Hello, first time posting here! Really dont want dentures. :(

[OneDay]

Hi everybody. Basically I have been terrified of the dentist for as long as I can remember, Ive braved the emergency dentist 4 times in the past 2 years and got antibiotics for tooth infections and twice got antibiotics from the doctor for tooth infections as I worked myself up so much i couldnt go to the dentist! The 4th dentist that I went to last week was very nice and Im now registered there. She's referred me to the sedation clinic as I need 4 extractions, 10!! fillings and also possibly my front 4 teeth extracted. She said they might not be able to save them so might need them extracted too and she done the impressions right there and then for dentures. At the time I just nodded along as I was desperate to get out of there but now Ive thought about it Im so upset that I might have to have dentures.
Im only 24 and I just dont want to lose my front teeth. My OH had dentures a few years ago at 30 and he cant eat with them in as it makes him gag, hes constantly shifting them in his mouth as they're uncomfortable and he hates the plastic in his mouth, I know Ill feel the same. They are so horribly plastic and I know I wont be able to eat with them in, Im funny with textures as it is. Before I went I had got my hopes up that I could have crowns on the front teeth as I watched a TV programme last week about a lady whose teeth were literally black stumps and she had crowns, 2 of my front teeth have about 1/4 broken off and black inside some of it and the other 2 front ones arent anywhere near as bad so had sort of rallied myself into thinking 'dont worry, you wont have to lose those' and now Im just really gutted I suppose. Add that to me having an intravenous needle phobia thats a million times worse than my dental phobia and being in constant pain with my teeth plus my psoriasis (skin condition, sorry unrelated I know!) is awful at the moment and I am just feeling so so worn down.

 

[carole]

Hello OneDay to the forum.

You can get a second opinion from another dentist, is there anyone recommended on here, go to the Links tab at the top of this page and see if there are any dentists near you.

You may not have to lose your front teeth, your dentist only said might. If you are happy with the dentist you saw then make an appointment and discuss how upset you feel about this and see if there is any way that you could save your front teeth.

Your husband should go back to his dentist about the fact that his teeth make him gag, they can alter the plate to help with that.

 

[brit]

The lady on the programme you saw likely wasn't getting NHS dental treatment which is basic compared to what dentistry can do for you thesedays (eg implants not available).
The trouble with being i/v sedated at an NHS sedation clinic is that you will have to sign a consent beforehand agreeing to whatever they deem clinically necessary and won't be in a position to make an informed judgement during the procedures. How long will they have allocated to your care? This is crucial since it sounds like quite a lot of work will be involved. If your front teeth are really bad, they may need quality root canals to save them but the sedation clinic may not be set up to do this although the front teeth are easier to root canal than molars (back teeth).

You seem well aware that you do not want an unnecessary partial denture because of your boyfriend's experience (also at a relatively young age). Is there anyway you can get private dental treatment? Because that is the best route (provided you choose an ethical competent private dentist = they are not all good so care does need to be taken) to be sure that you are not losing teeth unnecessarily. You could get a bank loan to cover dental care just as you could for a new car.

If your front teeth did have to be extracted (which I doubt unless they are loose - anything else can usually be restored at a price - but not necessarily on NHS - also NHS dentists are often inexperienced and newly qualified so they don't always have enough experience to do complex restorations), the gold standard would be implants or an implant-supported partial rather than a partial on a plate. If you can hop on a train to London you can get excellent dental care in UK outside NHS. It's your life that is affected long-term, not the (nice young) dentist's (who has maybe sort of fobbed you off for sedated care as you need a lot of work doing).

If you could face care in NHS with just local anaesthetic with your nice lady dentist, you could probably get more done and have more control but root canals are best done by endodontists (or experienced dentists with magnification) if you want the results to be predictable. A root canal would be done to save the tooth if it was too far gone to be restored with just a filling.

So I agree with Carole, you need a second (private) opinion and if you do opt for NHS sedation it might be worth withholding consent of extraction of the front teeth if they will allow you to do this. So you could split your care between NHS under sedation and private endodontist maybe?

Good luck. I hope you can maybe find a way to pay for higher quality care as it is an area which has a massive impact on your quality of life so it's worth not just accepting the first treatment plan thrown at you by an NHS dentist.

 

[coolin]

It's definitely second opinion time. How about this - get an appointment with a dentist where they do mixed work - ie NHS and private. Ask them what can be done - especially with your front teeth as they are the ones you are really upset about. Then you will get a better idea about whether they can really be saved or not.
You know you can mix and match your dentists . You can go to the NHS for some of the treatment and then private for the rest ie your front teeth if the NHS treatment only suggests removal.

Here's another thing to think about. Getting lots of treatment all in one go under IV sedation is not going to do anything to conquer your fear of the dentist. What's the chances that, if you get all the treatment done in one go, that you will never go back again - until the next dental emergency crops up? I think you would do much better in the long term if you get lots of little treatments with a dentist that you like and trust. You liked this lady dentist - maybe she might be the one?

Coolin

 

[brit]

and she done the impressions right there and then for dentures. At the time I just nodded along as I was desperate to get out of there but now Ive thought about it Im so upset that I might have to have dentures.

This was very insensitive of her and clearly indicates that she is expecting extraction of the front teeth to be the likely outcome at the sedation clinic. As I said if they are not loose, there is a private dentist out there who can save them by one method or another.

 

[OneDay]

Thanks so much for the replies. I would rather get the extractions/fillings done in one go as theres such a lot to be done and if there was lots of smaller treatments I know Id chicken out so would just rather get it all over and done with! We are just not in a position to pay privately, cant get any loans etc and have very little money spare each month.
My front teeth arent loose, they basically look like a half moon shape has been broken from each and they are black inside. I was quite happy with the dentist as she was nice and I didnt feel embarassed but the more I think about it I do feel a bit fobbed off. Dont know if I can face going to another dentist. Just feels hopeless.

 

[carole]

You were very brave to go the first time. Can you go back to your dentist and say you really don't want to lose your front teeth.

I would see a totally different dentist on the nhs at a practice where they do both private and nhs as coolin suggested. You are going to be a long time without your teeth and a long time with false ones.

If it is a case that you really cannot face treatment in stages then a root canal treatment is no good for you. You know if you feel you could work with a dentist to build up a trusting relationship to get a few treatments done in a few appointments.

Some people are happy with dentures and have felt much better than they have in years, once they get used to them. They can be made to feel really comfortable.

Did your partner go back to his dentist and have his altered? Tell him not to suffer.

Let us know how you get on. I do think you need to talk to the surgeon that is going to treat you under sedation before you agree to anything. Explain how you feel and do say the if possible you would like to keep your front teeth.