Stephen Williams, a 27-year old Newark, New Jersey man with many health challenges, has a new lease on life, thanks to a new set of teeth that are fixed by 15 implants provided by the Osseointegration Foundation (OF) Charitable Grant program.
“It makes me feel born again,” Williams says. “I can chew, eat chicken, cookies and crackers. I can get dates now. Begore, girls wouldn’t date me because I didn’t have any teeth. Now they all love me,” he adds. Stephen was diagnosed with juvenile diabetes at age 7 and high functioning autism when he was 20. In 2004, he became obsessed with eating sugary foods and was twice hospitalized with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in 2008 and 2009. His sugar-filled diet and lack of consistent dental care eventually led to rampant tooth decay, endodontic (tooth pulp) abscesses, severe tooth erosion and decreased vertical height of the maxillary (upper) arc of his mouth.

The implant dentist treating Mr. Williams devised a treatment plan that consisted of complete tooth extraction with immediate implant placement. Bone augmentation (enlargement) and sinus grafting were also done to ensure that there was adequate bone quality for the placement of dental implants. The final prosthesis (artificial teeth) was planned as a screw-retained fixed hybrid denture – a full set of dentures that are secured by screwing onto the dental implant abutment.

Stephen’s surgery was completed in two sessions, addressing first the upper portion (maxilla), then the lower (mandible). Overall, the healing period of six months was uneventful and was followed by the attachment of the abutments that would act as the base of the denture.

Although the implant process was long, it was not painful, according to Williams. There was swelling at first, but it has subsided and now “it’s as though nothing ever happened,” reports Williams. “The Procedure went great. I don’t want to lose these teeth. I brush and floss my teeth every day. I think everyone involved for my new teeth.”