• Dental Phobia Support

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24 tooth extraction and immediate partial dentures

2

2ladiesdad

Junior member
Joined
Apr 21, 2017
Messages
12
I'm new to the forum and found this page on a Google search. In 4 days I will be having 24 teeth extracted and will have a partial immediate denture. I'm keeping 2 teeth on the top plate and 2 teeth on the bottom plate to give my new partials something to anchor to. I've had bad teeth for years and have been in and out of the dentist office for fillings, abseses, root canals, ect. My dentist finally told me it was a waste of my money to keep trying to fix failing teeth called it likely bad genetics and recommended dentures. Almost all of my teeth have had some kind of work on them and I've been afraid of the dentist most of my life. I don't turn 30 until the end of the year and was shocked when my dentist recommended dentures "those are for old people" is what I thought, this has to be a nightmare. I've been doing research and going through the process for about a year now and as the surgery date gets closer I freak out a little more about it every day. Will it be as bad as I'm thinking it will be? I'm most concerned about having to change my diet or people finding out I have dentures/seeing me without them in. Thanks for any and all input/advice.
 
Hey, welcome! Lots of people here have been in the same situation as you.

I got dentures at age 25. I don't have any teeth remaining to be anchors, but I think it's a good thing you do. You'll get some bonus stability. My top denture is very stable anyway, but bottom dentures can really use that.

You won't have to change your diet much, if at all. I eat the exact same things I always do. Anything super tough might be a struggle. If you like your steaks well-done, for example. Nuts are one of the few things I just gave up on. Some things might take a little longer to chew, but chewing slowly is better for your stomach anyway!

It can be a big psychological adjustment getting dentures. You have had your teeth for almost all of your life. Your tongue and brain are very used to them. When they're replaced with plastic, it kind of throws you at first. The dentures can feel big and bulky. But I promise you, this feeling goes away with time. I don't ever notice it now!

There's also no reason people will find out, and no reason people will see you without yours. I have stayed overnight at friend's, and I just slept with them in, and it was fine. It's fine to do that now and then.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask, either on here, or by sending me a personal message.

Hang in there :)
 
Thank you for your reply, I suppose the biggest concern I have is the pain part of it all, I have a very high tolerance to pain except for anything that goes on with my mouth. Everything I have seen everyone says it's not as bad as you think it's going to be, but 24 teeth at once? It has to hurt right? I have a full beard so any bruising or swelling won't be as noticeable. I am going to be sedated for the entire thing due to the depth of my roots, my dentist said if my teeth were as good as my roots I'd never have to see a dentist, but unfortunately they are not.
 
Ah, everyone thinks it must be super painful. But, barring complications, it's actually not at all! I had all teeth extracted at once, including wisdoms that were impacted, and I was fine. I don't have a high tolerance for any kind of pain, but I was actually pretty comfortable!

Swelling is to be expected, and I was tender, as in if I poked my face it hurt, but that was all. They gave me paracetamol, ibuprofen, and codeine for the pain, but I didn't take any codeine at all, and only took paracetamol for the first couple of days. I took ibuprofen mostly to help with the swelling. Even after hours of not taking anything, I wasn't really in pain. Remember, toothache is from inflamed nerves, whereas tooth extractions are more like a healing wound, which is a much more bearable sensation than the agony of inflamed/exposed nerves. :)
 
Yeah I've dealt with the tooth aches and absesed teeth, the last infection I had I thought I was going to die. It literally felt like someone was hitting me in the face with a sledge hammer every time my heart beat. The infections scare me more than the pain hurts if that makes any sense. I don't want to die because if an infected tooth, I have 2 young daughters and a wife that need me. That is the biggest reason for the upcoming extractions....... 34 hours to go and counting.....
 
I don't have dentures yet (passing on the immediates and going right to permanents in June/July), but had all of my uppers extracted in January. I had very little pain, with just some "burning" on the gums for the first few days. I've had abcessed teeth and dental neuralgia before and wanted to die from the pain, so I wanted to agree with Sevena and say that extraction pain is mild by comparison.

I will think of you on Tuesday and hope that all goes really well.
 
Good luck will have you in my thoughts today.
 
I just got out of surgery, everything went OK aside from my immediate dentures not fitting at all, so I have no teeth......
 
Good to hear things went well.
 
I just got out of surgery, everything went OK aside from my immediate dentures not fitting at all, so I have no teeth......

Great that things went well. Did the dentist say that he'll be making you one that fits soon?
 
I went from my oral surgeons office straight to my dentist office and they took me right in and did the modifications that needed to be done to make them fit. I have teeth in now, the pain is there but it's not unbearable just more uncomfortable. The extra saliva and bleeding is the worst part of it, and I'm not the greatest at talking yet. I'm still upset about not having my real teeth but I guess that will pass over time.
 
