What is the best way to describe missing teeth and bone loss to a patient?
In the plainest words you own, like you are talking to a high schooler. I never say edentulous or severe resorption to a patient. I say things like, you have this many teeth left, 15 of them are savable and 15 are not. Your upper teeth only have 10 to 20 percent of their foundation left, not much, but still something to work with. Your lower bone has an infection, but we can treat it with predictability. Notice the pattern. State the problem honestly, then immediately show there is a path. Patients do not need the textbook. They need to understand that yes, something is wrong, and yes, it can be fixed. Every niche has its own simple phrases. Write yours down ahead of time so you are not inventing them under pressure with a nervous patient watching your face.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.