TroyW

I'm curious, who here due to their drinking / cigarettes has messed up their teeth? How bad are they? Fixable, or point of no return and time to get new teeth?

I'm in the new teeth category. $30,000 and about 12 months for new choppers too. Hrmpphh... not like I have a choice though. Can't exactly "wine & dine" (without the wine) potential clients with this set.

Soberintexas007

So are you getting new teeth with dental implants?

TroyW

Once I manage to stay sober for a solid 30 days, then yes, I'll start the process. Otherwise, there's no point. Can't wander into the hospital skunk drunk, and expect the doctor to put me under or even give me an anesthetic of any kind.

About a 12 month process though, as they do your teeth section by section. They pull one section out, wait 6 - 8 weeks for the jaw to heal, then cut your jaw open again and implant metal alloy braces / holdings with screws on the bottom, which they attach the new teeth to.

Sounds like fun. Can't wait.

Soberintexas007

Be grateful that there is such a process that can give you back your teeth. But you are right that it is in your best interest to go through this process sober. Too much bad stuff can happen if you are drinking and doing all of this pulling and chopping.

mecanix

Yer ,
mine are knackerd , didn't help by getting someones boot in my mouth when i was drunk one time , cracked 2 teeth in half and roughed up the edge of another one .
A large cut over my eye that the Dr said if had been over by 1/2 inch i'd have lost the eye . just a scar there now .

Still didn't stop my drinking !

Not sure of the rest of them , not brushing all those times will have had some effect .
I do try not to breathe on people and try to have sugar free mints on hand if i'm in polite company .

good luck with the new gnashers

savarna

my teeth survived somehow!!! but i did get veneers to make my smile perfect for the stage. but no had no issues

lighter

Took me quite a bit of dental work. Is still on going. Am scared of dentist but am getting them fixed anyway.

Pipping

My poison was red wine and I am also a coffee drinker so my teeth were a permanently stained, however 6 months of diligent brushing and flossing made a massive difference and once I had some available cash I started getting some fillings replaced. I would love veneers but my teeth are much better than they were. The longer that you not drink the better they will look.

Gilmer

What Pipping said. My teeth look much, much better now.

Thepatman

I do need work on my teeth. Constantly vomiting bile left some acid damage.

Alcohol however dug more holes in my wallet than my teeth. Yikes! LOL!

Dee74

I had extensive damage. I'm lucky I only lost a couple.

D

silentrun

I had extensive dental work done. It started in my 20s and was told is was maybe from acid reflux. They can only drill and fill so much until you need a crown. I didn't go in my drinking days because I was too embarrassed that I hadn't been. When I finally did it was a ton of dough. Best money I ever spent though.

tokidoki

My periodontist and I are becoming good friends since I stopped drinking. Yikes! Paying the piper now.

Kevin78

I was scared of the dentist long before I started drinking. It was only in the last year I started going back in between bouts of sobriety. I guess i'm no longer scared.

trachemys

I finally took the dive and solution. Dentures were $2800 US all total. Truthfully, they're a relief. My family has gum problems. My sister has spent ten times that in her mouth.

Brushing my teeth is lots easier now. I don't have to worry about sugar, either.

ChickChick

Wow, reading this thread would be enough to make me quit if I hadn't already. I suppose I'm lucky to be quitting youngish (32). I have good teeth, thank goodness.
Good luck to you Troyw I'm glad you are getting something done. I hope the process isn't too bad!

LiberatedStorm

Oh yeah. My teeth are toast. 25 years of using smokeless tobacco. Definitely wish I could go back in time and take better care of my teeth. Gonna have to bite the bullet and get in to the dentist soon. Absolutely scared of dentists though.

trachemys

Don't be scared of the dentist. My denture clinic numbed me so well that the injections hurt hellishly but, the extractions where they twisted and worked my teeth out, were almost painless. An amazing process to sit through yet, painless.

Riel

For those who need major dental work, consider having it done in a less expensive country.

I had veneers and crowns done in Thailand and it was much less expensive than the quotes I got in Canada. My business partner has spent a fortune on implants - over 50K - and he could've saved more than half of that and had a nice holiday or two while he was at it.

Lily123

My teeth have hung in there pretty good. I did crack my front 2 teeth during a blackout. They were able to shave one down. The other one has a cap and you can't even tell. I was really lucky though, they said I just missed the pulp. Best of luck on your dental escapades.