Teeth

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Comments

  • fairydust
    fairydust Member Posts: 2
    titalie said:

    OSTEONECROSIS
    I'm confused on this thread? If you have had cancer and used radiation of the mouth for treatment you have damaged much of the jawbone and teeth and gums. What this means is that if you have any teeth extraction or implants you are risking getting osteonecrosis which is a horrible condition (google it) and has no guaranteed cure and can result in losing your lower jawbone and needing a transplant. Bottom line DO NOT EXTRACT TEETH, HAVE GUM OR BONE SURGERY OR GET AN IMPLANT UNLESS YOU DISCUSS WITH DENTAL ONCOLOGIST, A RADIOLOGIST, MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON,PERIODONTIST AND DENTIST! THIS IS VERY SERIOUS!!!!! And for God sakes if you decide to do any of this work don't go overseas to save a buck because it may cost you your life not to mention pain and suffering.

    I totally agree I have
    I totally agree I have spoken to my dentist about implants ect., I had tongue cancer and 22 radiation treatments. I was told before any type of surgery for gums, teeth ect., you should go get treatments like the divers do before taking a dive in the ocean. It causes a regeneration of your cells in your gums which have been damaged from radiation/chemo. Without such treatments you would be putting your gums into grave danger of 0teonecrosis which would be life threatening and a horribly painful. I hope I have helped someone those treatments can be sought through hospitals and other resources.
  • fairydust
    fairydust Member Posts: 2
    titalie said:

    OSTEONECROSIS
    I'm confused on this thread? If you have had cancer and used radiation of the mouth for treatment you have damaged much of the jawbone and teeth and gums. What this means is that if you have any teeth extraction or implants you are risking getting osteonecrosis which is a horrible condition (google it) and has no guaranteed cure and can result in losing your lower jawbone and needing a transplant. Bottom line DO NOT EXTRACT TEETH, HAVE GUM OR BONE SURGERY OR GET AN IMPLANT UNLESS YOU DISCUSS WITH DENTAL ONCOLOGIST, A RADIOLOGIST, MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON,PERIODONTIST AND DENTIST! THIS IS VERY SERIOUS!!!!! And for God sakes if you decide to do any of this work don't go overseas to save a buck because it may cost you your life not to mention pain and suffering.

    I totally agree I have
    I totally agree I have spoken to my dentist about implants ect., I had tongue cancer and 22 radiation treatments. I was told before any type of surgery for gums, teeth ect., you should go get treatments like the divers do before taking a dive in the ocean. It causes a regeneration of your cells in your gums which have been damaged from radiation/chemo. Without such treatments you would be putting your gums into grave danger of 0teonecrosis which would be life threatening and a horribly painful. I hope I have helped someone those treatments can be sought through hospitals and other resources.
  • George_Baltimore
    George_Baltimore Member Posts: 303
    fairydust said:

    I totally agree I have
    I totally agree I have spoken to my dentist about implants ect., I had tongue cancer and 22 radiation treatments. I was told before any type of surgery for gums, teeth ect., you should go get treatments like the divers do before taking a dive in the ocean. It causes a regeneration of your cells in your gums which have been damaged from radiation/chemo. Without such treatments you would be putting your gums into grave danger of 0teonecrosis which would be life threatening and a horribly painful. I hope I have helped someone those treatments can be sought through hospitals and other resources.

    I really don't like to burst bubbles but
    I had 120 dives in HBO and I still ended up with osteoradionecrosis. And, I had no oral surgery. My gum just started opening one day and that was it so don't feel that if you do the HBO dives that that will keep you from ORN.
  • couldbeworse
    couldbeworse Member Posts: 1
    fairydust said:

    I totally agree I have
    I totally agree I have spoken to my dentist about implants ect., I had tongue cancer and 22 radiation treatments. I was told before any type of surgery for gums, teeth ect., you should go get treatments like the divers do before taking a dive in the ocean. It causes a regeneration of your cells in your gums which have been damaged from radiation/chemo. Without such treatments you would be putting your gums into grave danger of 0teonecrosis which would be life threatening and a horribly painful. I hope I have helped someone those treatments can be sought through hospitals and other resources.

    Finding a dental oncologist

    I'm trying to help my husband.  He had a tumor removed from under his tongue 41/2 years ago followed by radiation.  His teeth were in terrible shape before the cancer and now they are falling out.  He's been using floride treatments and biotene but one by one, they fall out.  He's lost almost all of the teeth on one side of his lower jaw and a few more are getting ready to go.  His oral surgeon is not an oncologist and I don't think he can recommend one.  To top it off, we don't have health or dental insurance and I'm out of work now.  Feeling overwhelmed and would appreciate some level headed advice about next steps.  Thanks so much in advance. 

  • donfoo
    donfoo Member Posts: 1,771 Member

    Finding a dental oncologist

    I'm trying to help my husband.  He had a tumor removed from under his tongue 41/2 years ago followed by radiation.  His teeth were in terrible shape before the cancer and now they are falling out.  He's been using floride treatments and biotene but one by one, they fall out.  He's lost almost all of the teeth on one side of his lower jaw and a few more are getting ready to go.  His oral surgeon is not an oncologist and I don't think he can recommend one.  To top it off, we don't have health or dental insurance and I'm out of work now.  Feeling overwhelmed and would appreciate some level headed advice about next steps.  Thanks so much in advance. 

    Try county

    Hi,

    Without health or dental insurance current, there is no help or solution along that path. Since your income is quite low now, try your county public heatlh department. Maybe they have a program to get you some coverage, at least on the health side. Dental coverage for even those with insurance is a bit dodgy when it comes to claims associated with prior cancer treatment. 

    It seems like he has lost quite a few teeth already and a few more ready to go. If most are gone, then you are looking at dentures or implants. Again, insurance typically will only offer dentures and not cover implants, if this even medically feasible. Getting the remainig teeth pulled does not sound like a major cost, given the weakened state of them but I do not this for fact at all. Maybe you can find dental providers who work on slide or will take payments to get the extractions and dentures made and fitted.

     

    Good lick,

    don

  • alligatorpointer
    alligatorpointer Member Posts: 131
    jtl said:

    Kent
    One of these days I plan to get some crowns replaced and a bridge. When I do I am going to go either to Mexico or Costa Rica, the later being more desirable but also more expensive. When I last checked crowns were $350 in Costa Rica and $175 in Mexico. For the Mexico clinic you stay in El Paso and they send a car to pick you up and take you across the border. They have a real assembly line going. I was told they can easily do 8-10 crowns in one day, have the crown ready the next day for a fitting and the third day is to do the finishing touches and permanently install them. I know people who have been to both places and they were completely satisfied with the end results.
    John

    dentist in Mexico

    Went there in June. Very pleased with quality and prices. Algodones is a very safe border town just 7 miles west of Yuma, AZ which exists primarily to provide affordable, high quality medical services to American retirees...dental, eyeglasses, hearing aids, pharmacies.  There is lovely, clean lodging available at Hacienda Algodones which is only a couple of blocks away from the dental clinic. Google Algodenes and you can find out more about the town and even see it via Google Maps streetview. You can look at the website for Tracey's Dental at: www.traceysdental.com