"I always felt like a happy person,’ said Claire. ‘But people told me I should smile more and live a little. I thought I was living my best life. But it never showed because I was so self- conscious."
CLAIRE'S STORY
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‘HOW ALL-ON-4® MELTED AWAY TWENTY YEARS OF FEAR AND WORRY AND CHANGED MY LIFE—IN JUST SIX HOURS WITH PAIN-FREE TREATMENT’
LIFE BEFORE ALL-ON-4®
Claire had trouble with her teeth from her mid-twenties. She had her first tooth removed when she was 28, and over time she had more and more teeth put onto a bridge. Worrying about her teeth became part of Claire’s everyday life. It made her self-conscious. Claire often chose to hide her smile and not laugh out loud for fear of people seeing her open mouth. Claire’s friends, family and colleagues were never unkind to her. But they often said to her that she seemed unhappy because she didn’t smile or laugh as much as they did.
Terrified of having her crooked smile caught on camera, Claire routinely said ‘wait a minute’ before any group photos. She always needed a moment to compose a smile with her mouth closed.
As mobile phone cameras and social media grew in popularity, Claire became increasingly nervous - often panicking if people got their phones out when she was around.
THE CATALYSTS FOR CHANGE
Fear of Tooth Loss
At night, Claire used to dream that her teeth had fallen out. But the nightmare didn’t end when she woke up. First thing each morning, Claire would run her tongue over her teeth to make sure they were all still there. And she would do the same thing if she felt her plate slide during the day. Her first panicked reaction was always that another tooth had come loose and fallen out.
Scared of Eating Out
Everyday things that most of us take for granted, like going out for a meal with friends, were awkward for Claire. Her bad teeth turned even the most relaxed social occasions into nightmare scenarios. Claire had a constant fear of food flying out of her mouth or of her denture slipping while she was eating in public.
She recalls: ‘I remember saying to Dr Shergill that I wanted to be able to eat an apple. But before my treatment, I couldn’t even eat a banana. I’d look at a menu in a restaurant and wonder if I could eat certain kinds of food. Then I’d order it and panic about how I would actually eat it. My teeth were so loose it terrified me. I thought they would break off in public if I ate anything.’
Problems with Work and Professional Life
As a hairdresser, Claire was surrounded by mirrors. She did her best to hide her smile, so she and her clients didn’t see it. She would talk non-stop, so she didn’t have to pause and laugh with them. But it was a challenging environment for someone who was so self-conscious about their teeth.
A New Relationship and a New Hope
Claire met Chris, the man who would end up being her partner. She fell in love. Thinking back, Claire remembers her boyfriend only ever saw a happy person when he looked at her. ‘He didn’t seem to notice my shocking teeth. That meant the world to me,’ recalls Claire. ‘But I still felt like I needed to tell him the truth about wearing dentures. I didn’t want any secrets between us.’
Dr Shergill and Claire’s All-on-4® Implants
Chris and his daughter have been a patient of Dr Shergill for over twenty years.He suggested she should make an appointment. Claire was sceptical because of her previous dental work. What’s more, several dentists had already turned her down as a candidate for implant work due to not having enough jawbone. She was afraid of having her hopes dashed all over again. So Chris booked the appointment himself and took her along for the consultation—only telling her where they were going at the last minute.
Looking back at that pivotal moment, Claire recalls her main concern was affordability. Dr Shergill had discussed a payment plan. But she had saved some money for implants, and her partner put some money towards the treatment too.
EXPERIMENTING WITH VENEERS AND PLATES
Claire was so ashamed of her smile, even though her issues weren’t caused by a lack of dental care—she’d had gum disease from an early age. To help mask the problem, Claire had veneers fitted when she was much younger. This work actually caused her to deteriorate even faster. The veneers came away with very little pressure, leaving her teeth in an even worse state than before.
Then, about ten years ago, Claire invested in a better-quality plate. This was a massive improvement for her at the time. But, on reflection, it was far removed from the dream smile Claire had always wanted.
It got to a point where the only nice-looking teeth in Claire’s mouth were on a plate. Her self-confidence was on the slide. Meanwhile, her natural teeth were getting worse— many of them were greying and coming loose.
"It wasn’t only the money that I’d spent," admits Claire. "It was the emotional commitment that I’d put into trying to fix the way I looked. It all seemed a great big waste of time. I thought that by the time I turned 50, I’d have a full denture and I’d just have to learn to live with it."
"People say implants are so expensive," Claire explains. "They say you’ve got to take out a huge loan. A mortgage even. And I wasn’t in the position to do that. But when Dr Shergill told me the price of the All-on-4® procedure, I pretty much welled up there and then. Suddenly the impossible became a whole lot more achievable."
All-on-4® uses a single acrylic bridge placed on four dental implants. As such, Claire didn’t need to have as much usable bone structure. All these factors meant fewer visits to the dentist, less pain, fewer procedures and new, fixed, permanent teeth in less than a day. That meant Claire could now get a six-month smile in six hours.
