Hollywood bling, or mature natural? Will there be any pain with the fixing of my permanent teeth?
These were the two key questions rolling around my mind as I headed out to Antalya, Turkey from my permanent teeth implementation. If you have been following my journey you will know what drove the initial decision, and then my sinus lift, bone graft, and implant operation, now for the final act for this stage. I say that, but my dentist provider, IDH, still keeps saying I can come back each year for a free checkup and clean, which I might be putting to the test in a future article.
Now, back to my initial questions and a little about the time in between.
After your initial operation, you know your mouth is tender and full of stitches, they give you a very soft brush to use, and strict instructions on the soft foods to eat. Essentially nothing that requires any chewing, and in very small portions. Oats, eggs, bananas, baby food, noodles, and mashed potatoes, were the starting points, but you move on to mincemeat and softer vegetables. David suggests steak is still on the menu, via a slow cooker, but I never tried that recipe. I was lucky, and naughty, as I’d managed to keep a few top and bottom teeth there was one spot where I could still ‘bite’ knowing it was my teeth doing the heavy lifting. I could also do a little ‘chewing’ if required, but on a night when I wasn’t thinking about it I managed to break a piece of my temporary teeth off, a piece of chocolate (Galaxy) which was surprising! A few messages back and forth and I was reassured by Gökhan to just keep going with what was left. I suspect like many people, I didn’t follow the exact advice and pushed the boat out, but I was always conscience of my situation and didn’t do anything really stupid, like trying to chew crackling or nuts. The other point here is if you don’t follow advice and something breaks, don’t go back and blame the dentist!
After negotiating Christmas and many other events it was closing in time on permanents, and TBH, I was really looking forward to having a full mouth of chompers again and not having to chew with my front teeth all the time.
Arriving again on a late Friday evening, pick-up and drop-off to IDH apartments was again smooth, you can see a video of the apartment here, which will give you an idea of what they look like. The following morning at 9 am I’m back at IDH, Gökhan collects me and we bump into Professor Süleyman, who seems genuinely pleased to see me! He still has this song in his head – Neil Diamond’s Soolaimon!
Answering the second question, yes, a little discomfort exposing my implants, I had a local anaesthetic, this is because my gums at the top had grown over the implants, which I understand is normal. This needs to be cut back, and exposed so healing caps can be put on because in 2 days I’ll get the butts put on and impressions taken. Roughly 2 hours or so, we get that out the way, and before I know it, I have the rest of the day to myself.
After being ripped off by a Taksi/Uber last time, and feeling for a walk, I thought I’d head to the ‘Old Town’ under my own steam. After some text negotiating, I managed to find the bus stop and the bus numbers I needed to jump on (LF9 & LF10). Having a fair bit of cash in my pocket I thought I was good to go. Unfortunately, whilst rechecking my routes with a very pretty Turkish girl she told me I needed a card, which I didn’t have, so she offered to pay for me on her card (I did pay her back). Dilay was nice enough to even show me the stop to get off which was the same as where she was alighting. My wife and children would be disappointed if I didn’t have some help from the very friendly, attractive locals.
The Lovely Dilay who assisted me on the bus!
If you’re in Antalya for a while and have time on your side, I’d suggest getting an AntalyaKart to get about. The money you save on Taksi/Uber can easily be spent on dining and Turkish baths! Here’s how you get one:
- Go to the main bus terminal at Batigar, or you can get them at Tram stops.
- The middle building has the ‘City Help Desk’ – photo below.
- Here you can buy a card TL 35, and load what you need onto it. TL 15 for trams and TL 18 for the bus.
- Once you have the card, you can load the app and associated a credit card to load more, but I did that using cash at the tram stops.
- The photo includes the unisex barber who is beside the desk and helped me, so you can get trim at the same time.
Where to buy your Antalyakart
Back to my treatment then, on the Tuesday I’m pulled back in to take the impressions. I’m assuming this will be relatively straightforward and pain-free. Not so, as my gums have just been cut to expose the implants, they are really tender, and as the abutments and healing caps are swapped around I feel a bit of discomfort, and I end up having a little more anaesthetic, which also prompts Professor Süleyman to recommend another ‘root canal’ on one of my remaining ‘live’ teeth, which I accept. This is completed on the following Wednesday, along with and I’ll give it to IDH again, there was no mention of extra costs or anything, just in, do it, and out, and effectively no pain at all! Also on Wednesday is the checking of the prototypes, which Professor Süleyman completely oversees, and it does feel different having a full mouth of chompers again, it’s been 30 years since I’ve had that sensation!
