In this episode of the Smile Reconstruction Podcast, Dr. Tanner Townsend and Dr. Josh Muir sit down with patient Michael Nelson while he is still in the middle of his dental implant journey. After years of broken teeth and a longtime fear of the dentist, Michael decided after retirement that he wanted a permanent solution that would allow him to chew comfortably, protect his oral health, and avoid traditional dentures. He shares why he chose Montana Center for Implants and Dentures after researching his options, what his consultation and surgery were like, his experience with sedation and recovery, and how quickly his new prototype teeth began to feel natural. Michael says the transformation has already been life-changing and that, knowing what he knows now, he wishes he had pursued dental implant treatment 20 years earlier.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 0:04

Welcome back to the Smile Reconstruction Podcast. I’m your host, Dr. Tanner Townsend, along with my fabulous co-host, Dr. Joshua Muir.

Dr. Josh Muir 0:11

Hello.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 0:12

And today we have a wonderful guest with us, Michael Nelson. We’re so glad to have you on the show, Michael. Thanks for coming.

Michael Nelson 0:19

Thank you.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 0:21

Well, Michael, you’ve been working with Dr. Muir, and you’re still kind of in the beginning of the process of your treatment.

We’re excited to talk to you because usually we hear from people who are at the end of their treatment, and they kind of forget all the things that happened in the beginning because months go by as you’re healing.

We’re excited to have you on the show because now we get to hear a little bit more of your journey while we’re still in the middle of the process, which is fantastic.

So first and foremost, tell us a little bit about your history. How did you end up coming to our office, and what were some of the things that sparked you to pull the trigger on treatment?

Michael Nelson 0:59

I remember when I was a child, I just had perfect teeth in my mouth. I was the only one out of four kids who never had to have braces.

Dr. Tanner Townsend

Oh, awesome!

Michael Nelson

And that went through my life. I had a fear of dentists, just that classic fear that people usually have.

Over a period of time, as I got older, I had broken teeth, mainly on the sides. My front teeth weren’t that bad, but the sides were broken.

I decided, 10 years after retirement—I was a firefighter and EMT—that it was time to get this fixed because I want to live the next 100 years and not have to worry about my teeth.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 1:44

That’s awesome. So after retirement, you realized, “Hey, I want to get this fixed.”

Was there a tipping point in particular, or was it more like, “You know what? I feel like now is the time to do this?”

Michael Nelson 2:00

I did smile. I wasn’t worried that much about my smile, but I worried about those broken teeth and how they affected the way I chewed, and the way bacteria builds in your mouth when you have broken teeth and some of the dental problems that come with that.

I did not want dentures after reading about all of that. I didn’t want to go that route at all.

The implants have come so far historically now that it just seemed like the right solution because they don’t move, and it’s like your real teeth are there.

For readers who are considering their options, the American Academy of Implant Dentistry explains how dental implants function as artificial tooth roots that support replacement teeth. Learn about dental implants from the AAID

Dr. Tanner Townsend 2:42

Yeah.

Michael Nelson 2:43

And so far, so good. I look forward to finishing this journey up.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 2:48

I’m excited for you. It’s really cool to see how your smile has even changed from the very beginning with Dr. Muir when you first started.

So, Dr. Muir, tell us from your perspective. Michael came in for a consult. That was the first step. Do you remember that day and what that was like?

Dr. Josh Muir 3:05

It’s interesting because we don’t always remember every consult, but I remember Michael specifically, partly because of our dental assistant we were working with that day, Linda.

She came back to talk to me and said, “Hey, we have a wonderful patient. Let me tell you about him. This is one that you’re going to love.”

And sure enough—good heart, good guy, good situation, and just the right situation for the treatment.

Michael Nelson 3:34

The feeling was mutual. You guys have good hearts, and you’re one of the kindest people. I read you that way immediately—that you have a big heart and treat people right. That’s what I’m all about.

Dr. Josh Muir 3:45

Well, thank you. We sure try to be.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 3:48

We sure try to be, and we think we do an okay job. We may not be much to look at. I’m definitely more handsome than he is, but we definitely try to be.

Was there anything else in that initial consult? You came in knowing what you were looking for, from the sounds of it.

Was there anything in particular about Linda, Bailey, or the staff that stood out to you the first time you came in?

Michael Nelson 4:15

It was not even a question. I came in, and the entire staff was so welcoming and positive. There was just no question about it.

I had no reservations. Dr. Muir asked me several times before the surgery, “Are you sure you want to go through this? We can deal with your teeth another way.”

I said, “There’s no doubt in my mind. Let’s do this and get it done. This is the best solution. I don’t want to be in maintenance the rest of my life.”

Dr. Tanner Townsend 4:45

So, Michael, what was the procedure you actually had done?

