VIDEO: Smiles Better...You won't believe how the man who had ALL his teeth removed and replaced with implants looks now
JIMMY GEOGHEGAN
Ashbourne man Michael Sheridan took a big step towards having a full set of permanent teeth back when he recently had implants put in by Navan-based dental surgeon Dr David Murnaghan - and he advises people to look after their teeth to avoid the kind of dilemma he found himself in.
The installation of the implants was another stage in a journey that started last January for Sheridan when he had all 27 of his natural teeth removed in one sitting by Dr Murnaghan who runs the Boyne Dental & Implant Clinic on Ludlow Street, Navan.
Sheridan has blamed the regular consumption of large quantities of sugary drinks for the deterioration of his teeth with all 27 of them regarded as too rotten to be saved. With all his natural teeth removed he was given a set of dentures to see him through until the implants were installed.
The removal of the rotten teeth and their replacement by dentures, says the dad of three who works as a barman, “transformed his life” giving him a new-found confidence. Now the implants have helped further. “I'm no longer hiding away,” he said.
“The process of putting in the implants lasting about three hours but I felt no pain apart from the initial injection to numb the gums, after that I didn't feel anything,” he said. “The closest thing I can describe it is having your own teeth back. I have to take care of the implants as if they are teeth, they have to be brushed everyday. They’re made of a softer material than what the final set will be in August. I still can't bite into an apple or a steak, you have to let the implants already there fuse with the bone, you have to let the implants settle down.”
Sheridan says he is well aware of how fortunate he is to get a new set of teeth. The entire process from the removal of the rotten teeth to the installation of the permanent implants is expected to cost between €40-50k. “It's so important to look after your teeth,” he says.
He added that plans are going well for the wedding to his partner Linda at the Newgrange Hotel, Navan towards the end of the year. Now at least Michael won't fear smiling for the cameras.
“All too often we see people who suffer a loss of teeth and how that can lead to a loss of confidence,” says David Murnaghan from Boyne Dental & Implant Clinic in Navan.
“Michael's case was a rare one but one we were delighted to take on as we could see the impact and toll it had taken on him and his family.
David used the latest in 3D technology and CT imaging to map and fit Michael with his new implants with adequate healing time having elapsed since removing ALL the Ashbourne man's teeth last January.
Twelve implant screws were inserted into Michael's jawbones which lay the foundation for the implants to sit.“Everything went according to plan and the whole procedure was minimally invasive. It's been a super result for us here at Boyne Dental & Implant Clinic and we can now see Michael get on with his life, pain free and smiling with confidence.”