I lost the molar that was anchoring a long bridge in my lower jaw last year. The option offered was a removable bridge. I decided instead to look into an implant. The proceedure was costly and it strung out to 11 months but I am really happy with the result. It is just like having a normal, healthy tooth.
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Some advice: Be sure the dentist who installs the implant base is experienced. (I went to a dental surgeon.)It is very easy to damage a nerve when installing the base and you end up with a partially numb lip, permanently. Also, pay close attention when the crown is installed. Mine was just a trifle loose, I let it go for several weeks and got a gum infection as my reward. If the crown moves, even slightly, to back and insist on it being tightened. (Dentists don't like to do that since it involves drilling through the crown to reach the screw that holds the crown tight to the base.)
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:) :) :)

I will say THANK YOU for all of us here for the head's up. Information like this is invaluable, it's only after "been there and done that" that some of us come out the other side, hopefully without a problem! You ARE the Bigger Mac!;)

BiggerMac, thanks for your comments. My situation was not as positive. I had three implants put in, one year later one became lose and my doctor that did the implants tried to fix the problem that was also unsuccessful. My only option was to pay as much to remove and replaced an unsuccessful implant as it did to put one original implant. I was not pleased to have to pay almost $6,000 to have an original implant and then have to pay to fix the problem. My doctor could not tell me why it fail; he could not tell me what the problem was and went on to say when he go in to operate, after not fixing the problem, that he was not sure what he would do once he removed the implant and see what's going on. That did not give me any sense of relief or comfort. I elected to have the implant removed and replaced with a bridge instead. I was expecting a ten to fifteen year relationship with three great implants instead I had one good year and hesitations about my decision because I am not sure if the other two will eventually go bad.