Patient Testimonial: Tina Hauptmann

Tina came to EON Clinics in 2008 and received the All-on-4 treatment on both her upper and lower jaws.


“My life is whole again because I have [dental] implants.”

Tina H.
EON Clinics Patient

What issues were you experiencing before you got dental implants?

I had severe periodontal disease. I had a lot of missing teeth, and I was dentally exhausted. I had myriad problems going on that I needed to have some resolution for because it was looking like I was going to have
to have dentures.

What made you choose implants over dentures or other tooth replacement?

I was young at the time. I’m only 57 now, so 10 years ago, I was 47 years old and having dentures wasn’t really attractive to me. I’d seen all the people who had problems with them. I’ve been on vacation with people who couldn’t do what they loved to do anymore like scuba diving or snorkeling and things like that because they had dentures, and I lead that
kind of lifestyle.

So my daughter and I sat down to try to find out options. What was available other than dentures? The first couple of options were pulling all my teeth and putting in 26 individual implants, almost a full mouth of teeth, but that was going to take two years and [was] double the cost of [the] All-on-4.

So based on that, I’m like, “There’s got to be something else out there.” So I just started doing the research. I said, “You know what? I want to look into this because this looks like something I could live with.”

How did you feel about your appearance before dental implants and how do you feel now?

Well, before my implants, I was a mouth coverer. If you look at my pictures on my Facebook page, there’s a few. I didn’t like having my picture taken. My hand was always index finger over the mouth, top of the lip. I didn’t like going on outings with people because I was ashamed of my smile and my teeth. People judge you by your appearance.

It wasn’t that I had poor dental hygiene; I just had periodontal disease, and it’s something that was imposed upon me genetically. I was embarrassed. So, I stopped doing things.

Once I got my implants, though, my life turned around. I’m outgoing. I’m doing things! I’m speaking to people! I’m having fun again. I’m laughing. It was a 360 degree change in my life, I was like, “Oh my god, I’m not the same person I was 10 years ago!”

 

“Once I got my implants… My life turned around. I’m outgoing… I’m having fun again!”

– Tina Hauptman, 57
Chicago, IL

What has been your greatest overall life improvement since getting implants?

My overall health is improved 100%. No more headaches. If I get a headache I go, “Why am I getting a headache?” It used to be I would get a headache because of my teeth. Not only is it a cosmetic plus, it’s a health plus. I’m healthier because I have implants.

If I look back at all the money I spent on pain relievers and days off work, you take two days off because you can’t go to work because you have a toothache so bad. The ramifications are you could lose your job, plus you’re losing your income, plus you’re still gonna have the bad teeth. I don’t have to worry about that anymore.

 

What advice would you give to someone starting their implant journey?

Having dental implants is also another start of a lifetime of care and maintenance. Your implants are going to change your life for the better, but you have to make sure that you take care of [the] implants that you’re getting.

If you don’t — and you have periodontal disease like I did — it could come back; it could flare up. You have to understand that these are just not put in there, and they’re [not] a quick fix [where] you don’t have to brush your teeth or do anything else ever again.

“That’s what I did with my mouth, I invested in the rest of my life by choosing EON Clinics.”

– Tina Hauptman, 57
Chicago, IL

How did you discover EON clinics, and why did you choose us?

I found EON Clinics on the internet. There were only a couple choices out there. There was ClearChoice and EON Clinics. So, by me doing my due diligence on finding out the history of the doctors and what there was and how the practice looks, that’s why I chose EON.

ClearChoice was much more like an All-on-4 implant factory to me. I never met the doctor. I went there [and] it was take a number. There was no personalized experience. When I found EON Clinics, I went in, Isabel was my [treatment] coordinator. She was very, very thorough about what was going to happen, what to expect. [She] actually worked with us to find a financial plan, so I could afford this because it is a lifestyle change.

You have to understand that you’re buying into the rest of your future. That’s what I did with my mouth. I invested in the rest of my life by choosing EON Clinics. What made me come there was the expertise, what they
could offer.