dental implants Archives - Susan M. Dennis, D.D.S

Do I Have to Get Dentures?

Posted on April 6, 2026 by writeradmin.

I have periodontal disease and have lost three teeth and have a few more that are loose. My dentist is suggesting I get them all out and get dentures. While I will understand if I have to loose the teeth, do I have to get dentures? Would it be possible for me to get dental implants instead?

Angela

Dear Angela,

Before and after facial collapse.

Dental implants are a fantastic choice for replacing your teeth. They act as prosthetic tooth roots, which signals to your body that you still have your teeth there. This is important because without that, your body assumes you no longer have teeth to secure and it begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them where they will be more useful in your body. The unfortunate side effect of this is that your jawbone will slowly shrink. If you were wearing completely removable dentures, eventually, around ten years or so, you will no longer have enough of your jawbone left to keep in dentures. This is known as facial collapse.

It sounds like your periodontal disease is rather advanced. If so, you will want to get that under control as quickly as possible. Otherwise, you’ll end up losing even more teeth. It’s likely that you have lost bone in the area of the teeth which came loose. In order to get dental implants for those. It will be worth it because your quality of life will go up significantly with regard to eating.

Before you pull all your teeth, I’d feel better if you were able to have another dentist look at your bite. Some dentists are more willing than others to do the work necessary to save teeth. It may be that most of your teeth are saveable and this dentist just prefers to extract teeth and move on.

Even though dental implants are the closest to having healthy, natural teeth, your own natural teeth are still better.

This blog is brought to you by a compassionate dentist in Kalamazoo Dr. Susan Dennis.

Tooth Extraction Site is Sensitive to Warm Food

Posted on March 25, 2026 by writeradmin.

I had a wisdom tooth extracted. Everything seemed to go fine. It was a bit achy, but the type of achy I assumed you would expect with a tooth extraction. A week later I needed to shovel some snow. The achiness grew after that. Now, it is another week later and the spot is still hurting and it is hurting when I have warm or hot food. The extraction site looks healthy, but this later development has me worried. A friend thinks it is because I did not replace the tooth. Could that be the problem? My dentist didn’t mention needing to replace the tooth, though.

Evelyn

Dear Evelyn,

Woman holding her cheek needing a tooth extraction.

While you would want to replace almost any other tooth which is extracted, a wisdom tooth does not need to be replaced. The achiness does not bother me, especially after exertion. The sensitivity to warm or hot food is more concerning.

Sometimes after a tooth extraction the root to an adjacent tooth can be exposed, which would lead to sensitivity. If a tooth is sensitive to cold, it generally is not something to worry about. Heat, however, is another story. If the pulp of a tooth begins to die. This gives off gases. When something warm enters the picture, the gasses expand, but have nowhere to go. Hence the sensitivity.

I think it would be a good idea for you to see a dentist to have the adjacent teeth looked at as a precaution. Most dentists leave room in their schedule for urgent dental appointments. It’s always easier if things like this are attended too sooner rather than later. The longer things sit, the more invasive the solution ends up.

If there is a chance that your adjacent tooth ends up extracted, which is not very likely but stil possible, you will want to replace that tooth. If you don’t the other teeth will shift or tip into the open space. That can throw off your bite and even lead to TMJ Disorder. Just as a means of giving you information, the best tooth replacement available is a dental implant.

This blog is brought to you by a friendly Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Do I Need an Oral Surgeon for Bone Grafting?

Posted on March 14, 2026 by writeradmin.

I’ve been losing my teeth. I was hoping to get dental implants but my dentist said that I’d need to see an oral surgeon and get bone grafting, so He recommends I just get dentures. I have a friend who had bone grafting done by her dentist and the dental implants. I’m not sure why I have to use an oral surgeon.

Maggie

Dear Maggie,

Before and after facial collapse.

There are are dentists who have trained and do bone grafting. However, it sounds like your dentist isn’t one of them. Don’t push him into it. The fact that he is pushing you toward dentures, tells me that he doesn’t know how to do dental implants either. I also wouldn’t push him into that. There are countless dental implant horror stories by patients whose dentists had no idea what they were doing. Some of them even lost part of their jaw.

