New front denture, can't get molars to meet

[johnboy]

I had my front teeth knocked out playing rugby when I was 18. I am 63 now. At the time I had a denture installed to cover 3 teeth. After I finished rugby at 34 I had bridge installed using the teeth either side of the front 3, as posts, making 5 in all. I recently found that one of the posts has rotted away and broken on the bridge. I was told that I now needed a denture covering 4 teeth, but that one of the posts was ok and that one of the teeth on the existing bridge could be sectioned to cover one of the drilled down post teeth.
All that seemed fine, but on having the new denture installed, I could not bring my back teeth together. Indeed I can get my tongue between my molars when lower teeth are against the denture. When I was leaving the dentist I asked about this. He replied that the jaw would adapt and close the gap. It has been two weeks now, but I have yet to see any improvement and am not able to chew at all. Should I put up with the problem, in the knowledge that the dentist is right, or should go back and ask that something should be done. The question is however, what can be done??

 

[decan]

Does your bite feel the same with and without the partial in? If not, then the partial needs to be adjusted.

 

[Davee]

I had the same problem with my flipper. The oral surgeon said my molars would extrude (is this what your dentist means by your jaw adjusting?) and it was not a good thing. He told me to demand to have my flipper adjusted. I had it adjusted. I hope you can convince your dentist to do the same thing.

 

[johnboy]

I had the same problem with my flipper. The oral surgeon said my molars would extrude (is this what your dentist means by your jaw adjusting?) and it was not a good thing. He told me to demand to have my flipper adjusted. I had it adjusted. I hope you can convince your dentist to do the same thing.

When you say extrude, does this mean that they will grow to meet. Can this happen? Only have problems with denture actually in. When removed my teeth meet fine. Dentist says that flipper can't be trimmed. It is 2mm plastic, which is the approved amount. Is flipper US jargon. I am from Newcastle UK.

 

[johnboy]

Does your bite feel the same with and without the partial in? If not, then the partial needs to be adjusted.

I remember you Peter. It was always too late!!

 

[decan]

When you say extrude, does this mean that they will grow to meet. Can this happen? Only have problems with denture actually in. When removed my teeth meet fine. Dentist says that flipper can't be trimmed. It is 2mm plastic, which is the approved amount. Is flipper US jargon. I am from Newcastle UK.

The flipper may not need to be trimmed, but the bite definitely needs to be adjusted.

 

[Davee]

When you say extrude, does this mean that they will grow to meet. Can this happen? Only have problems with denture actually in. When removed my teeth meet fine. Dentist says that flipper can't be trimmed. It is 2mm plastic, which is the approved amount. Is flipper US jargon. I am from Newcastle UK.

Yes that was a point of contention from my oral surgeon who was an instructor at the University who trained my dentist. He actually trained my dentist and knew him and said "I trained him on this, he knows how to fix this, and if he can't fix this I will refer you to a dentist who can".

BTW- Flipper is US jargon for a temporary partial plate.

Extrude means the teeth kind of lift up from the gums to meet the opsing teeth. This means the potential for root exposure, and changes in your bite that may or may not be a bad thing. For the short time my back teeth did not meet I suffered from jaw muscle pain and fatigue and headaches. Once the flipper was corrected the pain ended.

And I am living proof that that you can get a flipper adjusted even though it may be too "thin" to be what is considered ideal. Mine is under 2 mm thickness at some places because my bite is so bad. They trimmed, and they trimmed, and they trimmed. My new flipper is fiberglass reinforced. I do not understand why the did not make hooks on the back to keep it stable and protect my gums from the trauma that a loose fitting flipper creates. I guess my health was not more important then cost savings. Such a pity.