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Summary:
In this SmileLine Podcast episode, host Chris Schneiders interviews Jen at her 90-day follow-up after receiving fixed upper and lower SmileLine dental implants. Jen shares how years of painful “quick fixes,” fear of the dental chair, and concerns about dentures led her to choose a permanent, same-day full-arch solution. She describes a calm, comfortable surgical experience with oral sedation, a smooth temporary phase, and a fast adjustment to her final prosthetics. Now, chewing is effortless, speech is clear, and confidence is back; so much so that she encourages friends facing similar issues to consider implants over removable options for a stable, natural-looking smile.
Transcript:
Chris Schneiders: Welcome to the SmileLine Podcast, where we share real information from doctors and patients about our SmileLine prosthetic and appointment sequence. For more info, visit our website or call the office. Jen, welcome back! You just had your 90-day follow-up for your upper and lower—right?
Jen: Yes.
Chris Schneiders: What made you want to come on the podcast?
Jen: I have friends—past, present, and in the future—who struggle with dental issues and share the same fears I did: being in the chair, more pain, and not getting real help. I spent years doing small fixes, still feeling painful gaps. Many of my friends said the same. This has been the best dental experience I’ve ever had. You literally removed all my teeth and gave me new ones, and only a few months later I’m healed, I feel great, and I never screamed in pain or complained about recovery. It was easier than everything I’d been through before. I’m encouraging my friends to consider this because it changed my life. It also shifted how I think about blame—watching my kids go through dental work made me realize I wouldn’t blame them, so I shouldn’t blame myself. I was terrified, but my kids held my hand and believed I could do it. Up to surgery day I was nervous, but it turned out so much better than I expected.
Chris Schneiders: That’s normal—“all my teeth out” and “implants into bone” sounds scary. Education helps: our process, volume, and results. That’s why you’re here—so people can hear the outcome.
Jen: During consults, you were my first contact and gave me more information than I knew to ask for. I’d researched options and knew I didn’t want regular dentures—they’re hard to chew with and keep in place. I’d looked at snap-ons too. When I came here, you already understood what I was facing and had the solution I wanted: everything done in one day, and I’d walk out with teeth. That’s exactly what happened. My family was skeptical and didn’t help my anxiety, but the day went far better than we expected.
Chris Schneiders: We built this around what patients want. Removable prosthetics struggle with chewing and stability; snap-ons are an upgrade but still have issues. Natural teeth don’t come in and out, so we aim to give you something fixed—and same-day teeth so no one has to leave without a smile. You’d also done your research, which makes it easy to align on the right solution.
Jen: Exactly. I’d seen a place offering snap-ons, but if I was going to get implants, I wanted fixed teeth. I like steak—and didn’t want to pull my teeth out with it. Hearing you had a permanent implant solution was what I needed.
Chris Schneiders: Let’s talk surgery day. We used oral conscious sedation. How did it go?
Jen: The night before, you knew I was nervous, so I was given something to help me sleep—it worked. Morning of, everything was calm. I stayed awake but never felt pain, just slight pressure when my head was moved, and the team addressed any discomfort immediately. I thought it would take longer; it felt like a blur. I was shocked when you said all my teeth were out—I hadn’t felt it. That was a relief because in the past I didn’t numb well for extractions. The team moved efficiently the whole time.
Chris Schneiders: That’s what we want—safe, comfortable, a bit boring. We do this every day and keep improving the process. You left with temporaries that day. How was that phase?
Jen: Surprisingly great. They fit closely to my original teeth (pre-damage) with minimal adjustment—just a little bite check and smoothing. Some pressure at first when tightened, and one side needed a small adjustment later as tissue healed, but otherwise they were spot on. As a coffee drinker, I noticed the temps stain a bit—but it’s temporary, and you explained why.
Chris Schneiders: Right—3D-printed resin temps can pick up stain; finals are different materials. Tissue healing can shift, so we relieve spots as needed. Then we delivered your finals, and you’ve had them for 90 days. How are they?
Jen: I love them. My family notices immediately—my brother joked he could see them across the room. I chew much better. My speech had a mild lisp early on, but it resolved. Overall, they’ve been a huge benefit.
Chris Schneiders: Your before-and-afters look fantastic. How’s chewing now?
Jen: Amazing. I cook meats tender and have no chewing issues—especially in the last month. At first it felt like a mouthguard—just different. Now I’m getting the tactile sense back; my bite feels natural and precise. My brain has “mapped” the new bite.
Chris Schneiders: Exactly—natural teeth give strong proprioception. Prosthetics feel different at first, and we often open the bite to a healthier position. There’s a learning curve. On your intake you marked chewing 3/10 due to missing back teeth. Did we fix that?
Jen: Absolutely. And something I didn’t expect: I can take a deep breath through my mouth in the morning without pain. Cold air used to hurt my teeth—now it feels great.
Chris Schneiders: Any closing advice?
Jen: I recommend this to anyone with prosthetics who’s tired of the ups and downs, anyone getting their first prosthetic, or anyone missing teeth. This has improved my life dramatically. Credit to the dentist who referred me—she tried for a year to save my lowers, and that’s valid for many people. But when you’re ready for a definitive solution, I can’t recommend regular dentures. If you need dentures, implants are the way to go—and your team is the best to work with.
Chris Schneiders: Very well said, Jen. Your smile looks beautiful.
Jen: My husband says it’s much better to look at now—it was worth it!
Chris Schneiders: Thanks for coming on. We’ll see you at your next visit.
Jen: See you then.
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