Intro & Denture Issues

[Primal]

I thought I'd introduce myself and ask a question all at once. My name is Michelle. I recently had all teeth extracted and "immediates" put in. I won't go into the horrible day that was (saving that for a journal!) but suffice it to say that I'm not at all pleased with these teeth.

Granted the teeth are better than my own. However, a grand difference in favor of my bad teeth is that I could eat. I've had these dentures since Sept 12. The top plate is fine..the lab tech is amazing actually. He managed to make these teeth and gums look EXACTLY like my own had mine not been damaged! The only complaint I do have on the upper denture is that he did manage to capture my misalignment.. when I lost teeth-they shifted to the left.. so now these are not centered to my face either.

The bottom dentures.. how disappointed am I? Let me count the ways!
1) They give me an underbite that hurts my face and makes me look like I have tobacco tucked in my lower lip.
2) The "gum" in the back digs down into my jawbone.
3) I look like a horse
4) Because they do not sit properly, they clack with every word I speak.

I've gone back twice already and nothing is being done. Silly me but I want my bite back. I have not worn the lower denture since Sept 14 (2 days after getting it) other than to try it in to see if anything has changed with the healing of my gums. Nothing has. The lab tech has "fixed" it twice to no avail.

I have another concern as well: I specifically asked him if the immediate is the permanent denture or would there be a different one down the road (as I've read). He said there would be another denture--this is when the doctor piped in and said "she's on medicaid". (For those outside of US...that's government-funded medical care) and the lab tech started back-peddling over his words. Evidently this "immediate" is my final set.

I'm so upset that I did all this. Granted..I suffered with my old teeth and no doubt my health has been affected. But ...I could eat without begging someone to help me so that I could do so. Is all this normal?

Signed.. losing weight fast!

 

[letsconnect]

Hi Michelle ,

sorry to hear about your troubles . I'm not very familiar with the medicaid system and what you may be entitled to. However, there are some discussion forums for denture wearers (most of them in the U.S.), and somebody there may be able to provide you with more information and advice. If you go to this page:

Dentures FAQ

Top tips for new denture wearers! Find out about different types of dentures and how to deal with "teething problems".

www.dentalfearcentral.org

there are links to the other forums. I do hope that somebody there will be able to point you into the right direction, and that you'll soon be able to eat and speak properly again .

 

[Primal]

Thanks for the info.

 

[annajayne]

Thanks for the info.

Keep your spirits up -I don't have dentures yet but I've watched folks go through the process and the first couple of months are difficult. write all of your concerns on a checklist and discuss them with your dentist. Check each one of them off once he addresses them to your satisfaction and don't leave the office until all of your items are checked off to your satisfaction. (or have a date on them in which they'll be addressed)

 

[Bertie]

I understand what you say. A check list can be made and I intend doing that. However, it is not that simple I feel - for me anyway, because it is not entirely apparent when any modification is made to a denture as to whether it is satisfactory or not until one has worn the denture again for a while, then it is back again to the dentist. It a procedure that could take months as far as I can see.

Bertie

 

[Too Young]

Yes, the adjustment is time consuming but you will adjust. Keep going back to your dentist for further adjustments. They know it takes time to get it all worked out correctly.