Joanie Camera’s story
Joanie Camera was not blessed with good teeth and the problem got worse, her teeth deteriorated further, when she developed a severe fear of the dentist that caused her to eventually quit going.
“Unfortunately, I had soft teeth and had cavities that needed to be filled every time I went to the dentist. By the time I was a junior in high school I had a partial due to tooth loss. I came to dread going to the dentist and started putting it off for long periods. Eventually, I avoided going to the dentist altogether, I was petrified. And then when things got so bad that I finally had to go back, the dentist shamed me about my fear and scolded me for staying away.”
She started looking for another dentist and fortunately, about 20 years ago, she found Dr. Peter Vanstrom of Artistic Dentistry. “He was right out of dental school, but he was so compassionate and understanding,” Joanie explains. “He acknowledged my fears and focused on making me feel comfortable.”
“But even with the best dental care available, Joanie’s dental woes didn’t end,” explains Dr. Peter Vanstrom of Artistic Dentistry. “For most of her life Joanie has battled the “bad hand” she was dealt in regard to her teeth. First, her “soft teeth” had a lot of fillings…then those fillings redecayed and became bigger fillings…then those fillings redecayed and became root canals and crowns…then those crowns failed over time. Unfortunately, her teeth eventually had to be extracted.”
Dentures turned out to be an unacceptable option for Joanie. “I was so miserable and self conscious; I hated eating, smiling, laughing and talking; and I really love to laugh and talk, and eat! I wanted teeth back, so Dr. Vanstrom and I discussed my situation in detail and he came up with several treatment options. We went with the implant route even though I knew it was going to be an extensive 18-month restoration process.”
Dr. Vanstrom teamed with prominent Atlanta oral surgeon Dr. Mac Whiteside and a master ceramist, Ron Allen of Artisan Dental Labs, to recreate “natural” teeth for Joanie using dental implants. Dr. Vanstrom notes that Joanie’s case was incredibly complex. “She had limited bone in her upper mouth due to deterioration, so the treatment required new bone growth and development in addition to strategic placement of implants and a re-creation of perfect aesthetics and function for her new teeth to be supported by her implants.”
The end result is that Joanie has new, fixed teeth as natural as her own on the top and on the bottom. Joanie loves her new smile and says that Dr. Vanstrom and his compassionate staff have helped her get over her fear of the dentist. “I’ve had to spend a lot of time at his office over the years, and they have become like family to me, cutting up with me and laughing. I actually look forward to my visits. They always fuss over me, make sure that I’m comfortable and that I have a movie to watch to distract me.”
Joanie doesn’t take her new smile or Dr. Vanstrom for granted, she says. A few years ago, she changed dentists briefly when her dental insurance changed, but that turned out to be a mistake. “It was the worst experience of my life! I trust Dr. Vanstrom completely. He has always been there for me, even met me at his office on the weekend once. And I know that he cares. He demonstrates a desire to truly improve his patients’ lives and I feel like he made it his personal mission to give me back my smile. He’s not complacent; he’s always honing his skills and looking for better ways to take care of his patients’ needs, and he makes sure his staff is up on the latest training as well.”
Fortunately, Joanie’s dental woes are behind her now…these new teeth fixed on implants cannot decay. “With proper care at home, and with our hygiene department’s help on a three-month recare schedule, she’ll have a lifetime of smiles, laughs, eating and talking,” affirms Dr. Vanstrom. “And, boy does Joanie love to talk and laugh”, he adds affectionately.
