Ruth Cooper wasn’t sure where to turn when she needed her dentures adjusted. Having recently lost her job in 2015, she had no money and thought Eastman Dental could help.
He was right. The experts at Eastman not only helped her, they called her in 2017 to see if she would like to participate in a clinical study where she could receive a fixed prosthesis with upper implant support at no cost.
“You bastard!” she replied. “They were great!”
(1 to r) Dr. Mahshid Torabi, Ruth Cooper, Dr. Shalom Benzaquen
Ruth, now 74, loved the security her new upper dentures provided. “I like not having to worry about them slipping down or falling out.” She also liked not having to worry so much about getting food stuck under the plate. “Another bonus was that I could eat carrots again! I love carrots and I wasn’t sure I was eating them before.”
Ruth especially enjoyed not having to remove them every night to soak.
A second survey for potential study participation took place in early 2019, which involved retained clip/implant prostheses. This would add a greater level of chewing ability, patient satisfaction and safety to Ruth’s prostheses.
“I was so excited and excited because the lower dentures tend to come out a lot easier when I eat,” she said.
Eastman Dental is the clinical component of the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, which provides 10 postdoctoral advanced and specialized residency programs and a Master of Dental Science. These programs range from one to five years. Ruth’s providers included faculty who graduated from the Institute’s prosthetics and periodontics residency programs. Because her care spanned several years, Ruth enjoyed multiple providers throughout her time as a patient.
“I get disappointed when they graduate,” he admitted, “but I like to joke with them. They were all great and were able to help me with any concerns I had.”
“We are happy that we could help Ruth experience a higher quality of life with her implant-supported dentures,” said Dr. Shalom Benzaquen (Prostho ’24, Perio ’27), who works closely with Graser Implant partner Dr . Mahshid Torabi (Prostho ’24) for treating Ruth. “Ruth’s care required sensitive, delicate handling given the complexity of her functional circumstances. Despite these challenges, our goal was to do our best to preserve her existing dentition.”
In several cases emergency treatment had to be provided, including restorative work by specialists in the Prosthodontic Department and a root canal performed in Eastman’s Special Care Clinic.
“Dr. Benzaquen is so sweet,” said Ruth, who occasionally brings home-made sweet treats for all the residents. “He’s a perfectionist. When I go in for adjustments, he always makes sure my bite is perfectly aligned. He worries a lot and wants to make sure everything is right. He is very good to me.”
“And Dr. Torabi goes above and beyond,” Ruth continued. “She took the time to help me deal with a situation unrelated to my dental treatment. They’ve both always made me feel comfortable and good – they’re the nicest people in the world.”
