These days, Kurt Hertel wants everyone to look at his teeth.
“I’m happier now because I can smile,” Hertel said.
A winning grin wasn’t something Hertel could smile about until now. His dental troubles started when he was a kid.
“Our dentist had a kind of fill ‘em and drill ‘em kind of philosophy,” said Hertel.
After a while, there was nothing left to fill or drill. He has his first tooth removed when he was in his 20s.
“It was like dominoes,” Hertel said.
Decades of work and tens of thousands of dollars later, Hertel still wasn’t smiling about what was in his mouth.
A dental facility in Rochester has come up with an alternative to dentures. Our Diana Palotas has more.
“I’ve got a mess here,” Hertel said. “I’ve got partials. I’ve got bridges. I’ve got crowns. All my teeth root canalled.”
Hertel turned to dental implants. Specialists at the Elmwood Dental Group in Rochester designed the Hybridge. It’s a cross between a denture and a bridge that can be implanted in just three weeks. The Hybridge is made of resin and it permanently supported on five or six dental implants and can be removed for cleaning or repair.
There’s nothing out there that can hurt the Hybridge that can’t be fixed within 24 hours, so patients don’t have to go long without their smile.
“We always say our success rate is greater than 99 percent in ten years,” said Dr. Frank Lamar. “The likelihood that patient has to do dentistry again is very small”
The Hybridge runs about $15,000 for an entire plate of teeth.
Hertel says the feel of his set of teeth is priceless.
“They’re sturdy and secure and pretty and I am very please,” Hertel said.