Page 10 - Southdown Dental Implant Book

Dedication: Meet a Patient | ix He was told that before an implant procedure, he would need surgery to move a couple of nerves out of the way – as well as a bone graft to build up volume in his severely deteriorated jaw. This was the only way to ensure that everything would heal properly. This diagnosis was a lot for Henry to take in! He was understandably terrified of all three surgeries that needed to take place in his mouth. His specialist educated him, gave him all the literature and information he would need regarding his treatments, and packaged it up in a folder for him to take home after his initial consult. After a few days, Henry made his decision. He’d already lived with so much pain, for so many years, that he decided to work through his fear of surgery and “go for it” – in his words, he “had nothing left to lose.” And when it came to the number of teeth left in his mouth, this was very true. “I’m 65 and I have a new lease on life. I’ll never take feeling whole, or something as simple as being able to chew my food, for granted again. I can laugh, eat