Hi Jasmin, I know exactly where you are coming from but I hope you will start to feel better soon. You are far from alone in this. If your plate really does not fit properly, your dentist will take care of that - possibly all that is needed is a little adjustment. Don't soldier on with something that you suspect is not right, go back to your dentist and get it sorted. It can be, don't worry. You will have a plate, but a properly fitting, comfortable one!
I am going through something similar, although I am lucky enough to have just one tooth involved (also an upper front). It had a crown on, but the crown broke and the tooth underneath could not be saved. It all happened so fast, on Tuesday I had no cares in the world regarding my teeth, and by Thursday lunchtime I had had a front tooth extracted and a partial plate with a false tooth on in its place. (Also on the NHS, it sounds similar to the one you have). I was so horrifed by the whole thing! The first day I was so upset that I had a bit of a childish paddy, throwing things in frustration and crying and saying out loud, "I don't WANT this stupid thing in my mouth. I want my tooth back!!" I'm 56...... I thought the time for tantrums had passed, but evidently not!
My husband did not know whether to laugh or cry - I told him if he wanted to stay married, he had better not laugh!
My boss (a doctor), who went through the same thing a few years ago, said to me that it is normal to grieve when we lose front teeth - they are a part of us that have gone and so integral to our looks and self-esteem that we go through a mourning process before acceptance and moving on. (I have to get more of a grip, though - at the moment I am studying everyone I see, in the supermarket for example, envying what looks like perfect front teeth on everyone. I am sure some of them are false, too! At home, I even look at the dogs and envy their perfect pearly whites! I told you, I must get a grip!
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The first time I had to take the plate out was super-scary and I am also afraid to damage the tooth next to it, which is crowned, too. Putting it back in again was a palaver, it took me a minute to even work out what way around it was supposed to go! I sometimes think also that it moves about a bit, and I am not sure that should be happening. I will wait until the extraction site is perfectly healed, and if the plate does not feel 100%, I will go back to the dentist for a readjustment.
On the first day, speech was very difficult, I felt very awkward. The dentist told me I would lisp for a few days, but I am finding T and D and even L and N more difficult to pronounce. My work involves a lot of speaking on the telephone - I have to take a deep breath and mentally get my mouth in gear before I even pick it up. People kindly tell me I don't sound all that different - I think we are so self-conscious that it sounds worse to us than it is.
I also hate eating with the plate in - things get stuck underneath, even liquids seem to trickle underneath and it just feels yucky. This has meant less snacking and I have lost 2 lbs!
However, three days on, apart from continued slight bleeding and some pain, things are looking up! I feel more confident taking the plate out and putting it in, and my mouth is definitely getting better at navigating the plate and producing the correct sounds again. For a couple of minutes off and on I have even managed to forget about it. I hope you are finding the same thing - slowly getting better!
I am confident that the awkwardness and frustration will go and we will adapt to our new circumstances. Also remember that you are not alone in this. Let us know how you get on - take care!
Best wishes to you from Annie M.
Thank you so much in advance.