Claire continues:
"I thought that implants meant individual implants. That’s all I’d ever seen or read about, and it’s all I’d ever spoken to any other dentists about. Which is why I originally decided I’d only get the teeth done that were really causing problems. I imagined I would still have some sort of plate even with implants. So, the All-on-4® was a revelation. I couldn’t quite believe what I was hearing."
MEETING DR SHERGILL, THE MAN BEHIND THE SMILE OUT OF THIS WORLD
Claire got along with Dr Shergill from the moment they met, and he immediately put her at ease.
She explains: "Dr Shergill told me that he’s a Leo. That’s very apt, as he also told me his middle name is Singh, which means lion. He’s definitely a typical Leo. You can see he’s passionate about his work and absolutely cares about his patients. My first meeting also confirmed that he’s honest and upfront, which is important when you’re planning major dental work, as I was."
Outside of work, Claire learned that Dr Shergill is a family man. He has a partner, two children, five brothers and sisters, and numerous nieces and nephews to keep him busy. Yet still he finds time to mingle in the world, and has met figures like Prince William and Prince Harry, Mikhail Gorbachev, and Sylvester Stallone.
A social man, Dr Shergill told Claire that he understands the real importance of a smile. Not only its physical beauty, but also the emotional connection it creates between friends, neighbours, colleagues and family. Even strangers in the street. ‘That’s why,’ Dr Shergill explained, ‘helping people achieve their perfect smile is much more than a job. It’s a calling.’
‘Dr Shergill and All-on-4® opened up a future that I didn’t even know was there for me. And that’s no exaggeration,’ Claire recalls. ‘I could have all my upper teeth done with no plates and no dentures—and an assurance that nothing was going to fall out. Yeah, it was amazing. It was huge for me."
Dr Shergill believes that All-on-4® is revolutionary in part because it is so affordable, and also because patients are scared of the many treatment sessions needed for traditional implants. He tells us: ‘Thanks to All-on-4®, many more patients that want implants can actually have them."
‘Not only because they physically couldn’t have them before. But because of the emotional and psychological strain. Traditional implant procedures can involve up to five visits, and they often need significant bone grafting. Indeed, the entire process can take up to six months. With All-on-4®, it’s a case of one set of painless injections and one set of active treatment. Then a half-hour treatment session. That means you can now have a six-month smile in six hours. Indeed, the All-on-4® fixed same-day implant system means there is no need for bone grafts in most cases."
FASTER AND MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD
The whole All-on-4® process was much quicker and far more straightforward than Claire had thought it would be. Over two consultations, Dr Shergill and his team made several sets of moulds. They also took a batch of photos and images, as well as several x-rays. Dr Shergill even had Claire sit down in front of a video camera. He filmed her while she was speaking, so that he and his team could make sure the bridge fitted precisely. That way, there would be no danger of seeing any joins, even when she was laughing.
"It wasn’t only the money that I’d spent," admits Claire. "It was the emotional commitment that I’d put into trying to fix the way I looked. It all seemed a great big waste of time. I thought that by the time I turned 50, I’d have a full denture and I’d just have to learn to live with it."
Ice Cream on Treatment Day, Without Pain or Panic
Then came treatment day. Claire looks back on it as an exciting moment: ‘I was buzzing. That might sound odd for someone who’s had a lifetime of bad dentistry, but that’s how I felt. I was in a familiar room, with familiar people. I already knew Dr Shergill and the whole team. There was nothing new, nothing unexpected. There was something about the way he spoke to me and the calm confidence that he had. I believed in him right from the start, and all the way through.’
Dr Shergill takes up the story:
"Claire arrived all calm and collected. We removed eight damaged teeth and placed titanium implants made by world-famous Nobel Biocare. Once the implants were in, Claire, like all our patients, got a nice tub of ice cream. It’s a lovely treat, but it serves the practical purpose of keeping patients cool and hydrated."
Claire and Chris Loving Her Out of This World Smile
Claire recalls: ‘I was amazed the work was completely pain-free. Of course, you have people working on your mouth, so it’s going to get a bit stretched. But I can honestly say it was an easy and relatively comfortable procedure. All in all, the day was far more relaxed than I thought it would be. Dr Shergill runs his practice with precision—it’s a well-oiled machine. It’s no exaggeration to say that I was smiling a full smile when I left. I was so happy and grateful.’
Claire’s All-on-4® visit lasted just two and a half hours and was completed in a single sitting. She had a smile out of this world on Thursday and was back at work on the following Monday—with only the smallest bit of visible bruising.
Dr Shergill expands:
"When you stop to think about it All-on-4® is incredible. It brings treatment down from six months to about six hours. And it has the same success rates as traditional implants, but at a much lower price and with instant gratification. Patients leave the same day with a brand-new smile."
