Having all my teeth extracted and getting ready for Dentures.

[Charbs]

Hello everyone! I’m new to this page and wanted to say hi but also looking for some support and I guess reassurance because on this upcoming Friday March 14th 2025, I am getting all of my teeth removed so I can start my journey to getting dentures. I would be lying if I said that I wasn’t absolutely terrified of the whole process. I am going to be put to sleep to have the extractions but this fear of actually getting my teeth removed is so severe I feel sick and feel like cancelling.
So I guess I should say why I’m having this done in the first palace. Here’s a little back story.
I’ve always struggled with dental issues due to a very real fear of the dentist. At 7 years old I had to have a tooth removed and the dentist yelled at me and told me to shut up as he was pulling my tooth (without any freezing) because I was crying and proceeded to rip my Barbie doll out of my hands. This is when my fear of the dentist began. Fast forward to now. I am now 39 years old and my teeth have just been falling apart my entire life, I have a condition called Elners Danlos syndrome and I don’t know why but it makes my teeth just fall apart no matter what I do or how well I take care of them. After a lot of years of crying at the dentist having extreme anxiety going through extremely painful abscesses and infections, broken teeth, filling falling out, root canals and molars being pulled and not attending appointments due to my fears, I have finally decided to go ahead and just remove the rest of my teeth and get dentures. This was an extremely difficult decision to make and the dentist I seen helped to push me to make the decision (for my own good and health) A piece of me feels like I’m going to regret this decision because once it’s done, it’s done, I can’t put them back if I change my mind and don’t like it. I’m so worried about them looking fake and really regretting this. Can someone, anyone, please help me understand these emotions and fears. Any advice or support about dentures would be extremely helpful and I would really appreciate it. I’m so scared I can’t even explain how terrified I am, I can’t even sleep! Any support or advice would be amazing. Thank you so much in advance

 

[smirked]

Hello, good afternoon and welcome to the forum! I have a journal here which you may find helpful to read. I have tried to be as detailed and honest as possible with my experiences during my denture journey.

I am delighted to report that I'm much happier with dentures than I was before.

But I must advise you, don't be under any illusion going forward - it will be difficult.

Read my journal. And you can ask me any questions you might have.

 

[Spunkysistas]

@Charbs Hello, Did you look into implants? If you get 4 up top and 4 on lower it would help your gums from receding in the future. And the dentures will be fixed so you wouldn't have to take them out at night. I had dentures when I was in my late 20's and didn't get implants until about 25 years later. I love them so much I just wish I would have got them sooner!

 

[Charbs]

@smirked thank you for this, I’m actually freaking out a lot and I don’t know if I’m making the right decision or not but unfortunately I don’t have really any other options

 

[Charbs]

@Spunkysistas I really really would LOVE this option because believe me I have definitely looked into this and even got a quote and it came in at $17,800.00 and that’s just something that I absolutely cannot afford. It’s such a bummer but dentures are my only option right now

 

[smirked]

@Charbs my teeth were in an awful state. Having them pulled and dentures placed was not an easy decision to make. But I'm glad I went for it. Because the dentures are far better than my teeth were.

I can eat properly again.

The thing about implants is, in my personal opinion... They can go wrong too. Like teeth. I'm not keen to introduce something to my jaw that may be problematic later. I just cleared my jaw of problem teeth.

 

[Spunkysistas]

@Charbs I know, the cost is so crazy expensive! That is why i had to wait 20 years to get implants because i couldn't afford it However, just so you know, my life changed for the better when I got my dentures! They looked so good, even better then my own teeth and it changed my whole appearance! I was so much more confident and absolutely loved to smile again. Best of luck to you!!

 

[Ladydi1724]

Charbs how did everything go today?

 

[Ncbeechbum]

I just read your post Charbs. Hoping you are doing well after your appointment today!! Please let us know.

 

[Ranyart Finn]

Hi, just like the OP, I've plucked up the courage to start the process towards full extractions and complete dentures. I'm opting for Temp dentures so that I'm not missing teeth for a prolonged period, and have steeled myself for the fact that it will be a bumpy road.

