Desperate woman gets new teeth after using pliers
Christopher Nardi, QMI Agency
First posted: Monday, March 24, 2014 03:18 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, March 24, 2014 03:34 PM EDT
LAVAL, Que. — Diane Vinet flashes a toothy smile after a dentist gave her a free mouthful of new teeth to replace the ones she had pulled out herself to relieve pain.
Vinet, unable to find an affordable dentist, took drastic measures last year to relieve excruciating toothaches that had plagued her for years. The resident of the Montreal suburb of Laval took a pair of pliers and wrenched out three teeth herself.
Dentist Philippe Villeneuve, moved by Vinet's story, installed implants for free earlier this month. The procedure would normally have cost about $40,000, Villeneuve told QMI Agency.
"We read her story and she was really in bad shape," he said. "Her case immediately tugged our heartstrings. The procedure was long, but it's been great."
It took three operations to install all of the teeth. The last operation lasted nearly three hours.
The work was very difficult because pieces of Vinet's old teeth had remained lodged in her gums when she tried to pull them loose.
Vinet says Villeneuve's act of kindness was unexpected and allows her to enjoy all the little things she couldn't do without teeth.
"I had my first apple in two years," she told QMI. "It's really fun. Now I can smile and eat what I like."
A petition is currently making the rounds in Laval, complaining about the "exorbitant" cost of dental care.
Diane Vinet, who torn some of her teeth out with a pair of pliers in 2011, before getting new teeth thanks to dentist Philippe Villeneuve. Monday, March 24, 2014. (MARTIN ALARIE / QMI AGENCY)
Desperate woman gets new teeth after using pliers | Canada | News | Toronto Sun
Christopher Nardi, QMI Agency
First posted: Monday, March 24, 2014 03:18 PM EDT | Updated: Monday, March 24, 2014 03:34 PM EDT
LAVAL, Que. — Diane Vinet flashes a toothy smile after a dentist gave her a free mouthful of new teeth to replace the ones she had pulled out herself to relieve pain.
Vinet, unable to find an affordable dentist, took drastic measures last year to relieve excruciating toothaches that had plagued her for years. The resident of the Montreal suburb of Laval took a pair of pliers and wrenched out three teeth herself.
Dentist Philippe Villeneuve, moved by Vinet's story, installed implants for free earlier this month. The procedure would normally have cost about $40,000, Villeneuve told QMI Agency.
"We read her story and she was really in bad shape," he said. "Her case immediately tugged our heartstrings. The procedure was long, but it's been great."
It took three operations to install all of the teeth. The last operation lasted nearly three hours.
The work was very difficult because pieces of Vinet's old teeth had remained lodged in her gums when she tried to pull them loose.
Vinet says Villeneuve's act of kindness was unexpected and allows her to enjoy all the little things she couldn't do without teeth.
"I had my first apple in two years," she told QMI. "It's really fun. Now I can smile and eat what I like."
A petition is currently making the rounds in Laval, complaining about the "exorbitant" cost of dental care.
Diane Vinet, who torn some of her teeth out with a pair of pliers in 2011, before getting new teeth thanks to dentist Philippe Villeneuve. Monday, March 24, 2014. (MARTIN ALARIE / QMI AGENCY)
Desperate woman gets new teeth after using pliers | Canada | News | Toronto Sun