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Mark's Denture Journal

M

MarkGeordie88

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 5, 2019
Messages
100
Location
Newcastle Upon Tyne
I wanted to start my journal off after the suggestion of a few others and the fact I see that my main appointment is looming this coming week and I am petrified.

Lets try and keep this short but a few months ago I went to the dentist in the first time since I was 18 and I've just turned 31, and was told basically I will need dentures to replace most of my teeth, with the amount of dread I was feeling and as I discussed with the dentist the best option for me was to go down the GA route.

The referral went in to the local dental hospital services, and I believe from my understanding too that this assessment is to also make sure the GA option is suitable because I also have Type 1 Diabetes, so I'm hoping its decided this is the best way for me because I cant see me agreeing to any other option to be fair.

The appointment/assessment is on Wednesday morning and believe me in the past few weeks I have also nearly rang up many occasions and made something up and cancelled but I haven't, I held back and let is pass.

My main worry right now is the time from assessment to surgery, I don't want to waste anyone's time, however if they say it can be done a few weeks after assessment, I don't think that will be enough time to prepare myself, is there an average waiting time to be called for surgery or can I request they give me time to prepare and not call me straight away?

Sorry for the length and I will keep this updated.
 
No need to apologize: write as much and as often as you like.

Good luck and keep us posted.
 
Thank you.

Don’t suppose anyone knows the average wait to have the surgery after assessment?

My mind is in over drive that they are going to say “yes we can help I’ll have you in next week”. I think I’d run out the hospital.
 
MarkGeordie,

I agree with Dg6300 never be sorry for writing no matter now long especially to us here in DFC :) We are here for you. I don't know the average wait for the surgery really, not from your area and sure it varies, but did want to encourage you. I understand the apprehension of not wanting them to get you in too quick. just wanting to digest at your own pace the news and process

You really are being hugely brave facing this! You already got your first appt done when you got the news and now you are brave enough to make this appt for Wednesday and face this appt. Even though it feels like you want to make every excuse in your mind and run..

I highly encourage you to really tell them your fears and anxietes as much as you can so they know exactly how to help you. Its not easy what you are going through. but you are strong enough to do it. You have made it this far. and it takes strength and self care to do so!

I know it is not most my teeth but. at 31 I got the news of needing my partial denture where they took out my bottom 5 front teeth . I was petrified.. to say the least , I needed alot more but these were the crucial ones. I had a nice enough dentist that helped me realize it would be best for me and as hard as it was I made it through.

I'm not really sure what else to say , but you are strong ,brave and in good company here of people who have been through similiar , people who understand the physical and emotional parts of this even though we have different situations somewhat .

Wishing you all the best in your apppointment!
 
I don't think you know what "long" means if you have seen some of the other journals here. :)

Have no idea about wait times, just wanted to wish you good luck with this. I hope they are willing to work with you on scheduling. If you aren't in pain or if there isn't some other kind of risk factors involved then maybe that will allow you more flexibility with scheduling.
 
Tomorrow is the day, half 9 at the local hospital. Literally bricking it.
 
All the best for tomorrow :grouphug: - let us know how you got on! :clover::clover::clover:
 
Well its been a morning, but I did surive the ordeal and I am not home having a nice cup of tea.

Woke up to feeling very sick and could not eat.

The dentist that I saw was very nice, she didn't put me straight into the dental chair but offered me a normal chair to chat first, then we eased into the chair.

She has considered the options, and with my medical issues and complications and with the anxiety and nerves has said with the amount of teeth that need to come out, she wouldn't be able to suggest just going back and forth to my dentist and allowing them to do it.

Sedation was discussed but again with medical history and issues, she says they wouldn't agree, so the last option is GA.

The plan is:

1. Refer me to a second assessment where I will meet an anaesthetist, and a more senior dentist to go through their assessment and make sure GA is safe and appropriate.

2. I have a pre booked dentist appointment so to continue to go to this and she gave me a letter to take, and she wants the dentist to do some x-rays of my front two teeth and start the process of having immediate dentures started to be made.

3. The second assessment will be in about 8 to 10 weeks from now.

4. She said if all well and once the immediate are made, I should be good to go about 3 to 4 weeks from that second assessment.

I am glad for the time frames in a way because as I said to her, if it had been quicker and I hadn't had the chance to get my head around it and process it all I might of wasted there time because I would of backed out.

Whereas with this waiting around, I get the chance to prepare, ask questions and not be rushed into it all.

I'm pleased I went, and I still have massive anxiety over the actual surgery and how it will feel after and how I will cope with the dentures.

I suppose the good news is, although its a lot of teeth, its not all of them and they have said they think they can save some.

Another waiting game, but I do have that dentist appointment in a few weeks, so I can see where I go from there.

Thanks for the support.
 
Hi MarkGeordie,

Sounds like the dentist you saw was very thoughtful and thourough with all of this.. That fact would make me feel a little more at ease . I'm glad they are giving you some time and making it a process step by step not rushing you.
 
Thank you. Yes that thread is really informative and helps me understand a little bit more.
 
Next appointment tomorrow.

This is the next routine appointment I already had booked in with my dentist.

I handed in the letter the hospital gave me as soon as I could so they had it in advance of this appointment.

Supposed to be getting an X-ray of my two front teeth and starting the process of getting my immediates started.

Hopefully all goes well as anxiety has kicked in again.
 
Best of luck for tomorrow :clover:! Let us know how you get on.
 
Just think how happy you will be when it’s all finished and you have a great painfree smile. You’ve done Great so far!
 
Dentist was really nice again.

She did the X-ray of the two front teeth and she said she would send this to the hospital team and then ask which teeth are to be removed so she knows this for when she does the impressions for the immediate dentures.

She has said she will contact me once she has this information from the hospital.

Unfortunately what she did find was a small abscess on a tooth/gum. She said my face has no swelling and she was reluctant to give me antibiotics or pop it because she knows how much I hate procedures.

She says it should sort itself out but if not I need to get back in touch with them. Is this normal?
 
Congrats :party:!! Sounds as if things went really well today. It is normal not to give any antibiotics unless there's an acute and painful infection (if that's what you were asking?).
 
Yeah, to be honest, I hadn’t noticed anything. She said she would pop it but with my anxiety she said I might not like this option.

So she said just see how it goes and come back if it doesn’t go away.

So yeah thanks for that as I wasn’t sure the normal procedure for an abscess.
 
No news from the dentist regarding going back for impressions and the hospital haven’t been back in touch either as they said they would once they had what they needed from GP.

Is this normal or should I chase up?
 
Not sure if that’s normal or not, but it wouldn’t hurt to call and check. Just caught up on your journal, and I’m glad to hear they think a few teeth can be saved... are they top or bottom?
 
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