Dentures - aaargh!

topsales

Had all my teeth out apart from four over a year ago (Gum disease) . The temporary set took a bit of getting used to but after 9 months decided to get permanent set. Two sets later and the temporary set are stiil the only comfortable ones to wear. I have paid a fortune (private dentist) and am still unhappy. Any advice, anyone?

brook2jack

Dentures are awful things. We were never designed to wear large lumps of plastic and the only reason we can is because we adapt. Wearing dentures is like riding a bicycle , it takes practice and adaptation.

No two sets of dentures are ever the same and each new set takes time to adapt to and become used to. Times that by ten for a lower set which are always nightmares.

The problems arise because an older set become like a comfy pair of slippers and it becomes tempting to always go back to them instead if perservering with a new set.

The fact you have had two new sets made sounds like it's a case of difficulties adjusting to a new set rather than it being a problem with the dentures themselves. Especially after an immediate set of dentures new ones always feel big and bulky.

topsales

You are quite right - the new ones feel enormous! I thought the new sets would be much better than the old cumfy set - don't really know why I bothered to spend so much money to replace them. I thought the new ones might fill my lips out a bit - but I still look 'severe'. What then is the point of getting the 'permanent' dentures?

brook2jack

The point is after taking teeth out it takes around 6 months for the bone to finish healing and there is normally a good amount of gum shrinkage. Also when immediate dentures are fitted the laboratory has to guess how they will fit, and normally make them without the lips of plastic (flanges) that gives better fit and suction.

However if you keep going back to your old set you never give the muscles of your lips and tongue a chance to adapt to the dentures.

There is a limit to how much you can build up dentures to fill out the face. As you have discovered it is difficult to adapt to dentures that are bulkier.

If you had had an option would you have persevered with your first set?

topsales

Hi brook2jack - if I had an option I would have had an EXACT copy made of my temporaries even though I was told that my gums would have shrunk! The whole situation is becoming pretty depressing - probably my fault for not realising how difficult dentures are to get used to...I feel like never having teeth again but it is not a good look at 60!

brook2jack

It is possible to make an exact copy but pointless because yes your gums will have shrunk. A set of dentures will need replacing about every 5 to 8 years although some people need a new set more often and some wear the same set 20 years.

The good thing is you are starting to realise dentures are not an easy option and at 60 it's alot easier to adapt than fitting dentures for the first time to someone in their eighties.

The good news is once you realise dentures are never going to be a good substitute for your own teeth they are only a substitute for no teeth then you stand a good chance of adapting.

sally0101

topsales wrote: »

I feel like never having teeth again but it is not a good look at 60!

I have had dentures for some of my top teeth since I was 27 and now at 32 I still struggle with them. They seem to not fit properly and I feel like my speech is different. It has massively damaged my confidence. I really want to explore options for more permanant solution but Iv heard that implants are thousands and I would need at least 4-5. Im worrying about it

brook2jack

Speech is different to start and dentures , however good they are, always move .Particularly if you have them fitted just after teeth are removed and don't get a new set made.

Not everyone is suitable for implants, part of the suitability are things like bone quality , some medical like do you smoke , are you taking certain medications.

The main thing is why you lost the teeth in the first place. Teeth are the best thing you can have in your mouth, anything else is a second best replacement. You can lose implants just as easily or easier than teeth to gum disease and they require meticulous care to look after them. At 27 I would hope it was an accident that caused your tooth loss. If not then you seriously need to look at changing your diet and oral care regime before thinking about anything other than dentures.

Implants do cost around £2000 each but where multiple teeth are missing you don't necessarily use multiple implants.

How often are you seeing a dentist and have you discussed it with them?

sally0101

Seeing the dentist approx every 3 months and hsve dramitally improved my oral health and diet. To be honest the dentist said my oral health was excellent ... I brushed twice a day, sometimes more, and never needed scale etc. They said my teeth were weak and some people are just born like that. To be honest, had I gone to the dentist and not the dental hospital, they would have not removed as many at once. I was so dental phobic and have an anxiety condition that causes me to have bad panic attacks, that I ended up having full general anaesthetic and was so shocked to wake up to 7 teeth missing. They said that when you go to the dental hospital, if they see a tooth that will need a lot of work in the future and you are likely to be too nervous to just go to the dentist that they choose to remove them at the time of general anaesthetic. I am not sure how much is true.

I accept that i should not have eaten sweet things and drank pop etc but I should have listened all those years ago. no one to blame but myself

brook2jack

Implants are definitely not suitable if you are phobic or have anxiety attacks as they require quite a few visits with complex treatment none of which is carried out with a general anaesthetic, although sedation can be used.

General anaesthetic always carries a risk so hospitals never want to repeat for dental reasons , so yes any teeth that look dubious are removed at the same time to save the risks of GA in the future.

Congratulations on changing your diet and oral hygiene but I wouldn't think as you are seeing the dentist every three months you are ready for advanced treatment, but discuss the longterm treatment plan with them next time you visit.