"Yeah, the waiting was kind of annoying—especially since he had to wear a temporary denture thingy for months—but now he's glad he chose it."
This is exactly the part that's making me nervous. I'm in a similar boat right now—my dentist recommended an implant too, but honestly the idea of waiting months with that temporary denture thing is stressing me out. I've heard mixed things about comfort and speech issues during that period. Did your dad have any trouble adjusting to it?
I remember my aunt went with a bridge years ago, and she was pretty happy at first, but eventually one of the supporting teeth had issues and she ended up needing more work later on. So, I get why implants are probably better long-term...but still, the whole process feels intimidating. Did anyone else here find the temporary denture manageable, or was it as awkward as I'm imagining?
I totally get your anxiety about the temporary denture—went through that myself last year. Honestly, it was awkward at first, especially with speech. Felt like I was lisping for a couple of weeks, and eating took some patience...but after about a month, things settled down. Looking back, I'd still choose the implant route over a bridge—just seems sturdier long-term, even if the wait is a pain. Hang in there, it's manageable.
I hear you on implants being sturdier long-term, but did you find the cost difference worth it? I'm weighing options for my grandma right now, and implants seem great, but the price tag is pretty steep. Did insurance help much with yours or was it mostly out-of-pocket? She's practical and doesn't want to overspend if a bridge could do the job just fine...but I also don't want her dealing with replacements down the line. Tough call.
My mom faced a similar dilemma a few years back. She initially went with a bridge because of cost concerns—insurance barely covered implants, so it would've been mostly out-of-pocket. At first, it seemed fine, but after about five years, she started having issues with the teeth supporting the bridge. Eventually, she ended up getting implants anyway. In hindsight, implants probably would've saved her money and hassle long-term...but I totally get that it's a tough call when you're staring at that initial price tag.
My dad went through something similar. He debated forever because implants seemed pricey upfront. Ended up choosing implants anyway, and honestly, he's glad he did—no issues so far, and it's been almost 8 years. Sometimes the initial investment pays off long-term...