Gökhan informs me that my permanents will be cemented the following Monday, so theoretically, I get a dental break for 3-4 days. Not so, unfortunately nearly every day my top temporary teeth keep falling off. As I’m working (remotely), the embarrassing part was being in a meeting (camera on), sneezing, and my top teeth flying out!! Fortunately, my colleagues allow (actually ask) me to drop off. I’m glad it didn’t happen an hour earlier at the executive Steerco meeting I was chairing! I find consolation in having a ‘close’ relationship for a short time to what remains of my own teeth before I won’t see/feel them again.
Antalya Turkish Baths
If you read my previous article, you will see I visited a Turkish Bath in Fethiye, which is still the best I’ve had – Sultan Hamam Turkish Bath.
Gökhan gave me his recommendations for a Turkish Bath in Antalya, for those who have been you will find a lot in the ‘Old Town’, but they will be very tourist-orientated. These are the baths Gökhan recommended:
- Onay Hamami
- Saray Hamami
- Falez Hamami
After doing a bit of research, I went with the one that had the lowest review score (4.2), Saray Hamani, as some of the reviews highlighted that prices were very competitive, which they were. It is quite simple, and straightforward, and not a tourist destination. It was good for me, I’d go there again.
New Teeth Time
Monday arrives, and at 9 am I’m at IDH and there are at least 3 hours of prodding and poking with swapping the healing caps and abutments, placing the teeth, checking, Professor Süleyman in and out at times, various specialists come and go before Gökhan dismisses me for lunch, tells me I can’t eat after 1 pm, as I’ll be back later in the afternoon where they’ll ‘sedate’ me and ‘cement’ my teeth in place. I’m hoping they use a proper 4:1 mix with the right amount of sharp sand. What I’ll highlight at this time, speaking with others, and reading stories, it seems everyone’s teeth journey is completely unique and central to their personal circumstances. So this is my story, don’t think that you’ll be doing all that I’ve done, but it should give you a guide.
The break was longer than I wanted, it was around 5:30 pm by the time I was back in the dentist’s chair, expectations prepped that I would be having an intravenous insert to keep me sedated. Cementing the teeth in can be extremely uncomfortable, so they will sedate you. Professor Süleyman is on hand and directing all the traffic, I’m not sure what they gave me but before I knew it my new teeth were in and being ground down to get me going for the evening. I’m not sure how this sedation works, but I have vague snapshots of a lot of people looking over me, but I didn’t feel any real discomfort at all. They also took a pillip (epulis) off my cheek that has been there quite a few years, again, an aesthetic and no pain at all after that. However, the gum specialist who zapped my (cheek pillop) did raise alarm bells in me, he told me I had a cholesterol problem, which I knew, but he could actually see it in the gums! Time to ditch the frequent butter and steaks.
So now it is a series of appointments as Professor Süleyman does his perfecting, the first of which is on the next day (Tuesday), followed up on Thursday. A lot of paper in the mouth, a lot of ‘bite’, ‘open’, ‘grind a little bit’, and the grinder in and out. They are very particular, and by the time they are finished, I can feel my teeth fitting comfortably when I close my mouth.
They go through the best ways to keep your teeth in good shape, how to brush, whether to use mouthwash or not, and the ‘water flosser’ is integral to ongoing care, at least in my case.
So this concludes my total remake of my mouth inside. I now have a full set of munchers, everywhere in my mouth, and I’ve not had that since 1996 (32 years old). There might be one further article when I get my first ‘check-up’, but for now I’ll leave you with what has struck me the most, I feel young again! Almost like I’m in my 30’s! Absolutely one of the better decisions Candy and I have made to improve our lives.
Overseas Dental Tourism – Where to go?
Overseas Dental Tourism – The Reconnaissance & First Treatment IDH Review
Overseas Dental Tourism – Permanents, The Final Act
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