I remember the first day that a dentist told me that my natural teeth would not last me much longer. I was terrified, scared, and overwhelmed as I tried to process what the dentist was telling me. After years of avoiding the dentist due to past dental trauma, a decade in braces which shortened my roots, and four pregnancies where I was sick from six weeks until delivery day, my teeth were officially done.
About two months after I had my third child, I had a tooth break in half and so I went to the dentist where it was crowned. After my fourth child, I had several teeth break and those could not be crowned so extraction was the only option.
In March of 2020, I had two of my broken teeth extracted. I figured it would at least buy me some time with my natural teeth, however within two weeks, I had two more teeth that were broken and chipping away. I realized that this was going to be a slow and painful process of losing my teeth, so I got serious about looking into my choices.
There were many options I learned about but the one that had been on my mind since the day I saw it was the 3 on 6™ full mouth restoration. I began to investigate the differences between the various treatment options. I eventually joined a Facebook group to see if anyone had experience with the 3 on 6™ procedure. It was simply by fate that one of the first posts I saw was from a patient who had their upper arch restored with the 3 on 6™ treatment. I had been researching the process for years but seeing that post gave me the push I needed. I looked into the locations offered the 3 on 6™ and there were none in my home state of Georgia at the time so I knew I would have to travel for treatment. I chose Smile Clinic in Utah as they had a couple locations there and information about treating patients from out-of-state. The phone call was made!
The first phone call was easy. They got my usual information and then asked me to send them my panoramic x-ray and a few different pictures of my smile as well. About a week later I got an email from Smile Clinic with the details of my treatment plan as well as the pricing. As time went on it was in my heart that I really wanted the 3 on 6™ and I realized if I wanted it bad enough then I needed to work harder and save up to accomplish my goal.
Once I had financing secured, I called Smile Clinic back and went through the two pages of questions I had for them. They took the time to answer all of my questions and I paid my deposit. I eagerly stalked the UPS truck waiting for my impressions kit to come in. Once it came it took me a day or two to get the courage to do it. I was worried I might mess it up or pull off a crown, but it went just fine and I sent it back to the lab. I then immediately started the process of planning my upcoming trip to Utah for surgery and putting together my own little “surgery suitcase” full of all the things I thought I would want with me on my day of surgery.
About two weeks before my surgery I flew out to Utah for a one-day trip to get some better scans done of my mouth and to meet the team. I’m glad I did because it brought me so much comfort. Meeting Dr. Roberts and his team, I instantly knew I had made the right decision.
So, two weeks later I flew back to Utah. At 7am on a Monday morning in July of 2020, I was in the dental chair, ready for my surgery and getting sedated. Waking up from surgery I felt no pain, no discomfort, and my teeth felt so natural that I really thought they were my original teeth. That night I rested in the hotel, taking medicine ahead of any potential pain, and had a milkshake for dinner. The next morning it was back to Dr. Robert's office for a post-op appointment which went great. I flew home that day and when I got home that night I snuggled with my kids while icing my face.
Day three was the hardest day for me, which is common for most people. On day four I woke up feeling like a brand-new person. I had minimal pain and was an absolute bundle of confidence. I picked up some purple lipstick from Walmart and the selfies began. By the end of the week, I was outside with my kids, playing, taking pictures, and just truly enjoying life.
When you get a new 3 on 6™ smile, the teeth you get on your surgery day are temporary while you heal. They look great, but they’re not meant to be permanent. I was in my temporary set of teeth for just over four months. Once my implants were fully healed, I had an amazing trip back to Utah and left with my final zirconia teeth.
Since my procedure and after the healing phase I resumed normal life. A happier normal life in which I am confident and my dental health is amazing. I brush, water floss, and use mouthwash, the same as someone with natural teeth would. I get regular dental cleanings every six months and my new smile feels so natural that I often forget that it isn’t my natural smile. Yes, the process was scary when I first started, but by choosing Dr. Roberts and traveling to Utah, I feel like I made the absolute best choice, and my life quality has changed for the better because of it.