Michael Nelson 4:52

Well, I came in. We talked about All-on-4, and I remember you saying that we could put four or six implants in.

I needed a graft in one of the spaces on my right side, I believe, and you did that. It took a few months to heal because I had some infection in that spot.

My mouth feels cleaner already. It’s just amazing, the difference. I’m such a health freak, and it feels like it’s pushing my health another positive step further.

Montana Center for Implants and Dentures offers full-arch options such as All-on-4®, where a complete arch of replacement teeth is supported by dental implants. Learn about All-on-4® treatment at Montana Center for Implants and Dentures

Dr. Josh Muir 5:28

One thing, Michael—I don’t remember every discussion we had—but in the beginning, we talked about the All-on-4-style treatment, which typically has fake gum tissue on the new teeth.

Michael Nelson 5:44

Yeah.

Dr. Josh Muir 5:44

Now, when we put yours in, you have all of your own natural gum tissue.

Michael Nelson 5:49

Yep, I noticed that.

Dr. Josh Muir 5:50

What did you think when you looked at that? When you look at it now, what do you think?

Michael Nelson 5:59

That’s a good feeling because it still has the nerves and the feeling in there. It feels like my teeth are there.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 6:06

For me, being kind of an outside witness to this, when I see you smile, they look super natural.

It’s just crazy to think that it was not even a couple of weeks ago that you were in your prototypes, and it looks so good.

Sometimes there’s a little bit of a tissue adjustment phase, but yours is looking fantastic.

Michael Nelson 6:26

I’m really pleased with the way the gums are looking around it.

Dr. Josh Muir 6:29

There are different names for yours. We call it an FP1. It’s similar to a three-on-six style, where we use your same gum tissue, or a fixed bridge.

But truly, this is the most natural way to replace all of the teeth.

Michael Nelson 6:50

I remember reading about those.

Dr. Josh Muir 6:51

It’s not as bulky.

Michael, even before that, what was it that led you to our office? How did you find us?

Michael Nelson 7:02

I did research. I looked at a lot of them.

I read reviews of other places that did 24-hour final teeth implants, and there was so much controversy in that. I’m sure they made a lot of people happy, but to me, it just makes sense that your mouth has to heal after any kind of injury.

I was an EMT for 23 years, so any injury has to have time to heal. No matter where it is on your body, it takes time to heal.

That gave me a perspective that made sense to me—that this has to settle and fit right.

The other “24-hour teeth and you’re out of there” approach just seemed like such a shuffle to me, like somebody trying to get people in, get them to pay, and get them out.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 7:58

Yeah. Sometimes that “final teeth in 24 hours” or “teeth in a day” kind of thing feels a little like a marketing gimmick to us.

If you’re going straight to your final teeth, like you said, there’s not much of a test period. There’s no time to make sure you’re healed and everything is fitting the way you want.

You’re going to get teeth, but they’re going to be temporary teeth in 24 hours, which is a key distinction that sometimes the marketing leaves out.

Dr. Josh Muir 8:26

Yeah, and I think that’s the key differentiator with the different ways of doing it.

There are places where you can get your final teeth within 24 hours, and we’ve seen places that take patients straight to final porcelain.

But without a test period, you really don’t know if you want changes. Maybe they’re too long or too bulky.

That’s why we do this prototype.

The AAID describes implant treatment as a process that commonly includes planning, implant placement, healing, and placement of the final custom restoration. See the AAID’s overview of the dental implant process

Michael Nelson 8:50

Another big thing is I looked at your credentials, your background, and your qualifications, and that impressed me so much.

Your reviews are just top-notch.

Dr. Josh Muir 9:01

Well, that’s good to hear. We take a lot of classes.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 9:06

A lot of time and effort to try to learn it.

So, when you had that first appointment, did you guys do the records at that first appointment too, or did you come back for another appointment to do impressions, scans, and things like that in preparation for surgery?

Dr. Josh Muir 9:24

I think we probably did it in a separate appointment.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 9:27

Okay.

Dr. Josh Muir 9:28

Just to touch base before the procedure.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 9:33

Going into the procedure, did you have certain questions where you were thinking, “I’m not so sure about how this part’s going to go”?

What were some of the things going through your head before the day of surgery?

Michael Nelson 9:46

I guess the biggest concern was the anesthesia and making sure that was all right. Then the anesthesia place made me feel really comfortable with that.

The last time I had anesthesia was when I had my tonsils out as a child, so that was something.

But everything went well. The first two days were the roughest, but I can’t even count that as rough. It’s just getting through it.

I wasn’t in that much pain, as you might expect. A root canal was worse than this.

