4 months after Joseph got his upper dental implants, he was ready to share his honest feelings on the experience.
Like any procedure, there are ups and downs. Watch or read below as Joseph shares both the struggles with and benefits of his dental implants.
Can You Get Upper Dental Implants Only?
First, it’s important to address the question, “can you get upper dental implants only?”. The answer is yes!
It isn’t recommended that you replace good, healthy teeth unless there is a larger issue that would benefit from dental implants.
In Joseph’s case, his bottom teeth were healthy enough that he only needed upper dental implants.
Ready to restore your top, bottom or complete smile? Take the 60-second quiz to see if you may be a candidate for dental implants.
Everything He Hates About His Upper Dental Implants:
The benefits of dental implants can seem pretty clear; getting back your smile, eating freely again, no longer worrying about your teeth…
However, what are the downsides of the procedure? Here are Joseph’s top 3 struggles with his upper dental implants.
Speaking Difficulties
Adjusting to dental implants can take some time, especially when it comes to speaking. Many patients simply haven’t had a full mouth of teeth in a long time and it can take some getting used to.
Joseph found speech difficulties to be a bit of a challenge: "It takes a minute, you know, to get things adjusted so that your tongue gets used to the new teeth... there's gonna be a little bit of slurring at first."
Now, at his 4 month mark of getting his new teeth, he hardly notices any differences and feels that he "speak[s] fairly well."
Hard Time Flossing
Another learning curve that Joseph experienced was flossing his dental implants. He explains, "You gotta actually get the little thing and you gotta put it up under your gums and then clean out in between each stud."
He admitted that initially, he wasn’t doing the best job, especially with the front studs that were closer together. "Be careful when you're flossing... " he advises, emphasizing the importance of avoiding bad breath by thoroughly cleaning all areas.
A lot of patients find a waterpik to be extremely helpful for flossing with dental implants. For more tips and techniques, visit this article about flossing dental implants.
The Healing Process
Many patients ask “do dental implants hurt”, and the truth is, pain is different for everyone.
Joseph, like others, is no stranger to dental pain and discomfort. For him, the experience was surprisingly manageable despite the healing process being one of his top struggles with upper dental implants.
He describes, "I had less pain from the Nuvia procedure than I had when I got one root canal."
He noted that there was discomfort for a week or so, but it quickly tapered off to a mild ache. After that, he says, "It was just a mild toothache per se in four places where the four implants are."
What He Loves About His Upper Dental Implants
So what did Joseph like about his dental implants? Here are the top 3 things he loves about his new teeth:
Improved Health and a Smile He’s Proud of - In 24 Hours!
One of the most significant benefits Joseph noticed was the improvement in his overall health.
"Not only is my health better, but I'm easier to look at too", he lightheartedly shares. His new smile became a symbol of self-care and health:
"If you can get new teeth, it will show that you're healthy, and it will show that you care about yourself." For Joseph, the journey to better health was a long one, but his new teeth made it all worth it.
Joseph also loved that in order to improve his oral health, all it took was 24 hours. At Nuvia, you can get your permanent teeth 24 hours after your dental implants are placed. No need to worry about temporary teeth for months, wax try-in dentures, or any liquid-only diets.
Cost Made Easy
Cost is often a concern for patients considering dental implants, but Joseph found the process to be surprisingly smooth - so much so that this was one of his favorite things about the process.
"The smile coordinators help with the financing... it's a simple process." Joseph even specifically mentioned how helpful his smile coordinator, OJ, was: "OJ didn't make it sound scary. He was a very good smile coordinator."
Curious about financing and how much dental implants cost? Download the cost guide below to get an idea!
It’s important to keep in mind that everyone’s dental situation is different. Some people need full mouth dental implants while others might just need upper dental implants.
Additionally, because dental implants require surgery, they may have higher initial costs than other temporary options to replace missing teeth.
These solutions may end up costing more over the years between replacements, repairs, and refittings. Dental implants, on the other hand, are designed to last a lifetime with proper care.
Freedom to Eat Whatever He Wants
Joseph couldn’t be happier about the newfound freedom to enjoy his favorite foods.
"Now I can eat whatever I want," he says, celebrating the fact that he no longer has to avoid tough or chewy foods.
From steak to shrimp, Joseph is thrilled to be able to eat what he loves again without any issues.
Who Can Get Upper Dental Implants
To replace upper, lower, or all teeth with dental implants, you must have missing or failing teeth and enough bone in your jaw to support the implants.
The first step to finding out if you may be a candidate is to fill out this 60-second quiz.