Simple Recovery and Follow-Up
About six weeks later, Claire returned for a follow-up consultation to make sure her mouth was healing as anticipated. There was no need to have any stitches removed, since the All-on-4® procedure uses dissolving stitches. Six months later, when her mouth was fully healed, Dr Shergill exchanged the temporary bridge for permanent teeth. This just involved switching the old fixed-implant bridge out and putting the new one in on the same industry-certified titanium implants. All done with no pain and no need for any injections.
A REAL SMILE OUT OF THIS WORLD
Dr Shergill was so moved by Claire’s story that he arranged an extra special surprise for her. With the help of a specialist engineering and space-transportation company, Dr Shergill sent Claire’s new teeth on an epic journey into space before fixing them in her mouth. Claire’s new smile travelled 40km from the earth’s surface, where it experienced temperatures of -60C and zero atmospheric pressure.
When Claire arrived for her final fitting, Dr Shergill presented her with a high-definition film of her fixed-implant bridge’s fantastic journey. He also gave her souvenir photos of her teeth framed against the curvature of the earth and bathed in sunlight.
"At first, I didn’t think he was serious,’ laughs Claire, ‘I thought he might have lost the plot! But when I realised it wasn’t a joke, I got so excited. I love things like that. I’ve actually got a bottle of gin that went into space. Would it be too corny to say I was over the moon?!"
Dr Shergill explains, ‘It was obvious to me right from the start that Claire was a happy, positive person.
But the worry and self-doubt caused by her teeth had hidden that from almost everyone she knew.’
Dr Shergill explains, ‘It was obvious to me right from the start that Claire was a happy, positive person. But the worry and self-doubt caused by her teeth had hidden that from almost everyone she knew.’
He continues: ‘A simple smile is something we all take for granted. It’s uplifting and life-affirming. Like nothing else, a smile from the heart connects us with our family and friends. I wanted to show Claire that her smile could literally radiate sunlight. What better way to do that than send her smile into space, add some magical stardust and give Claire the confidence to really shine? Now Claire has a wonderful new smile and an amazing story to tell. I couldn’t be more pleased for her.’
TWENTY YEARS OF FEARS AND WORRIES JUST MELTED AWAY
Claire noticed a change in herself almost straight away after treatment. ‘I was immediately more confident, happier. I was actually myself for the first time in years. It might sound superficial. But unless you have had to deal with decades of worry and self-consciousness caused by bad teeth, you won’t get it. It was so much more than having good teeth. It was getting my life back and getting the future I had always wanted.’
Her partner, Chris, is delighted too. ‘He loves that I’m as smiley and happy as he always knew I was. It took him about six months to stop taking photos of me—which was cute, but also a tiny bit weird,’ she jokes. ‘He loves the fact I’ve had it done, and that he was able to recommend Dr Shergill. Chris has definitely been a big, big part of this journey.’
A few weeks after the procedure, Claire’s long-held dream of eating a fresh, crisp, juicy apple came true. And even today, she still has to remind herself not to cover her mouth when she’s laughing or eating. All-on-4® has made Claire more confident in all areas of her life. She is much more relaxed at work and with her friends now. But the changes didn’t stop there. Since the All-on-4®, Claire has lost weight and changed the colour of her hair. ‘I’ve definitely come out of myself a lot,’ she giggles.
Dr Shergill offers some further insight: ‘One of the best things about All-on-4® is seeing the almost immediate impact it has on patients like Claire. Quite often in a matter of weeks they’ve changed their look and have an edgier style. And you can see the difference in their eyes—you see the sparkle has returned. It’s magical and makes my job so enjoyable and fulfilling.’
He continues: ‘We see patients with loose teeth, teeth that don’t work, or who have no teeth at all. With All-on-4®, we can fix their mouth and get them smiling the very same day. Their teeth are straight, they’re beautiful, they’re natural and they’re fixed in place. They never have to use denture adhesive again. If they want to go out and eat a steak with their family and friends, they can. If they want to eat raw vegetables or bite into an apple, they can do it with no worries. It’s beautiful.’
Claire concludes: ‘Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have the smile of your dreams. Don’t take no for an answer. It’s too important! I saw my smile reflecting the sun’s rays on the edge of space. That was something special. But the most precious moments for me are the small, everyday things. Like when I bit into that apple for the first time. All those fears and worries I’d had for more than 20 years just melted away. I have to confess I cried tears of joy that day and thanked my lucky stars!’
Claire concludes: "Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have the smile of your dreams. Don’t take no for an answer. It’s too important! I saw my smile reflecting the sun’s rays on the edge of space. That was something special. But the most precious moments for me are the small, everyday things. Like when I bit into that apple for the first time. All those fears and worries I’d had for more than 20 years just melted away. I have to confess I cried tears of joy that day and thanked my lucky stars!"
‘Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have the smile of your dreams. Don’t take no for an answer. It’s too important! I saw my smile reflecting the sun’s rays on the edge of space. That was something special,’ says Claire Nathan.