I have to say that I don’t think you’re with the best dentist. Completely removable dentures are not a good thing for you in the long term. When your teeth are removed, your body begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use them elsewhere in your body.

This results in your body being able to use its resources wisely. The side effect, however, is that your jawbone will slowly shrink. Eventually, you will no longer be able to even keep your dentures in place. In dental circles, this is known as facial collapse. Because of that, I think it is important that you go with your original plan to get bone grafting and dental implants. You’ll just have to do it with another dentist. If your friend’s dentist is local, you may consider having him or her do it. Otherwise, I would look for a dentist who has post-doctoral training in dental implants along with a high success rate.

This blog is brought to you by a friendly dentist in Kalamazoo, Dr. Susan Dennis.

Can’t Afford Anything By Dentures

Posted on December 1, 2025 by writeradmin.

I am in tears. I have teeth that are falling apart and my dentist says that it is not worth it for me to keep working on them. He’s suggesting that I just extract them and get dental implants. I saw that they can look great and will stay in your mouth, but they are super expensive. I can’t afford that. I’m on my own and don’t make a lot of money. If I can’t find a way to get them at a discount, then I am left with dentures, which is the last thing I want at they age of 34. I’ve been crying since I saw the price. If I agreed to do an advertisement or something for a dentist would they give me the dental implants? I look great except for my teeth.

Jessica

Dear Jessica,

Before you jump into extracting your teeth, I suggest that you get a second opinion on your teeth. Dentists have varying degrees of willingness to work hard to save teeth. Yours may be one who just wants to extract them and be done with it. Another dentist may be wiling to save your teeth and then you won’t need the implants.

If it turns out that you do need to replace your teeth, doing advertisements for a dentist is unlikely to get you free or even discounted dental implants. This is because the dentist can get people to do those for free. Needing to replace your teeth is stressful. I know you are in a tough spot and I understand that you are scared. There are a few options that may make your dental implants more affordable.

Generally, when patients gets implant supported dentures, they get four to six dental implants and anchor the dentures to them. You could instead get just two implants for your dentures. These are known as snap on dentures. It will at least secure the dentures and help prevent facial collapse.

Another option is to try an institution that teaches dentists how to place dental implants. Because the dentist is learning and will be working with an instructor, appointments will take longer. To make up for the inconvenience to you in time, they will do the procedure at a discount.

If neither of these work for you, then you could start with the removable dentures while you save up for the implants.

This blog is brought to you by compassionate dentist in Kalamazoo Dr. Susan Dennis.

Front Teeth Are Too Large

Posted on November 15, 2025 by writeradmin.

I’ve been trying to find a way to make my teeth look better. My two front teeth are bigger and more forward than the rest of my teeth. I feel like I look a bit like a beaver. I’ve been given lots of advise from different people and none of them quite make enough sense. I’m about to just give up and have them removed and then replace them with dental implants. But, honestly, I’m hoping you have a better options for me.

Tanya

Dear Tanya,

Invisalign Aligners

Whatever you do, please do not remove your teeth and replace them with dental implants. You will not have to do anything so drastic. You do have a lot of options. You could have the teeth trimmed and then have them moved into place with Invisalign aligners. Another option is to have porcelain veneers placed on your teeth.

I have not examined your teeth, so it would be unethical of me to tell you which procedure is the right one for you. My best suggestion is that you find an expert cosmetic dentist, let them examine your bite, then let them determine what your best options are.

There are many factors that will determine the best treatment options. Even if it is the right procedure, the dentist needs a lot of training and experience in placing them. Occlusion of your teeth is important. If a procedure is not done well, it can throw off the way your teeth are meeting together.

This is where a dentist without the right training can cause you a lot of problems. You want to make sure that nothing will throw off your bite. If it does, you can end up with something like TMJ Disorder because a dentist without real training in cosmetic dental work did the procedure they like the best.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Gentle Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Dentist’s Negligence Keeps Costing Me Teeth

Posted on October 17, 2025 by writeradmin.

