A Happy Ending to Dental Hell

At a recent 4th of July picnic, someone offered me an ear of corn. I hesitated, then remembered that I could now enjoy this treat I had not eaten in years.

I have spent a lifetime in a succession of dental chairs, getting multiple fillings, crowns, root canals and extractions.  Despite the fact that I brush and floss faithfully several times a day, despite the fact that my gums are healthy, I inherited a dental condition from my father that involves unusually thin enamel on my teeth, making them more vulnerable than most to decay.  My sister Tai inherited the same condition and has been even more unfortunate than I: she had full dentures before she was 50.

My tooth loss started to accelerate around 2007, leaving embarrassing gaps.  During one of my last extractions, the oral surgeon suggested that I get two implants to replace the teeth that I was losing, explaining that it was much easier to put an implant in during an extraction.  "How much would it cost?" I asked.  He looked annoyed. "Oh, it would be about $10,000 for the two implants," he said casually, as if that amount were minimal. I shook my head. "I can't afford that," I said as he scowled back at me. "Just pull the teeth."

I knew insurance didn't cover implants. I knew I had to have them.  I started saving money, dreaming of the day I could replace those missing teeth.

In the meantime, there were some embarrassing moments.

I learned to tame my wide smile to a minimal grin.  I stopped throwing back my head to laugh.

But there were times when the tooth loss was painfully evident.

In late 2007, I had a series of screen tests for the MTV show "Sex and Your Parents" featuring a psychotherapist helping teens and their parents talk about sex. It had been a hit in England and the American version had been under development for some time. I was under consideration for the role of the psychotherapist.

In the early screen tests, I smiled just enough to look friendly, not enough to reveal my dental problems.  Encouraged by the success of each screen test, I ordered a set of "flippers" to mask the gaps in my mouth without affecting my speech.  But, as the date of the pilot filming in New York loomed, my final screen test in L.A. -- a half hour show segment featuring me working with a teenager and her family -- was set to film before my flippers were ready.  As the filming began, the director stopped the action to reposition me. "From this angle, you look like you have no teeth on one side," he said. "We want you to look great in this!" My cheeks burned with embarrassment as the director repositioned me and the camera several times before my dental defects weren't immediately noticeable.

Just days before the pilot was to shoot, I was notified that, while I was a close second choice, the doctor who was chosen to do the show was veteran media doc Dr. Drew Pinksy.

So I went back to my regular life, secretly a bit relieved, and kept saving my money for implants.  I also started researching dental services offering implants and found that there was quite a variation in prices.  To my surprise, the lowest price and most experienced surgeons I found were in Beverly Hills. It was a clinic called Secure Smiles in the heart of Beverly Hills and they charged less than half of what the oral surgeon who had done my extractions cost.  I contacted them and went through an evaluation process.  They proposed to do eight implants and an extraction during my surgery, implanting the posts and then, six to seven months later, depending on the speed of my healing,  placing the crowns covering the posts.

I dreaded the surgery terribly, planning to take a week off work. However, it all went so smoothly that I was up and around, on my computer answering emails within hours after my Saturday morning surgery. To my boss' surprise, I was back at work on Monday. Healing went wonderfully and I have had my implanted teeth for nearly two years. My sister has a full set of dentures, anchored by implants, and is also delighted.

Why am I mentioning all this?

Some of my companions at the 4th of July picnic were curious about my joy in eating corn on the cob for the first time in years -- and also wanted to know about what it was like to get dental implants.  I thought some readers, too, might be curious or be thinking of taking the step.

Also, I mention it because the cost has become less prohibitive. I recently received notification that some dental plans - such as Delta Dental, the plan I have - are now covering 50% of the cost of an implant. Along with falling prices, this might make dental implants affordable for many more people.

When you have implants, dental hygiene is even more important. I use a rotary toothbrush and floss religiously. I also have four dental cleanings a year.

But I couldn't be more pleased with the result.  It really isn't a matter of now being able to bite into an apple or eating corn on the cob. That's a real treat, after all these years. But my greatest joy is feeling free to smile broadly and throw my head back in laughter. It's wonderful to have my smile back!

The following video, which is featured on the Secure Smiles website, under the humbling title of "Got Time? Listen to Kathleen's testimonial.." is one filmed last year just before I left L.A. to move to Arizona. Punctuated by the clinic's logos at certain intervals, this six minute video details my experiences of the process of getting and enjoying dental implants. Obviously, unless you live in or around L.A. and need implants, the clinic might not be of interest, but I'm sharing my excellent experience of implant surgery in general with anyone who may be thinking or wondering about this terrific dental procedure.