TYPE: Hospital
PATIENT: Matthew Snipper
TYPE: Asleep
GENDER: Male
AGE: 50
REFERRAL SOURCE: Dr. Eric Benson, DDS
MEDICAL PROFILE: Dental Phobia
CHIEF COMPLAINT: Loss and damage of teeth due to trauma
BACKGROUND:
A bike accident at the young age of 16, sent Matthew Snipper down a long and painful path of dental work and oral surgeries to reconstruct his mouth. It took nearly a year and resulted in him having a severe phobia of what he called “the house of pain”.
For the unfortunate Mr. Snipper, years later, a serious motorcycle accident again resulted in significant loss of teeth and those that were left were fractured or broken. Matthew’s dentist referred him to Dr. Blende and he went reluctantly. The team he met with recognized that his dental phobia was very real and discussed his case honestly and compassionately. Complete dental reconstruction in one day, sounded like an impossible goal, but Dr. Blende’s confidence in what his team could do reassured Mathew and left him knowing it would be an experience that few people in the country could have.
After a couple of preliminary appointments and case planning Matthew underwent a 16-hour procedure, under general anesthesia, at Kaiser Hospital, where Dr. Blende is chief of the dental division. Mr. Snipper says he doesn’t remember much, other than waking up to find out it was done! The recovery was nothing more than a couple of days of minor discomfort, and he has had no problems, no bite adjustments, no pain, and he hasn’t looked back.
Mr. Snipper shared that “the results now are much better than what I had before, and the process far superior, but perhaps the greatest joy was when my 8-year old daughter just looked up at my new healthy mouth and smiled.”
DENTAL TEAM: Dr. David Blende
TREATMENT SUMMARY:
- 11 crowns
- 2 six-unit bridges
- 3 composite fillings
- 5 extractions
- full mouth deep cleaning and gum therapy.