// August 28th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Dental Implants, In the News, Just for Patients, Patient questions finally answered!, Periodontal Surgery
We didn’t know much about this so we went to the website of Dr. William Letcher, a Tulsa dentist and developer of the technique. Here’s a quote from his website describing FixtTeeth:
What is the FixtTeeth procedure?
Dr. Letcher developed FixtTeeth for his patients without teeth. FixtTeeth is a unique and revolutionary technique that restores a patient’s smile with teeth that are rigidly fixed in place. The procedure uses titanium mini dental implants which function as tooth roots and hybrid composite resin which make up the tooth crowns. FixtTeeth also employs Dr. Letcher’s two U.S. patents. The FixtTeeth approach provides teeth that don’t pinch, don’t wobble and won’t come out. Patients can eat, laugh and smile with confidence knowing their new teeth are beautiful, secure and lasting.
How do I know if I have enough jawbone for mini dental implants?
Many of Dr. Letcher’s FixtTeeth patients are not candidates for standard sized dental implants because they lack sufficient bone. These patients had no alternative to dentures. The introduction of mini dental implants changed this. Mini implants are the thickness of a pencil lead and work in patients who have significant bone loss and been without natural teeth for years.
From start to finish, how long does it take to get FixTeeth?
The entire FixtTeeth procedure can becompleted in about a week. After the initial consultation, there are two appointments. The first includes a CT scan and record taking. The second visit, the implants are placed and new teeth are attached.
Well…There’s your answer, but what does the Tulsa Dental Advisor think? After all, we have a panel of board-certified surgeons and published implant experts.
At the Tulsa Dental Advisor, we have 3 concerns about FixtTeeth (and none of us know Dr. Letcher personally, and this is only our opinion:
#1– There is little research supporting the use of mini implants to support FixtTeeth for patients missing ALL of their teeth like the website suggests. Patients should ask questions regarding the ability of implants the thickness of “pencil lead” to support a full set of teeth. Typically, in dentistry (as in life), the size of the implant matters. The bigger the person’s jaws, the stronger the person’s bite, the bigger the implants that are required… you wouldn’t hang a giant picture frame on thumb tacks, would you?
#2– Without knowing the costs of FixtTeeth, the fact that the final teeth are made of “hybrid composite resin” is unusual. Most patients are familiar with crowns made of gold alloy or porcelain, which stand the test of time. What is the longevity of the resin? FYI, most composite resins are used in dentistry for “temporary” crowns…not permanent ones. Is there a guarantee or warranty for the longevity of the crowns? If there isn’t, patients should probably think twice about investing in composite resin crowns.
#3- FixtTeeth are delivered in a week. Most dental implants must heal for several months before they are strong enough to hold crowns. Look this term up: It’s called “osseointegration”. This does not occur in one week. By delivering the teeth to patients only 1 week after placing the implants, the doctors contributing to the Tulsa Dental Advisor would be nervous about the chances of success… especially if we’re talking about big money to deliver on the promise of FixtTeeth.
Editor’s Note: Because none of our advisors are familiar with Dr. Letcher or FixtTeeth personally, the above commentary is not meant to be a negative towards any particular person or product. The comments are made with the input of board-certified oral surgeons, periodontists, and restorative dentists using the existing body of research available. They would also like to warn consumers that just because a product or technique is patented does not necessarily make them good ideas or guarantee results.