I am fastidious with my oral health care. I brush and floss twice a day and go in for dental checkups three times a year. I always ask him after each appointment how things are going and he says things are fine. Three appointments ago, he told me that he had a tooth under watch. Then, the next appointment, he told me the tooth was too far gone and needed to be extracted. When I asked him how that could happen if it was just under watch and he said that my teeth fall apart faster than most. I asked about the rest of my mouth and he said it was fine. Surprise, surprise. It wasn’t. Between appointments I had a filling fall out. He had me come in and looked at it. He told me the decay flared up and caused an infection. He recommended a root canal treatment. I agreed and scheduled the appointment. It was only a week later. Then, when I got there he told me it blew up too quickly again and this tooth now needed to be extracted. I honestly, don’t understand how he can keep missing these. I am so careful and am spending a lot of extra money because of what I feel is his negligence. Do you think I should ask for a refund for the extra procedures he cost me?

Cathy

Dear Cathy,

Man holding his cheek in need of an emergency dentist

Bear in mind that I haven’t examined you. However, based on what you’ve described your dentist is guilty of negligence. It’s rare for a tooth being watched to blow up so quickly that it needs to be extracted. A root canal treatment would make a little more sense, though even that isn’t common. It’s even rarer for a tooth to be diagnosed as needing a root canal treatment and then only a week later it is suddenly unsaveable. Combine that with the fact that your filling fell off and I am not thinking you are with the best dentist.

Getting compensation will be tricky. You would need images of the tooth while it was in watch status as well as when he said it needed to be extracted. I do feel he’s a little tooth extraction happy. The goal should be to save the teeth, though sometimes that is not possible.

I would find a great dentist, get everything looked at and fixed and then approach him about your concerns. Tell him if he’s willing to compensate you for some of the work which should have been preventable you will let it go. If he’s not willing to, then let him know you’ll be leaving frank reviews about your experiences.

I do hope your dentist explained to you the importance of replacing missing teeth when he extracted them.

This blog is brought to you by Portage, MI Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Serious Pain After Tooth Extraction

Posted on July 5, 2025 by writeradmin.

I had a tooth extraction on an upper molar three weeks ago. I thought the pain would be gone by now. The mornings start out okay, just a bit achy, but by the end of the day it is throbbing so much that I want to cry. There is also some pain in my lower jaw and part of my cheek will go a bit numb. Is this normal? Can I do anything to make it any easier?

Myka

Dear Myka,

A woman in pain holding her jaw, needing an emergency dentist.

I am sorry for what you’re feeling. Some of what is going on with your tooth extraction is normal; others ar not. The part that is normal is the throbbing getting worse as the day moves on. This is because of increased blood flow from activity. Referred pain is also quite common, so your bottom arch hurting could be from that. However, what isn’t normal is the length of time. Any pain like this should be gone within the first week.

I want you to contact your dentist. My guess is that you have a residual infection. You don’t want this to turn into a dental emergency. I think your dentist would give you an antibiotic like Clindamycin until the pain is gone for several days.

Once your tooth extraction is completely healed, you will need to replace the tooth that you had removed. The best tooth replacement is a dental implant. It will be the closest thing to having a healthy natural tooth in your mouth again.

As for the numbness you are feeling, that could be from a nerve getting touched in the process of the extraction. That will get better with time. It is important that you communicate with your dentist what is going on. If there is a residual infection as I suspect, it will only get worse.

This blog is brought to you by Portage, MI Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Where Should Dentures Be Placed?

Posted on March 19, 2025 by writeradmin.

Can you help me with something? I had all-on-four dentures placed for my anterior teeth. Should they be placed 2-3 mm from the gumline or should they exactly follow the gumline? Mine are not following the gumline and my lips feel and look bulky. Was this done properly?

Elena

Dear Elena,

This is a gumline.

