Not sure if I should just flip a coin

thennies61
thennies61 Member Posts: 285
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Hi all been awhile.Anyway in Dec I an xray done of my jaw to make sure it was solid enough for implants.Last June they did a bone graph to seal up a small hole in my chin

to make healing faster then waiting for it to fill in.Finally heard back from my doctors nurse.She said the x-rays shown that the jaw looked to be in good shape.But in order to get implants they want to do a cat scan to check for the density of the bone.Or if I didn't want that I was good to go for dentures.At one time we talked about implants on the bottom and dentures on top with a thicker plate for my tounge flap to hit making speech and swollowing better.As far as I have heard medical would pick it up since all my teeth

were taken during the operation.Also heard it end being a fight with also.Wondering if would be worth more scans and maybe fights with medical...

 

Comments

  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #2
    If it was me....

    I'd want to know I had enough bone to support implants.  It would be hell to have the bone crumble or not heal properly...when all that could have been seen with a CT.  One thing.....you have the most expensive part already done, getting the teeth removed.  I wouldn't know which way to go either.....except I think having the thicker plate on top to make swallowing and talking easier would be something I'd look forward to.

    p

  • ratface
    ratface Member Posts: 1,337 Member
    #3
    Guest Speaker

    About five years ago our local SPHNOC group hosted a retired ENT older gentleman who had started a Hyperbaric clinic. This guy was an MD with lots of experience in head and neck cancer with the caveat that he was running a hyperbaric business. That said he cited studies of Head and Neck cancer patients who after hyperbaric treatments were better candidates for implants than general population candidates who had not undergone Hyperbaric treatment. So it would appear that bloodflow is a major consideration in some respect. I don't know how that relates to density but there must be some correlation but at the very least you might be able to transform yourself from a poor candidate to an acceaptable one via hyperbaric was his contention. Regardless of that you still have a bunch of variables to weigh as far as cost, esthetics,  and difficulty (side effects) and time expended in procedures. My neighbor spent 40K on a mouth full of implants and loves them and they actually look great on her. Perhaps folks with dentures and implants might offer persoanl perspectives.

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #4
    Was thinking more about it

    Was thinking more about it and yea I think I would want to know just how my jaw is doing.I sure don't want to go though the process of having them made and fitted then find out as he went in that my jaw had a chance of cummbling.My doctor has already said he would the implants and not the denist...

  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,034 Member
    #5
    ratface pretty much covered it

    61, I would like to make a suggestion to you. Try contacting SASH on this site as he is currently in the process of getting some inplants lined up in the future. He has already had the Hyperbaric Chamber part done and the surgery to remove the few remaining teeth he had. He is in the recovery/ healing stage. 

    You might catch him in the Chatroom in the evenings, he pops in around 8-9 ish . You could also send him an e-mail thru this site. I think SASH had to do 20 some chamber dives and may have to do more after the inplants for a spell. It would be best to contact him though as I do tend to forget exact information we talk about in the chatroom. I do know that he too was concerned about his jaw density.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

  • thennies61
    thennies61 Member Posts: 285
    #6
    MarineE5 said:

    ratface pretty much covered it

    61, I would like to make a suggestion to you. Try contacting SASH on this site as he is currently in the process of getting some inplants lined up in the future. He has already had the Hyperbaric Chamber part done and the surgery to remove the few remaining teeth he had. He is in the recovery/ healing stage. 

    You might catch him in the Chatroom in the evenings, he pops in around 8-9 ish . You could also send him an e-mail thru this site. I think SASH had to do 20 some chamber dives and may have to do more after the inplants for a spell. It would be best to contact him though as I do tend to forget exact information we talk about in the chatroom. I do know that he too was concerned about his jaw density.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

    Will look him up.My doctor

    Will look him up.My doctor has never mentioned anything about Hyperbaric Chamber.Maybe because I didn't any surgery there so maybe he thinks it's not needed.

    But at least if I go for the C-scan and find out if the radition did any damage.I am gumming some foods and no pain.The way the nurse talked he wants to be sure.But seems

    with the doctor everything is the extra mile even though I get in a hurry

     

     

     

     

     

     

    but if I go for the

     

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #7
    thennies61 said:

    Will look him up.My doctor

    Will look him up.My doctor has never mentioned anything about Hyperbaric Chamber.Maybe because I didn't any surgery there so maybe he thinks it's not needed.

    But at least if I go for the C-scan and find out if the radition did any damage.I am gumming some foods and no pain.The way the nurse talked he wants to be sure.But seems

    with the doctor everything is the extra mile even though I get in a hurry

     

     

     

     

     

     

    but if I go for the

     

    Go for it

    Somehow years after treatment I still have all my teeth, they are not in the best of condition but that was due to using a Dynasplint to open the Jaw. It never did open the Jaw but did a great job of messing my teeth up.

     

    I would love to pull them all out being I don’t use them for anything, but as long as they are not giving me any problems I will let the dragon sleep.

     

    Tim

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