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Anyone Without Their Back Teeth?

L

losingteeth

Junior member
Joined
Jul 31, 2012
Messages
2
I simply cannot afford root canals, so I am having all of my back teeth removed (the back six on top and the back six on the bottom. This does not include wisodm teeth, as they were removed years ago). My dentist wants me to get partial dentures, but I would rather see how I do without them. Is there anyone out there living without any back teeth, either with or without dentures?
 
Hi,
I don't have any upper back teeth, I lost 3 teeth on each side not counting the wisdoms. They were all extracted 4 years ago. I do have my lower back teeth, so chewing isn't much of a problem. I do have an upper partial, but I really don't like the thing so I get on without it usually.
You are losing quite a lot of your chewing ability by losing that many back teeth. Is there any way you could afford to root canal some of those teeth?
My upper partial clasps onto my furthest back two upper teeth. I guess if I made more of an effort to use it I would get used to it. But that's just me.....some members on here have full dentures and after an adjustment period, have gotten on quite well with them.
All the best,
Jen
 
Her other idea (my dentist) is to pull all my uppers and place a full upper denture. She specializes in dentures, so at least she doesn't lay the big guilt trip on you about not taking better care of your teeth. I have a bad drill phobia, but I'm not really bothered by having teeth pulled. Saving the front teeth would involve some drill work, so her suggestion to pull them all is sounding better and better.

Hi,
I don't have any upper back teeth, I lost 3 teeth on each side not counting the wisdoms. They were all extracted 4 years ago. I do have my lower back teeth, so chewing isn't much of a problem. I do have an upper partial, but I really don't like the thing so I get on without it usually.
You are losing quite a lot of your chewing ability by losing that many back teeth. Is there any way you could afford to root canal some of those teeth?
My upper partial clasps onto my furthest back two upper teeth. I guess if I made more of an effort to use it I would get used to it. But that's just me.....some members on here have full dentures and after an adjustment period, have gotten on quite well with them.
All the best,
Jen
 
Hi losingteeth and :welcome:

I'm jumping in straight away as I am a little concerned, and want to try and help if I can.

Firstly, not knowing where you are from is difficult to know whether you are entitled to treatment on the NHS, as there are set charges with them for certain treatments, but without checking, don't know if they cover root canals.

Anyway, I have been without back teeth for many years. I did initially have a partial back denture that clipped onto my front teeth, but I am a bit like Jen, I couldn't get used to the clasps and so gave up with it. I managed fine without back teeth, and although not able to chew would cut things up smaller and either use my front teeth as best as I could (not brilliant tho' as these were crowns, and didn't feel they were particularly strong) or manage to 'mulch' easier foods up with my tongue. I had a really 'gappy' smile, as I only had six front teeth, and hated that tho'.

To take the decision to have all of your top teeth removed, and at her (seemingly easy) suggestion is a bit scary. I have had all of my teeth removed now, and will be getting full dentures soon, but that decision took me a fair bit of time and one hell of a lot of questions to my poor dentist. I ended up getting three opinions before settling with Lincoln, and with his help and patience got to where I am today, but it really wasn't a question of taking the 'easy route out'. I had to know in my own heart of hearts that what I was doing was in the long run right for me, and as the good ol' folks on here know, I certainly didn't make that decision lightly or quickly.

I can understand your fear of the drill (and am in awe of your not being bothered about having teeth pulled, because I am bothered about the whole dentisty thing), but there are things that you can get to calm you down prior to treatment either from your GP or from the dentist, and perhaps that would enable you to get whatever drilling work you need done, without having to have all of your top teeth removed?

No dentist should put you through a guilt trip ever. I really hope that you can either talk things through with your dentist again to see if you can work something out, or failing this, could you get another opinion. I don't know the condition of your teeth, but if your dentist originally wanted you to have some back teeth removed and a partial, would that mean that she feels the condition of your front teeth is pretty reasonable and salvageable?

I'm sorry for waffling (I have a tendency to ;) ) but I really would hate for you to lose perfectly good teeth if you really don't have to.

I hope some of what I have said makes sense, and hope that you manage to sort something out that will work for you.

I wish you well.

Kim
 
I also used to like the idea of getting false teeth instead of fighting the fear of dental visits. But after having recently two rct's I have had a complete change of mind. I am still scared to the point of shaking, feeling sick etc... going to the dentist but the rct's are not bad to have done, I was amazed that there is very little drilling, I mean seconds of the drill being used, the rest of the treatment is so quiet and slow, the files they use are hand held, so no noise or vibration of a drill piece. They take an x ray to make sure they have got all the root canals cleaned out, they pack it with a dressing and a temp filling. The second visit is much of the same.

What I would suggest is, ask the dentist to do a rct herself, or refer you to someone that is specialised in doing them. You have to be numbed the same for rct and extraction anyway, so start with the rct, if you really feel you cannot carry on with it, the dentist can extract the tooth anyway, but you will have given it a try.

You really are better off with your own teeth, I explained to my dentist that did mine that the drill made me jump when it made different sounds or if I though I felt something different happening, not pain, and he said he could work around my fear. I am so glad he did now. Please give a rct a try, you may surprise yourself, I did and I am so pleased I did.:butterfly:

Good luck:clover: whatever decision you come to will be the right one for you, there is no wrong or right answer here.
 
I've lost most of my back teeth both top and bottom - I have a grand total of three remaining molars. For years I've either chewed with my front teeth or I've gummed my food to death. I do have partial, removable dentures but I don't find them to be that much assistance with chewing.

Whatever you do though, DON'T have all your front teeth pulled !!! If you do that there's absolutely no going back - your top denture may look like a million dollars but that's not much use if it's basically an ornament and you find it hard to bite anything. :silly:

Remember that removable dentures are not a substitute for teeth, they're a substitute for NO teeth !
 
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