Great to hear that you have your immediates now, and I'm sure that the extra saliva and blood will diminish soon. It's so very natural to miss one's own teeth, but yes, over time it will get better on that front.

Congrats again and I hope that everything goes great from here on in.
 
You will notice your missing teeth for a while! You'll be annoyingly consciously aware of it.

But I promise it goes away, and quicker than you think. In my experience, the busier you are, the less you're aware of it. For instance, sitting at home doing nothing, I was very aware of my dentures. But having a meal with my friends, I'd forget about them entirely.

Hang in there :)
 
I have read all your posts and the thing that sticks out in my mind is how brave you all are ! I have a lifelong phobia of dentists, I didn't attend for more than 30 years during which time I suffered lost fillings teeth crumbled away and several dental abscesses which gave me sleepless nights. I plucked up the courage to visit a dentist 13 years ago where I had several rotten teeth extracted and a lot of fillings also root canal work. Stupidly I have not been for the last 2 years, my teeth although improved are discoloured and stained also with several missing I am self conscious about smiling but could no way afford cosmetic dentistry. I have toothache again now but am not registered with a local dentist. I know I need to pluck up courage and attend again even if it means having dentures which I think would be my most likely option
 
I have read all your posts and the thing that sticks out in my mind is how brave you all are ! I have a lifelong phobia of dentists, I didn't attend for more than 30 years during which time I suffered lost fillings teeth crumbled away and several dental abscesses which gave me sleepless nights. I plucked up the courage to visit a dentist 13 years ago where I had several rotten teeth extracted and a lot of fillings also root canal work. Stupidly I have not been for the last 2 years, my teeth although improved are discoloured and stained also with several missing I am self conscious about smiling but could no way afford cosmetic dentistry. I have toothache again now but am not registered with a local dentist. I know I need to pluck up courage and attend again even if it means having dentures which I think would be my most likely option

I wouldn't exactly call it brave, not for myself anyway. I'm afraid of the dentist too, I had braces and headgear when I was a kid and my teeth started failing during high school. It was always bad news and pain when I went to the dentist. I had teeth broken off at the gum line and other teeth that were just crumbling away to nothing and I brushed and used mouth rinse every day. I was so scared I wanted to throw up before my surgery, but it really wasn't that bad there is no real pain just soreness.
 
Hi there.. at present I am suffering oh so badly with toothache. In fact my whole mouth is awash with pain. I know what to expect when I visit dentist and that is full mouth extractions (27 teeth) and dentures. Extremely apprehensive. And sad.
 
I have read all your posts and the thing that sticks out in my mind is how brave you all are ! I have a lifelong phobia of dentists, I didn't attend for more than 30 years during which time I suffered lost fillings teeth crumbled away and several dental abscesses which gave me sleepless nights. I plucked up the courage to visit a dentist 13 years ago where I had several rotten teeth extracted and a lot of fillings also root canal work. Stupidly I have not been for the last 2 years, my teeth although improved are discoloured and stained also with several missing I am self conscious about smiling but could no way afford cosmetic dentistry. I have toothache again now but am not registered with a local dentist. I know I need to pluck up courage and attend again even if it means having dentures which I think would be my most likely option

Gurani

My situation is quite similar in that I haven't visited dentist in few years (too busy being a full time carer) and am currently not registered. I certainly need to "pluck up courage" (as you say). My mouth, gums, throat, ear and side of face is so very sore that I can hardly bear to brush my teeth. I will be interested to see how you get on. And will keep everyone here - who seem so understanding and kind - updated in regard to my own progression. ?
 
Hi, just started going to the dentist after 34 yrs due to a real fear of them after a problem when I was a child.

initially I have had 3 top teeth out all at the front and had an immediate plate fitted yesterday, my fear of the dentist now seems nothing to fear of someone knowing or worse still them coming out in front of someone!
and am extremely embarrassed in front of my wife.

i would echo the other statements in this thread by saying that there was no pain or discomfort when having the 3 extractions or even the injections beforehand.

on a practical front any tips on how to eat with them?

in conclusion haven’t been to dentist in 34 yrs and tomorrow will be the 4th time in a week and each visit is getting easier
 
Eating with a plate is just practice, practice and more practice. You might want to stick to softer foods until your gums have healed and/or you've had any chafing spots on the plate fixed by the dentist.

After that, just dive right in! First thing I ate with a full top plate was a chicken burger - a friend offered me one and I was too hungry to say no. So I went for it. It felt clumsy and it took me a while to chew, but that goes away with practice. But sandwiches with soft fillings and things like that might be an easier starting off point :giggle:

Please don't be embarrassed. You'd be surprised by how many people end up with a partial or full denture at some point. You've probably spoken to plenty of people in your life before and never known they had a partial or full denture :)
 
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