Charlotte’s Patient Story: Single-Tooth Implant Treatment

6 Feb

Charlotte shares her experience of having single-tooth implant treatment at The Implant Centre, losing two front teeth in an accident, and fear of living with a denture and missing teeth to amazing relief.

I went on holiday with three friends. I wasn't feeling very well that day, and when my friends went downstairs for dinner, I stayed up in the hotel room and started to feel sick. As I was going to the toilet, I fell over and when I woke up my front teeth were smashed.
The dentists couldn't save my teeth which meant I was going to have to wear a denture. So, my self-confidence went way downhill. You know, it was just awful. I couldn't imagine anything worse. Especially at my age, you don't see many people with missing teeth. I found it very difficult to eat. My speech as well, it was difficult to talk. I stopped going out with friends and stopped socialising for fear that my teeth were going to fall out, or someone would notice that I was wearing a denture.
I feared that I wouldn't be able to get into a relationship, because why would you want to be with someone without teeth? One of my friends from school, her mum, had an implant placed at the time I had my accident. She spoke to Bill, and said “My daughter's best friend just lost her teeth, is there any advice you can give her?”
I felt like I turned into a monster at night when I had to take my teeth out. I couldn't even let my family see me without my teeth. I became very self-conscious about it. When I was talking, I felt that my teeth were moving, and people could see that.
I saw Bill, not thinking he was going to be able to do much, but he reassured me with confidence that he was going to be able to fix my mouth. I'd be able to live without dentures again, which was the biggest thing for me.
I thought my teeth looked great, but Bill wasn't happy with them, he made sure that they were perfect, and he wouldn't give up until he was 100% sure they were how he wanted them to look.
I'm just about to go travelling for a few weeks around Asia. It's just lovely to know that I don't need to worry about my denture, I can smile, talk, and eat whatever I like and not worry. You know, the teeth in your mouth play a big part in your life, so knowing that I don't need to worry about my teeth anymore is just amazing.