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Enforced gagging during x-rays

G

Gilbo

Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2020
Messages
97
Location
norwich, norfolk, uk
Hi. I hope someone can help me with this please? When my last dentist took x-rays of my mouth, although that sharp, plastic thingy they put in your mouth was painful, at least it all worked and the x-rays came out fine. But with my new dentist (having waited almost a year to get in, due to Covid), when the dentist took the x-ray on the left side, I gagged once, but it worked. When she tried to take one on the right side however, she kept jamming the plastic device into my gums UNTIL I gagged! I asked if she'd let me place the device myself. Each time she shook her head, as through her very thick mask, I couldn't hear a word she said. Twice more she tried, each time pushing and shoving until I gagged again. Would you know if there's any way around this? I'm sure I need an x-ray, as I have a damaged tooth on that side, but I wonder why she had to be so violent? The practice gets glowing reviews, but I don't know if they're for her specifically, as I believe they had a change of dentist fairly recently (an aquaintance who also goes there told me that). When I left the dentists, I dabbed my (clean) handkerchief into the sore spot and it quickly half-filled with blood, which I suppose was caused by all the attempts to place that darned plastic thing!
On another note, having been made so sore and upset by all this, I asked if it was possible to have a denture made up to fill the gap left by an extraction in March 2020 (which she agreed to), but forgot to ask if it could be a temporary denture, while I wait to have a bridge fitted if possible, do you think this could be done? My nerves were so shot by the time I got to that question, that I just wanted to run out of the place as soon as possible!
 
What do you mean temporary denture?

As for the gagging business, it sounds like the dentist was having a bad day, you can't place the holder yourself, the dentist needs to make sure it's going in the right place. Obviously the more flustered she got, the more flustered you would get too, so best thing would have been for both of you to take a break and come back to it later on, which is easy for me to say from my armchair :)
 
Well what I meant is something that could fill the gap, until I can maybe have a bridge fitted. I don't know if such a thing's possible, but try as I might, I still can't get used to this enormous gap between two back teeth! If they can't do such a thing, maybe I will just have to put up with it until they can put a bridge in? This is the problem. I don't know if she could fit a bridge there anyway, as I have a filling in the back molar (one in front of where my wisdom tooth used to be), Could that be done do you think? Or will I just have to, either put up with a permanent denture, or save up for an implant?
 
Can you give more details? Which teeth are missing? Are there gaps anywhere else in the same arch?
 
I have had all four wisdom teeth removed Gordon and there is one single molar left on the top left before the gap. No more teeth are missing. I would have expected this gap to start closing up a bit by now (14 months since extraction), I did post quite a bit on here last year about it, as this gap was (and still is) causing me annoyance, as it is so enormous! To me anyway.
 
So, from the front, you've got your 2 premolars, then the first molar is missing and you've got the second molar, is that right?
Single tooth replacement with a denture is possible but will be a lot of denture for one tooth, most people probably wouldn't bother with it. An adhesive bridge might be an option, depending on the state of your 2nd molar and how close your bite is.
 
Sorry for the late reply Gordon, I'm having trouble with my emails at the moment and lots of them are going missing! They're working on it though. Anyway, yes that's right, my first molar on the upper left side was extracted last March (2020). I cannot get used to this huge gap between these teeth and feel that something must be put in there as it's driving me mad! I also have bruxism, which isn't helped by this, which is very distracting. I find myself chewing my tongue due to it, but I don't know why. I think I would be happier with a bridge, whether adhesive or not, but think it will probably be more likely that she will fit me with a single denture. I hope that she can also provide me with a new night guard, as my old one doesn't quite fit anymore. I'm hoping that the one impression will do for both items? Though maybe not.
 
I always find the xray plastic thingy very uncomfortable, and scared that the thing will move into my mouth, and the dentist will have to re-do the xray for me.

Those metal plates things when I had removeable braces, I had around 4 or 5 sets of x-rays
 
Well I should have stayed with my other dentist really as, although they mucked me about quite a bit with appointments, at least I could have an x-ray done properly. I also got annoyed when two out of three root canals failed and the teeth just ended up breaking in two really quickly! I still have one of them left!
 
I hope that she can also provide me with a new night guard, as my old one doesn't quite fit anymore. I'm hoping that the one impression will do for both items? Though maybe not.

Should be possible if you ask them to make them that way. It's a wee bit more work for the tech but less work for the dentist :)
 
Well, on Friday last (21st. May) I had my impressions done for this one, single denture. She said that I couldn't just have an upper one done (like my last dentist did), but that I would have to have both top and bottom taken and that if I wanted a new night guard (for the top only) that she would also have to do ANOTHER two impressions! So, no night guard for me then! The first time I saw her for X-rays, she made me gag four times, whereas this last Friday, I gagged at least TEN times! It was the lower impression that made me do that. I don't ever want another impression done by her ever! Also and this was the worst bit really, as I can't stop thinking about it, when I left the treatment room and went into the adjacent one to make the appointment for picking up my denture, both the dentist and the nurse were absolutely laughing their heads off! It probably wasn't at me, though I can't think of anything else. Even the receptionist (of which they have two for some reason! In a very small dentists), was embarrassed and kept blushing at their hysterics. I think I shall have to look for another NHS dentist again, very soon!
 
