Like so many here, a long history of bad teeth, bad dentist and bad luck. A 52 i find myself with the choice between dentures and implants.
Where i live they are not many options. I will be going to Bogota to the office of Dr Uribe. If any off you have been there, i would love to hear from you.
The plan is upper and lower jaw all on 4 . With porselein finals .
It going to be 2 time a 10 days visit to Bogota,one first week of febuary, one first week of june. About 20 teeth with bad filling , and bridges that are half loose have to come out. The first day is surgery,then 2 days recuperating without teeth , then the temporary ones place in . waiting a other 5 day to see if everything goes well.
Then return in june for the final ones.
Spending twice 10 days in a city where i don’t know any one and don’t really have a fluent Spanish is going to be hard. Also i have food allergies that means i will need to eat soft food i can find, and his gluten free.
Updated on 9 Dec 2017:
I spoke with dr Uribe and will be going to Cali end of January. I will stay there 10 days as I want to give myself every chance to recover properly. I am going alone , working a bit on my Spanish and don’t know yet if I will hire some one to help me. I had a telephonic consultation and there is a English speaking organizer, Cristina, that very helpful.
Updated on 20 Jan 2018:
In 10 days, I will fly to Cali for the implants. I am going to Cali because that’s where DR Uribe live, he work in Bogota too, but having him in the same city is reassuring.
I am eating a lot and the crunchier the better. There will be not ribs, nor chips in my near future, better to pig out now that I can. I really home the doc is generous with painkillers,doing this solo is pretty scary and being out of it for the first 3/4 days doesn’t sound bad. Only thing ,I have absolutely no idea what to take with me..... I dress pretty formal in skirts and blouses, need pyjama. And the most bizarre one, if you are asleep for up to 6 hours, do you wear depends or something like it? What should I bring ?
Updated on 8 Feb 2018:
The procedure was done but different then expected.
It turn out my teeth where not as bad as the former dentist say.
I have had 12 individuals inplants put in. A bit more expensive but you keep much more the feeling of having your own teeth, you speak and eat better, you keep feeling in your mouth.
The procedure was lengthy,6 hours , but painless with local anesthetic and a bit of a dormicum to keep it bearable.
I am very please with the dentist, the care, like chauffeur,helping you to find a good place to stay and such.
The office is modern, clean and plenty of X-ray and CT’ scan to control the work.
DR Uribe spend all the time needed for you to fell comfortable, he is quite a perfectionist. Cristina help organize everything and for me everything went very smoothly.
I don’t find the temporary teeth to be confortable, but I just got them today and things are still swollen and sensitive. I had the surgery on Monday,4 days ago. I walk talk and move about without difficulties. I find eating a bit of a challenge.
If you are thinking of traveling for dental work, this is really a first world experience with lots of attention for your need and care.
To me traveling alone was not a issue but I travel a lot for work anyway.
I will keep you updated on the recovery and in June on the definive implants and results.
Updated on 12 Feb 2018:
Today is 7 days ago that the procedure was done. And it hurt, like a lot. I know know if that’s a normal part of healing. Most references are about most pain at 2/3 day mark. But I woken up crying from the pain last night. I do know I have always had very sensitive teeth and my mouth is a high pain area for me. I think 7 extraction, one bone graft and 10 implants are bound to hurt a lot longer then 3 days. I am still on antibiotics and see no sign of infection. The pain is also pretty diffuse, it’s not one particular inplants that hurt, it’s all of my teeth and gum. My dentist is in Cali, 2 plane flight away....I will send him a message later to ask him. I feel it not abnormal to have that pain but most reviews and dr talk about this 2/3 days pains and then steady improvement. Not the case here
Updated on 1 Mar 2018:
The inplant saga is not a easy one for me. I had a allergie reaction to the temporary dentures in my upper . Turn out , I am allergic to acrylic on contact. I went back to Cali and my dentist DR Uribe build something with composite,minimal touches, it attaches to my teeths and it look pretty good for something I only need to wear 4 months. I really believe it would be difficult to find a better dentist. He made time at 8 am the day after I landed and again late afternoon the day after to put in the new teeths . The level of care and attention from Cristina and him is great. Everything is done to make it as confortable and pain free as humanly possible. Cristina is also great at arranging transport,hotel and everything you may need. I would recommend them to anyone, actually I already recommended them to some friends.
Updated on 1 Mar 2018:
Today , I started bleeding a bit at the base of temporary teeth place over implants. It slowly getting more and more irritated and swollen. This morning, I ask the dentist and he think it from removing the suture 2 days ago. But it not getting better , I am not touching it , it swollen, red and painful. I am freaking out, terrified that I am developing a infection. I have so many years of bad experience with my teeths that I am paranoid about something happening this time. I already had to go back because of the allergic reaction to the dentures. I think I will go to a local dentist tomorrow if I can. Or just go on antibiotics to be sure.