I’m glad you wrote. I think we’re having a terminology issue, but I think I know what your question is really asking. When we’re talking about a gumline, it is where the gums meet with the teeth. If you’re talking about a complete denture with your all on four dental implant treatment, then that would be the acrylic that meets at the white “tooth” part.

The problem I suspect you are talking about is where the teeth “hit” in relation to the bony ridge that the denture is placed on. Where they are placed depends on whether you are talking about completely removable dentures or something that is anchored, like your all-on-four.

If you are in completely removable dentures, then the teeth need to be placed directly on top of the ridge. If they are more forward than that, your dentures will tip any time you bite down.

If, on the other hand, you are talking about an implant retained denture then they can be placed a little further forward than that because they are secure and are not going to tip when you bite. The 2-3 mm you mentioned are well within the range of acceptable placement. That being said, there are other things to consider besides chewing with denture placement such as appearance of the teeth, the patient’s speech, fullness of the patient’s lips, vertical dimension, and their bite placement for proper occlusion. There should always be a wax try-in of the dentures before the acrylic version is made to check all of these things. I’m wondering if your dentist did this.

If your denture is attached to the implants with screws, its position can still be changed. The denture can be removed and then reset into a different position. Your dentist may be willing to do this for free. If he or she isn’t, then the fee would not be much. I hope this helps.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

Will Medical Insurance Pay for Dental Implants?

Posted on February 13, 2025 by writeradmin.

I have pretty bad periodontal disease and have been wearing an upper denture because of how bad my teeth were. I had the denture plate and think I would be better off with implant supported dentures. Is there a chance that my medical insurance would pay for this?

Katie

Dear Katie,

You are not alone in having problems with dentures. Unfortunately, you will not be able to get your medical insurance to pay for this. There are even people without teeth that can’t use dentures because of facial collapse. They literally cannot eat and their medical insurance won’t cover it.

There is a possible temporary solution for your problem with the dental plate. That will give you a chance to save up for dental implants. I would also take this time to deal with your periodontal disease, because until that is dealt with you will not be able to have dental implants anyway.

Screenshot

There’s a new procedure that was developed by a dentist in Great Britain. He realized if the denture plate was slightly curved just beneath the vibrating line it helps some patients with a strong gag reflex do better with the dentures.

Then, once you have healthy gums, you may need to look into your bone structure. Periodontal disease can eat away at your bone. That bone will be necessary in order to keep your dental implants in place. Don’t panic if you do not have enough. In that case, you can have a bone grafting procedure done which will build back up your bone so that you can have the implant overdentures you want.

Focus on healing your gums and saving up, but go ahead and try the procedure with the dental plate to make things more tolerable for yourself.

I hope this helps.
This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.

What If Dentures Is All You Can Afford?

Posted on January 20, 2025 by writeradmin.

I have a problem with my teeth, especially my upper teeth. I’ve been losing enamel and most of the teeth have cavities. Many of them need crowns and a few need to be extracted. It may be easier to extract them. Every one is telling me to get dental implants, but I don’t have a lot of money. What if dentures are all I can afford?

Celeste

Dear Celeste,

Everyone is in different circumstances. My first piece of advice to you would be to focus on saving the teeth you can. Natural teeth are far more useful to you than any tooth replacement. If you were losing all of your teeth and they couldn’t be saved I would say that it would be fine to place dentures on the upper teeth. These are held in by suction.

If you were dealing with lower teeth, while you might have to start with dentures, I would strongly suggest that you save up for dental implants. It is much more important on the lower arch. This is because the dentures on a lower arch rest on the ridge of your jawbone. Unfortunately, once your teeth are removed, your body will begin to resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body.

While it does this to be efficient with your body’s resources, it has the side effect of slowly shrinking your jawbone. Eventually, there won’t be enough of the ridge there for your dentures to stay in place. In dental circles this is known as facial collapse.

Getting dental implants prevents that. The implants signal to your body that you still have teeth. Because of that, it leaves your jawbone alone. This means that you will no longer have to worry about facial collapse.

This blog is brought to you by Kalamazoo Dentist Dr. Susan Dennis.