For general information about IV sedation, the American Society of Anesthesiologists explains the different levels of sedation, what patients may remember, and what to expect during recovery. Learn more about IV sedation

Dr. Tanner Townsend 10:19

Yeah.

Dr. Josh Muir 10:20

It’s still always amazing to me. You can have all of your teeth taken out, have the bone shaped, bone grafting done, implants placed, and new teeth put in, and sometimes that’s less painful than having a couple of teeth taken out.

Michael Nelson 10:43

Virtually no swelling.

Dr. Josh Muir 10:46

Yeah.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 10:47

For the most part, most people experience kind of what you said, which is crazy.

It still blows our minds how minimal the pain can be when you’re thinking, “You would expect that to hurt more,” but it doesn’t.

Dr. Josh Muir 11:01

Yeah. Part of that is using the steroid, like we talked about. That’s been a game-changer.

One question, too: We presented multiple options. We can just get you numb and do this. We can give you a pill that helps you relax, or you can be sedated and essentially sleep through the whole procedure.

What led you to make the decision that you made to use sedation?

Michael Nelson 11:33

Being a firefighter, I’ve seen everything in the book, but when it’s all new and it’s happening to you, it’s a whole different thing.

So it was a good choice.

Dr. Josh Muir 11:46

Good. And how much do you remember from that procedure happening?

Michael Nelson 11:50

Nothing.

Dr. Josh Muir 11:51

Nothing? Oh, good.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 11:53

That’s incredible.

So you went to the surgery center with Dr. Muir. You had the surgery done. Then you came to our office and we put the teeth in later that day, correct? Or was it the following day?

Dr. Josh Muir 12:05

I believe it was that same day.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 12:06

So when you got your teeth in, what was the first impression or the first thing that you noticed?

Michael Nelson 12:13

I still remember him holding the mirror up and saying, “Do you want to see your teeth?”

I smiled, and it was quite refreshing. It felt good. It made my heart smile.

I’m sure you get that a lot from patients who had worse teeth than I did.

Another thing is getting used to pronunciation and talking. I’m still getting used to that a little bit.

Dr. Josh Muir 12:43

You sound really good. I was just thinking a minute ago how good you sound.

It’ll just get more comfortable the more you do it.

Michael Nelson 12:56

Yeah, normal things. Just getting used to the territory.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 13:03

So you said the first couple of days were probably the roughest, but they weren’t too bad.

What were some of the things that felt pretty normal right away? Did it take a little bit of time to get more comfortable with your teeth?

Michael Nelson 13:25

No more than two or three days.

I was eating soft foods, plenty of protein. I work out, and the biggest thing I miss is my workouts. I have a gym at home that I put together.

But it’s good for you to rest. Your muscles repair themselves, and your joints kind of repair themselves. I’ve started getting back into some of that now.

Dr. Josh Muir 13:54

What would you tell anyone who was interested in the treatment?

If all of this had been available before, instead of 10 years after retirement, what would you tell your younger self?

Michael Nelson 14:11

I would say, “Why did I wait so long?”

I would have done it 20 years ago.

It’s making a huge difference, and I think it will in the future. I’ll never have to worry about it again, and I think it’s going to change my relationships with people I meet and everything.

It just feels amazing.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 14:33

They look amazing. I seriously can’t stop staring at your teeth.

Dr. Josh Muir 14:37

One last thing. Before we started recording, you told me something about looking in the mirror every morning. Do you remember what you said?

Michael Nelson 14:52

I remember saying it. I don’t know if I can remember it word for word.

Dr. Josh Muir 14:56

It was something to the effect of, “I’m so excited every morning when I look in the mirror, and I love what I see.”

Michael Nelson 15:07

Yes, exactly. I don’t know if it was those exact words, but that’s really what it was.

Dr. Josh Muir 15:13

When he said that, I thought, “Hold that thought. Let’s get this rolling.”

Michael Nelson 15:18

That still happens.

This morning, when I went in to freshen up and do some light brushing before I even cooked breakfast, it was like, “Wow. What a decision.”

It was the right way to go. Life-changing.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 15:36

Well, Michael, thank you so much for coming and sharing your experience with us.

We’re excited for you as you continue to heal and eventually get your final teeth. If they’re anything close to these prototype teeth, they’re going to look fantastic.

Michael Nelson 15:51

I expect them to be a little bit better because they’re thinner, right?

Dr. Josh Muir 15:55

They’ll be a little bit thinner, a little less bulky, and a little more translucent and smooth—more natural-looking.

You’ll notice a difference.

Michael Nelson

I look forward to that.

Dr. Tanner Townsend 16:05

That’ll be fantastic.

Well, Michael, thank you, and thank you all for listening to today’s episode of the Smile Reconstruction Podcast.

We will catch you all in the next episode. See you next time.