be my canine teeth or my pre-molars (Miss M said my dentist will decide).
This is to make more room on my upper jaw for my implant. (She's decided I'll have an implant and not a bridge)

Four teeth out to make room for one new!

The waiting game begins...

Today I had x-rays and a mold/ impression taken of my teeth and jaws.

For the mold/ impression, putty stuff is put in your mouth on a U shaped plastic tray which sits on the teeth.
(The putty stuff can make you gag if you don't breathe calmly through your nose).

I had to bite down hard on it and when it has hardened, it is then eased it off my teeth (this is scary as it seems some of your teeth might get pulled out too).
It's then repeated for your other jaw.

For the x-rays (this is the first time I've had these done) I had to remove all my jewellery (given to my Dad for safe keeping) and put on a heavy waistcoat to protect me from the x-rays.

I then got x-rayed on two different machines.
The first one takes a shot of the whole jaw, teeth and teeth roots.
I had to bite my teeth on a piece of plastic in the middle of a circular machine; the machine then rotates all the way around your head.
That was a bit scary as it goes around the head very closely.

The second machine takes a side shot of the jaw showing how the teeth meet.
It has a similar piece of plastic to bite onto like the other machine.

Once my x-rays were complete, I had to wait for them to be developed and I then went back in to see Mr S.

He showed me the x-rays (I couldn't believe just how badly my teeth all line up).
I could also see the outline of my face on the x-rays proving it's me.

Mr S informs me I am now on the waiting list for my treatment.