While neglect can certainly lead to teeth problems, that was not the case with me. From a young age I was in the dentist's office all the time. I liked the dentist and believed that if I followed his directions, I would always have the perfect smile.
In elementary school I had some crowding and was developing an overbite and was given a crib appliance and a retainer. Ultimately, I had my two canine teeth removed to prevent my overbite from worsening. This was when things really started to go downhill. I realized that despite all the money my mom spent and all my efforts to take good care of my teeth, some things were outside of our control.
Through my teenage years things got even worse. Each dental visit was now a cycle of fillings, root canals, and crowns. I subconsciously began covering my mouth when smiling or laughing. In high school I got braces, followed by a retainer and headgear. My teeth had been shifting so much that the retainers never fit, and I didn’t want to ask my mom to spend more money on me at the dentist.
After high school, I stopped believing that my dentist had my best interest. My teeth were now more silver fillings than actual teeth which led them to crack and fail. I was depressed about the state of my mouth and began to accept that perhaps I was doomed to an eternity with a dreadful mouth. I started seeing different dentists, but nobody seemed to be able to help. By the time I was 23, I had a 3-unit bridge on my top right, multiple crowns, and several missing molars on the top and bottom of both sides.
Five months before my wedding, I was told I needed to pull 3 teeth near the front and replace those with implants and crowns. I was devastated, but I figured it had to be done, so I did it. I hated how the work ended up looking. When I went to ask them to fix it, they told me the dentist that did the work had switched offices and the office was taking zero responsibility for it. To say I was defeated was an understatement. The day of my wedding, I didn't even want to smile for pictures. I was emotionally drained, and my mental health was drastically deteriorating. I hated myself and who I saw in the mirror.
I spent my 30s dealing with more teeth needing pulled and failing root canals. I had spent so much money on my mouth over the years and yet I was still embarrassed to smile and barely had any teeth that could connect to bite into food. I would lay in bed at night crying myself to sleep. I had mastered the duck face for pictures because it hid my vulnerability. I was constantly thinking, “How did I get to this point?” My mother had spent so much money making sure my teeth were always taken care of and now I was in the same cycle doing the same thing.
In 2019, at the age of 37, a crown broke, requiring a teeth being pulled and getting a flipper. THIS WAS IT. THIS WAS MY BREAKING POINT. I began my research to determine my options and was highly disappointed that it seemed my only options were dentures or All-on-4. I spent months and months reading every forum online and going to numerous All-on-4 consultations. I reluctantly decided to make my appointment to have All-on-X done. It seemed better than dentures or dealing with my current state, but I still didn't feel great about the decision.
On the day I was supposed to make the down payment, I came across a post from a woman who had asked, "Why would anyone get All-on-X over 3 on 6?” I had never heard about 3 on 6. Instead of calling to make my downpayment for All-on-X like I had planned to do, I went searching for more information about 3 on 6. I discovered that it was a treatment that could replace the teeth in your mouth without shaving down your bone and tissue and replacing them with fake gums. Could it really be possible that someone figured out a way to give you your natural smile back without any clunky device in your mouth? It almost seemed too good to be true.
There were so many “what ifs” playing in my head. Why would anyone want to shave bone or have artificial gums if there was another option? I was even a bit skeptical and thought that if it was legit, then more people would be talking about it. At the time, I didn’t understand just how revolutionary and new this treatment was. Technology had advanced so much to change dentistry, but most people were still unaware that they had better options than were available 20 years ago.
After countless hours of reading through testimonials, watching Facebook and YouTube Videos, reaching out to patients and discussing it with my family, I made the call that would change my life forever. There wasn’t a 3 on 6 provider near me at the time, but a plane ticket and hotel stay were a small price to pay to get the smile I wanted. I called the second week in September of 2022 and by the following week on September 25th, I was on a plane headed to my consultation.
As soon as I walked into their ultra-modern and chic waiting area, which felt nothing like a dental office, I was greeted by the nicest receptionists, and I just knew this was right for me. I mean come on, they have a fireplace, bottles of water, and even granola bars and boardwalk chips for you or your companion while you wait. Then, I was called to the back and began to meet everyone who was part of the process. My anxiety soon dissipated, and, in my heart, this felt right. This was it. My prayers were being answered. I was barely there for a few minutes and was already envisioning my new smile. Dr. Roberts explained to me that I not only did I have enough bone for a 3 on 6, but that he could do a 4 on 8, which adds two extra implants and teeth on each arch. My consultation was September 26, 2022 and that day I scheduled my surgery for October 18th.
On the day of my surgery, I cried while walking in, I cried talking to Dr. Roberts while prepping for surgery, and I even cried talking to Reid, the anesthesiologist. I was an emotional trainwreck when it came to my teeth. I was excited, nervous, and anxious. I walked in and sat down with Reid, the anesthesiologist, who is the nicest and coolest guy ever. He made me forget all about my worries and explained everything that he was going to do and made sure I was comfortable. Before I knew it, I was under sedation and getting my 4 on 8.
Waking up after my surgery with a full mouth of teeth was wild. It felt like a dream. I could not stop rubbing my tongue along my temporary teeth. It had been 20+ years since I had a full mouth of teeth. The healing process was minimal compared to what I imagined it would be. I was traumatized from seeing people’s pictures after having All-on-X. Their faces were black and blue and extremely swollen. I had mentally prepared myself for 3-4 weeks of recovery. However, this was not the case. I didn’t have the swollen black and blue bruising and after about a week I was already back in the swing of things. I wasn't 100%, but I was functioning and taking care of a 2-year-old.
I do not think I could ever find a way to thank the Smile Clinic in Utah and Dr. Roberts enough for what they have done for my family and I. I no longer cry in bed at night, begging for a solution. I can eat anything; I mean literally anything that I want. I wake up knowing that there won't be any phone calls to the dentist because I am in pain or back and forth fixing a tooth. I no longer need to hide my smile or be embarrassed as I eat food with friends. My daughter got her mommy back and will have countless photos of me smiling in the pictures with her.
My confidence is back, and I am the fearless Melissa I once was, before I started letting my teeth define me. I know that this was the best decision I have ever made.
You can watch Melissa’s dental journey here: