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Hygienist & Partial denture

S

SallyUK

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Messages
297
I’ve had a partial denture, one tooth on acrylic for a couple of months and I’m due to go for a hygienist appointment in a week or so. Starting to get anxious going back into the building after a difficult six months visiting almost every other week.... I’ve suddenly realised I will have to take the denture out. Should I do this before I go in or will she take it out? (It’s getting harder to put in and out as my mouths changed and it’s a bit loose but hooked behind one tooth so is ok when in, but unless I angle it right it can take a while for me to succeed in putting it in and out , which is ok when home.... ?)

Also there are some light stains on the denture. I’m using soap and water as advised and nothing else. Can I ask hygienist to clean the stains?

Super self conscious about this appointment. I’ve managed to cope with the denture by detaching somewhat. No chance of that when I next visit ? having a plan of how I will handle the practicalities might help.

Thank you
 
I would take it out at the appointment and there should be no problem with the hygienist cleaning the flipper (one tooth denture). Best of luck with your appointment, I understand how stressful it can be.
 
I would take it out at the appointment and there should be no problem with the hygienist cleaning the flipper (one tooth denture). Best of luck with your appointment, I understand how stressful it can be.
I second that.
Regarding the anxiety you are experiencing: the association between the practice and the aversive experience is strong but still it is a side-product if the real issue which is the human factor, or in explicit words: did you feel your dentist was committed to your wellbeing during the difficult period of facing the dental treatments? I can tell you that even with my patients when facing complications my patients feel my commitment for them and that we are facing the difficulties together and not one against the other. How was your experience in that sense?
Again, I believe that when it comes to dental anxiety the key element is the human factor. Do you know the oral hygienist who is about to treat you?
 
I second that.
Regarding the anxiety you are experiencing: the association between the practice and the aversive experience is strong but still it is a side-product if the real issue which is the human factor, or in explicit words: did you feel your dentist was committed to your wellbeing during the difficult period of facing the dental treatments? I can tell you that even with my patients when facing complications my patients feel my commitment for them and that we are facing the difficulties together and not one against the other. How was your experience in that sense?
Again, I believe that when it comes to dental anxiety the key element is the human factor. Do you know the oral hygienist who is about to treat you?

Thank you for this reminder. I definitely have a trust issue and I’m going to think about what you have written here as it will help.

My dentist is a good dentist and a ‘high achiever’. I know the recent situation disappointed him, the xray was misleading and source of infection took a while to find. I know he had my best interests in mind, always. Looking at it from a trust point of you, I guess I have lost a bit of faith in knowing he will spot things that are wrong and I’ll get a ‘surprise’ again. We’ve spent over ten years maintaining things and being proactive. In reality I think this situation was ‘bad luck’ but it’s knocked my confidence and he knows that, he’s very astute.

Yes I know the hygienist and again, she is caring and very motivated to help me maintain things and knows the recent episode was difficult for me.

I couldn’t have a better team. It’s my own trust and fear that has got worse. I appreciate your comments, they have helped. I can see a bit clearer that the team are there to help and I need to build confidence again. The recent episode was complicated and chances are high I could have a period of time now that things stabilise. That’s my dentists goal
 
There are a lot of people with dentures of all kinds getting a cleaning. If you prefer to take it out before than that's fine. If you prefer to take it out yourself before the hygienist starts, let her know. If you won't say anything, then she will most likely take it out herself before she starts or ask you to get it out. Dentists / hygienists know that patients might have some grips handy that make the denture removal easier. Again, the right question is: what do you prefer and then just let your hygienist know.

It is also usual to clean the denture during the cleaning as well, even if you clean the denture well, there will be stains and that's normal. There are devices where the denture cleans itself while the hygienist cleans your teeth and then if there are any stains left, the hygienist will remove that as well. In our practice this happens in a lab so that you do not see the process of the denture being cleaned. There might be an extra charge for that, aks the hygienist or give them a call beforehand.

I believe dealing with the denture may be something challenging for you and you might feel uncomfortable at the thought of dealing with it in a front of your hygienist, but try to remember that dealing with dentures is nothing unusual for the hygienist; she is dealing with this every day and won't have any emotions about this. I second Dr.Daniel that it's also all about how you feel about your dental team and whether you trust them.

All the best wishes and keep us posted
 
My appt is coming up and my anxiety increasing. Thought it was interesting after what Dr Daniel had mentioned about trust. I can see that trust is my main issue. I have been fine and trusting ‘all is well’ for three months since I got my immediate partial one tooth denture. Even though occasionally I worried I was doing things right with cleaning and putting it on and out (sometimes it’s been a struggle)

but today I am completely worrying about all sorts of things. Will the hygienist find lots wrong, is the fact I am having to click the denture into place damaging the tooth it hooks around? Will any fillings fall out at my cleaning?

It’s just showing me how worry is almost pointless and how horrible it is when you worry and worry when you can’t take action and it might not change anything if you actually didn’t worry at all and just waited for the professional to let you know if there’s something to worry about or not ? so I have trouble trusting, taking too much responsibility and judging whether I’m taking enough care. It seems so difficult for me to get this in perspective.

Just thought fellow anxiety sufferers might empathise and/or see the pattern in themselves.
 
Sallyuk

Thank you so much for sharing this about worry, there were so many times, I would crank up the worries especially right before the appt.. I could think of plenty of things to worry about , then I would sit in the dental chair and deal with them and most I would be relieved of , and if I did get some news I didn't like , well at least i knew and he would reassure me through it. But the pattern is SO REAL..

As far as the dentures too. I've had mine for almost 20 years my partial. and honestly I still feel embarassed and awkward handing them my partial out of my mouth each time. But they make it as no big deal , clean up the denture like Enarete said and it feels cleaner , and to them it is just something they do all the time. I hope your appointment goes well ! :grouphug:
 
Sallyuk

Thank you so much for sharing this about worry, there were so many times, I would crank up the worries especially right before the appt.. I could think of plenty of things to worry about , then I would sit in the dental chair and deal with them and most I would be relieved of , and if I did get some news I didn't like , well at least i knew and he would reassure me through it. But the pattern is SO REAL..

As far as the dentures too. I've had mine for almost 20 years my partial. and honestly I still feel embarassed and awkward handing them my partial out of my mouth each time. But they make it as no big deal , clean up the denture like Enarete said and it feels cleaner , and to them it is just something they do all the time. I hope your appointment goes well ! :grouphug:
I am sure I will feel a bit better once this first visit with the denture is done with. Fingers crossed. I guess, like you say, it can be normal to feel embarassed and awkward. I really hate taking it in and out when at home, let alone at the dentist. It doesn't go in and out as easily as it first did, I guess my mouth is healing, it pretty much stays in due to a teeny piece of acrylic that snaps in behind one of my teeth. (I cant bare the click sound when I put it it. I expect the tooth to break each time) It's clever really and some days I feel really grateful for it - the infected canine was definately not good news.

I'll update after I've 'felt the fear and did it anyway'
 
I went and was less anxious than I thought I’d be. Hygenist was lovely. Said how happy for me she was that I was getting on ok with my partial denture.

I felt a bit down afterwards, remembering what a challenge my teeth are and always will be, it’s been so nice not to think about them these last few weeks. Hoping I’ll get them out of my head in the next few days as after the appt I started thinking about all the compromised teeth and little issues here and there. But, that’s the dentists job to monitor in such detail and I’m going to try to relax but it’s so easy to set off the hyper vigilance.

As far as cleaning goes I’m still tip top. It’s the compromised, heavily worked on teeth that are unpredictable that gets me. As I say, nothing I can do but hope my luck improves and I get a good run of stability.

She didn’t clean the partial and advised to use a tiny bit of powerful cleaner on them in a soak but the acrylic is prone to stains. I might get a new solution after everything’s healed and to try not to worry, I’m doing well.
 
Best way to clean an acrylic denture is a 2 step process:
1) Clean: Use a nail brush, over a full basin of water (in case you drop it!) use washing up liquid and give the denture a good scrub.
2) Disinfect: Soak the denture in a weak bleach solution. One cup of cold water, one cap of bleach. Leave to soak 20 mins and then rinse off, either put it back in or leave to soak overnight in the bleach solution. If you don't like the idea of bleach, then use Milton fluid instead. Bleach is just as good and much cheaper!

Do NOT use toothpaste to clean acrylic, it's too abrasive and takes the shine off the plastic, resulting in more staining. Do NOT use Steradent or similar, they are antibacterial but not anti fungal so you can build up a nice colony of Candida Albicans in your denture which can get transferred into your mouth if you're a bit unwell.
 
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