Despite being terrified of the dentist, the practice I have here in Canada has been marvellous. No judgement, no snark, and they've gone out of their way to put me at ease. I'm feeling reasonably positive (if apprehensive) about the impressions session coming up, and then the dentures themselves. I want to be able to smile and eat properly again, and while I know it will take time, this is a fear I have face.

Any tips or support anyone wants to offer, gratefully appreciated!

 

[Sjj1960]

@Ranyart Finn Hi, I wondered how you were doing. I am about to go down this route at the end of May. I am terrified but think it is for the best in the long term. The plan is for remaining teeth to be removed under general anasthaethic as i am too scared without. For temporary dentures to be fitted by the hospital and permanent dentures at some later point. My job involves a lot of talking. I don't know what I am more scared of, the surgery or not being able to talk afterwards

 

[Ranyart Finn]

@Sjj1960 Thank you for checking in!

I had a further consultation today, where I met with the prosthodontist. He looked at my x-rays and did a few checks since my full oral exam. I had some gum inflammation which is now under control, and he agreed that full extraction is the best course and he outlined the options I have open for new teeth: wait-and-heal for two months, temporary dentures, or implants. While my mind is made up, it was still good to discuss his approach and recommendations, and he explained the pros and cons of each option.

So I will be going with full temporary dentures to be fitted on the day of extraction. I was a little surprised that my prosthodontist wanted to get the extraction date in the calendar before setting an appointment for the impressions: I thought that the impressions and then build of the temporary dentures would dictate the extraction day, but he said that they have a very good lab that will work to the extraction timeline. I'm therefore booked in for impressions on 5th June and extraction day on 20th June.

I'm a but deflated that I have another (almost) two months wait for this, but it is what it is. On the positive side, it will let me arrange the financing of the temporary dentures as I won't be covering them on my insurance plan (I'll use the coverage for the permanent set in 6 months). Also, the 20th June is a Friday, which means I have a whole weekend to start on the recovery and may not need to take as much time off from work as I thought.

I'm apprehensive, but also quite excited. I want my smile back, and I resigned myself to complete extractions quite some time ago. I'll be going fully under for the work - and as there are two wisdom teeth to come out too, its just as well. Knowing that I'll be out cold is something of a comfort; if I had to be awake, that would be anxiety inducing.

Here's something else that gives me some comfort. This isn't an abnormal procedure. Millions of people live with partial and full dentures and get through life just fine. Both my parents had full dentures and, honestly, you'd never have known. There's a certain psychological adjustment to make, but I can do that. Two years ago, I decided to deal with my thinning hair by going fully bald, and it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Shaving my head was liberating, and I would never go back to hair. I'm approaching my teeth going in the same way: the crappy ones will come out, and some nice new ones will go in. I'll look different, but change is good. They won't be the same, but it'll be better than what I have now. I'll have to adjust - but so what? Millions of people have, and do adjust just fine. If they can, so can I.

And so can you.

 

[Sjj1960]

@Ranyart Finn Your approach is so positive. I will try to be more positive. I had an appointment in February to agree to the extractions - I am lucky these will take place on the NHS. Originally I was just due to have a few teeth taken out under general but the rest are not in a good condition so we compromised if I could have a general anaesthetic I would have the rest out. Then the hospital failed to write to my dentist, then they wrote to a different dentist which upset me quite a lot. Then they were pressuring me to have the surgery before I had the temporary dentures but I was quite argumentative with them. Ironically this was because they were breaching timescales as I was first referred to them in August 23 but it took almost 18 months to get an appointment. Fast forward to now I will be having my impressions for temporary dentures on 7th May and hopefully week beginning 26th the surgery. The cost is prohibitive for the dentures - I am lucky I am relatively well paid, I wonder how people afford this if they are not. There are no NHS dentists left and even that would be costly.
I still have hair! I had chemotherapy for a separate issue a couple of years ago and managed to keep all my hair then, so you could say on balance I am luckier than a lot of people. Thank you for your positive response and I hope all goes well for you in June.
Sarah