Sorry to hear that, that sounds like an awful experience ?. But well done for getting through it!

It sounds like you had high hopes for this NHS practice and it didn't work out. Keeping my fingers crossed that you'll be able to find a more compassionate dentist soon xxx
 
I think I've realised now letsconnect, that just because a dentist asks you if you are a nervous patient, doesn't mean (like this one) that they will do anything about it! I may have to find one that gives you sedation for every little thing! I don't ever want another impression taken again! Especially not of the lower jaw anyway...
 
Back again! So I went to get my partial denture today. Nightmare! It looks great, just a small plate curving down into the shape of a tooth. But trying it on, well I think they must have given me a denture that was made for someone else and they're suffering with mine! I heard that new dentures fit tightly and that you should wear them for the first few nights. Not possible and even the dentist shook her head. "Oh no, you must take them out every night" she said. But, having had some fixative put on and then fitted in the space of my missing top left molar, it feels like having a piece of plastic or metal that is completely alien to my mouth. I suppose that's normal, but when I close my teeth together, the bottom teeth force the plate upwards but don't let the rest of my teeth fit together at all! My mother used to have dentures, but the plate looked a lot thinner than this thing. Also the sound of my voice is quite disconcerting, as when my partner heard it, she gave me quite a shocked look! "I don't think I'll be able to get used to you sounding like that" she said. It does sound quite weird, though I suppose that will wear off. But will my dentist, if I go back to her, be able to do anything to adjust this? There's no way I could eat with it like this and would probably have to take it out every mealtime. The main problem I think, is that the way these go, is like a pair of pliers, in that the harder I bite, the harder the opposite (right) side of the plate is forced up into the roof of my mouth. Does this sound fixable to anyone in the know?
 
I've never heard of a dentist wanting someone to keep their denture in overnight, unless it was a full (or mostly full) type. When the denture only has a single or double tooth, what we always used to call a "flipper", because it could be flipped in and out, we would take it out at night and put it back in in the morning. Mine never fit well and I just would remove it when I ate. I think that you should be able to get your dentist to adjust it though, so it doesn't tip out while you're eating. I never got around to that because I didn't like mine and decided to go the implant route instead.
 
I may well do that too LittleLynnie. I just don't like the cost of implants, as I'm far from rich, but this thing is impossible to get used to! I will try wearing it more and seeing if I can get used to it. I've found that one problem is that, the single tooth part is filed down at the top, to a sharp point! So that's really uncomfortable. I don't think I'll be able to eat or drink with it in, but just to take away that annoying gap would be good.
 
Gilbo

I was just catching up on your story and so sorry about the whole xray thing and jamming the sharp parts in your mouth seems really harsh and , I'd probably pull the bathroom trick around that time.. I wonder if she could have been more patient. if she had just slowed down and tried to find a way to make it easier for you. I know my son and I have troubles with gagging and xrays. my Dentist did a few things with my son, he put topical which helped with gag reflux and then another dentist gave him salt ? which i never heard of but apparantly worked. though not sure how.. but they both were patient with him.. he's had others who were not and were rude and impatient and that never helps. I'm also sorry about the impressions. I've had far too many impressions myself and they are not my favorite thing.. I used to dread them .. before my angel dentist as I call him. took his time and really helped me through the process , staying with me coaching me on breathing through it and also telling me jokes.. honestly a little compassion and kindness in the process goes a long way.

I just really hope that you can get some relief and that something can work for you.. I also know how it is to have partial dentures that don't fit . its not pleasant.. I hope this all works out for you soon and really I hope you will find a kind caring patient dentist and staff to not rush you but take time . I also remove mine when eating.. thankfully I work at home and don't go out a lot so its not a big deal. They should be able to adjust it for you and they should make it work for you.

:grouphug:
 
Back again! So I went to get my partial denture today. Nightmare! It looks great, just a small plate curving down into the shape of a tooth. But trying it on, well I think they must have given me a denture that was made for someone else and they're suffering with mine! I heard that new dentures fit tightly and that you should wear them for the first few nights. Not possible and even the dentist shook her head. "Oh no, you must take them out every night" she said. But, having had some fixative put on and then fitted in the space of my missing top left molar, it feels like having a piece of plastic or metal that is completely alien to my mouth. I suppose that's normal, but when I close my teeth together, the bottom teeth force the plate upwards but don't let the rest of my teeth fit together at all! My mother used to have dentures, but the plate looked a lot thinner than this thing. Also the sound of my voice is quite disconcerting, as when my partner heard it, she gave me quite a shocked look! "I don't think I'll be able to get used to you sounding like that" she said. It does sound quite weird, though I suppose that will wear off. But will my dentist, if I go back to her, be able to do anything to adjust this? There's no way I could eat with it like this and would probably have to take it out every mealtime. The main problem I think, is that the way these go, is like a pair of pliers, in that the harder I bite, the harder the opposite (right) side of the plate is forced up into the roof of my mouth. Does this sound fixable to anyone in the know?

It sounds like it's an easy adjustment to get it working better when you bite, sometimes if you are finding your speech to be a bit affected by the new denture, it's better to wear it overnight for a couple of nights to help you get used to it a bit faster. I wouldn't do this until your dentist has sorted the bite out though, it'll annoy you too much and keep you awake.
 
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