Partial denture... theres gotta be another choice!?!?

[Danglyweed]

Got a front and three molars removed, given partial dentures. For many reasons, Im just not getting on with them, and yes I do know "these things take time"... but time wont solve the issues I have. Theres gotta be another option. I dont care about the molars, but Im 29, I cant walk about without my front tooth. Im back at the dentist in a month, I need an action plan of what to ask, beg etc Ive never regretted something so much in my life, on the verge of tears constantly.

 

[Deck2015]

Hi there -

I've only ever had one extraction (2 days ago)...mine was also a front and center top tooth. I can certainly sympathize with the emotional aspect of what you're feeling right now. Losing a front tooth that looked perfectly fine (but certainly wasn't) was very, very difficult to come to terms with. I have no regrets as I know there was nothing else that could be done to save my tooth. You are a bit younger than I am but no one ever *wants* to lose a front tooth. I certainly didn't.

I don't know the reasons for your extractions, but I'd imagine it was the only option -- I know in my case, I spent thousands on my front tooth and desperately tried to save it but still lost it. It's a big adjustment to the partial and I appreciate this too. I figured I'd walk out of the extraction procedure wearing my denture and all would be "normal" - this has not been so in my situation. Why? Because -- the partial is uncomfortable and tight. I've had it adjusted but don't want to adjust too much because then it will be loose when my swelling goes down. So it's uncomfortable to wear for long periods. I get it, really I do.

But fear not - there are several options for tooth replacement! Implants, various types of bridges, permanently installed denture, etc.

Have you discussed your concerns with your dentist? It's possible the denture could use some adjustment and be more comfortable. I've also read that it simply takes time to get used to a denture. My dentist told me that by the time I've gotten used to mine, I'll be ready for an implant. Can you get a sooner appointment with the dentist to discuss this?

Do you want to share why you had extractions? I'm really sorry to hear you're so upset. I think you have good reason to "mourn" the loss of your front tooth - and it's ok to feel crappy about it right now. But don't feel alone and don't feel like you'll never feel "normal" again - you'll find something that works for you.

 

[gamergirl123]

I think you need to either have a chat with your dentist or find another person that deals with that sort of stuff and have a serious chat.

Speaking from experience, i think the people that say "it takes time" need a reality check. Sure for some people, its all fine and dandy. They get the partials, maybe a few adjustments and thats that. They can go on living their lives just fine.

The problem is that some of us partial wearers(I'm 27, got them when i was a 25 years and 7 months) face problems for some reason or another that time won't fix. I got my partials in early may 2014 and i've faced nothing but problems.

You are a person that i wish i could be like. Someone that has the guts to get things sorted out.

 

[Danglyweed]

I think you need to either have a chat with your dentist or find another person that deals with that sort of stuff and have a serious chat.

Speaking from experience, i think the people that say "it takes time" need a reality check. Sure for some people, its all fine and dandy. They get the partials, maybe a few adjustments and thats that. They can go on living their lives just fine.

The problem is that some of us partial wearers(I'm 27, got them when i was a 25 years and 7 months) face problems for some reason or another that time won't fix. I got my partials in early may 2014 and i've faced nothing but problems.

You are a person that i wish i could be like. Someone that has the guts to get things sorted out.

Sorry guys for not replying sooner, it really got me down badly.

ACNL, the paranoia and jumpiness I felt wasnt worth it, nothing was worth that feeling. I struggled onto last week, I phoned a cosmetic dentist re replacing my front tooth then my hubby(who found out the cost lol) phoned my dentist who was bloody amazing and saw me that day and said he would do a front tooth only.

A week later im still waiting(only took 3 days last time) and my hubby has to go back to work tomorrow so gotta do the school run myself... im sure it will bring many tears. Embarrassment... all part of the proceas huh

 

[Downwardly Mobile Doris]

There is no reason whatsoever for you to be embarrassed. You look different than other people. I get it. You know that other people have prejudices against people with visibly missing teeth. You see the way people with visibly missing teeth are portrayed in the media. Nobody wants to be dismissed as a "toofless iggernut redneck" any more than they want to be dismissed as a "dumb blonde" or the "n" word that my son might hear someday. I had all of my molars, my upper incisors, and one upper lateral incisors extracted for more or less the same reasons you did: I was experiencing pain than made it impossible for me to function in my day to day life and infection that I did not want to spread to the rest of my body. I do not regret valuing my health, my sanity, and my time enough to correct those problems. I do not wear any sort of false teeth because I have different priorities for how I spend my time and my money. I do not anticipate purchasing false teeth any time in the future, although I do hope to conquer my phobia someday and find a dentist who will respect that decision and provide me with appropriate preventative and palliative care for my chronic health condition. When people treat me as if I was dirty, uneducated, or unintelligent when they don't know anything at all about me except for what I look like, it says more about them than it does about me. If somebody described my son with the "n" word or otherwise behaved in a racist manner, it would not make me want to bleach my son's skin or straighten his hair, but it would make me want to do something to combat the racism that is inherent in our society. If somebody describes me as an "iggernut toofless redneck", speaks to me in condescending monosyllables, or tells me that I should be ashamed of myself for never brushing my teeth (I brush, floss, oil pull, irrigate, and uses several rinses 3-4 times a day) or being too stupid to remember to call my dentist to schedule an appointment for a cleaning every six months (before my traumatic experience, my dentist had me coming in every three months and I had to schedule my next appointment when I paid for my last one to make sure there was an opening), it does not change who I am, but it tells me who they are. It does not make me want to sell everything I own, put my children and pets up for adoption, take on soul crushing unpayable debt, and work long hours of overtime so that I can cringe behind fake plastic teeth, drooling and lisping and terrified that somebody might find out I have advanced periodontal disease. It does make me wish that I could wear a sassy educational T shirt about Periodontal disease or hand them a business card or small brochure with information about the condition. It does let me know that this is not somebody I want to spend time with. It does let me know that I do not want to support this person by contributing to their income in any way shape or form. It does let me know that I do not want to condone this person's behaviour by interacting with them. I am twenty years older than you and I was devastated when I first found out that I was going to lose all of my teeth. I was about your age at the time and I spent many thousands of dollars chasing after "miracle cures" trying to keep this from happening and so many hours devastated by grief, anger, and blame, but I had no control over the situation. It might be worse if I hadn't quit smoking and it might be worse if I wasn't so meticulous about hygeine and it might be worse if I had skipped more dental appointments before my unfortunate experience, but it is what it is. Periodontal disease does not define who I am. I am still a college graduate, I still have memories of going to dog shows and country clubs during my childhood, and I still enjoy reading classic literature more than watching sitcoms on TV. The only thing that has changed is that I have a built in bull poop detector to keep me from wasting time and money on superficial, ignorant, bigoted people. Hold your head high when you make that school run, mama, you have nothing to be ashamed of and nobody has the right to try to make you feel less of a person because of what happened to you.

 

[gamergirl123]

Sorry guys for not replying sooner, it really got me down badly.ACNL, the paranoia and jumpiness I felt wasnt worth it, nothing was worth that feeling. I struggled onto last week, I phoned a cosmetic dentist re replacing my front tooth then my hubby(who found out the cost lol) phoned my dentist who was bloody amazing and saw me that day and said he would do a front tooth only. A week later im still waiting(only took 3 days last time) and my hubby has to go back to work tomorrow so gotta do the school run myself... im sure it will bring many tears. Embarrassment... all part of the proceas huh

Yup. Freaking marathon Process for some of us.

 

[budyjen]

This is exactly why I am having to go through the whole process of apiceoctomy again to have another try to get rid of a huge abcess under my front crown. I am doing everything I can to avoid having a false tooth as the rest of my teeth are crowned too a bridge is out of the question, i dont want the rest removed for that. God its all a nightmare.

 

[CHANGES]

BudyJ
'
I am going through this now as one side has a bridge and 4 front teeth will be pulled but at my old age won't consider implants,RCs. I don't feel lucky when it comes to keeping root canals ot implanys without losign at least one. At my age the bones aren't what the yuse to be, plus too many root canals fail us older people imo and you lose the teeth anyway.

I will just have to deal with the partial and even worse on top teeth that are harder to keep in place 'gravity'.

I will not go around with front teeth missing it would embarass my whole family. Plus I wouldn't do that to my husband or myself. So I'm stuck with partial and whatever pain it will cause when I get these teeth out.