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Partial Dentures & Singing

S

SallyUK

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Messages
297
Hi
I'm not at the stage of a partial denture, but I might be in the future . I have a big fear of whether I will be able to sing if I do get one. I know that front teeth are important for pronunciation and it might be that I will have a canine and maybe an incisor replaced.

Does anyone sing and has a partial that could share their experience? Also worried about loss of taste, tolerating something on my palette etc but I'm sure I'd adapt to those things . It's the fear of not being able to adapt and sing again that's festering in my mind, causing worry. Teeth have effected my quality of life during many periods of life when they have needed work for and the thought of dentures stopping me sing is very depressing.
 
Hi Sally,

I don't know much about dentures, but my train of thoughts about singing would be like this: I know there are a lot of people who wear dentures and nobody notices. I also know many people in their 40s, 50s, 60s and above who sing in a choir. I am sure that a lot of them wear dentures too. A retired friend of mine, who I strongly assume has a denture, started to sing in a choir two years ago and recently told me about his awesome performance for which he has been preparing for almost a year. Putting all of this together makes me sure that singing can't be a problem. Sure, there is a time needed to get used to them (you can find a lot of information here: https://www.dentalfearcentral.org/faq/dentures/#talking) but if eating and talking and laughing and smiling is no problem, than singing can't be.
This was a lot of assumption, however hope it helps for now and hopefully you get a reply from someone experienced soon.

All the best wishes
 
Hi
I'm not at the stage of a partial denture, but I might be in the future . I have a big fear of whether I will be able to sing if I do get one. I know that front teeth are important for pronunciation and it might be that I will have a canine and maybe an incisor replaced.

Does anyone sing and has a partial that could share their experience? Also worried about loss of taste, tolerating something on my palette etc but I'm sure I'd adapt to those things . It's the fear of not being able to adapt and sing again that's festering in my mind, causing worry. Teeth have effected my quality of life during many periods of life when they have needed work for and the thought of dentures stopping me sing is very depressing.

No personal experience, but my friend’s husband lost his two front teeth in his 20s in a car accident, and has had a partial plate ever since. He is now in his late 50s, sings in a choir, and I had no idea he wore a denture until last year, despite knowing him for about 15 years. I think (but again, don’t have personal experience) that most people adapt well and quickly.
 
Thank you. I am certain there must also be professional singers with dentures that we don't know about. That is the thing that adds to the stigma I suppose, but then again, I don't look forward to the potential of having to explain to my singing groups why I can't sing for a few weeks, if I do have them and need time to adjust. I sing in a quartet and a small group of 12, so I guess I am a bit more daunted that the change would impact me quite a bit. The thought of dentures right now just fills me with horror and embarrassment but we are all capable of adapting, even if we don't really want to.
 
Update:
Spoke to my dentist today at my appt and he said that I would adapt. If I were a professional opera singer relying on voice for income he'd be very careful about a denture and in any case if/when I need one he will make it as minimal as possible. So I guess it's not b&w how people get on but sounds like no one would notice any change in speech and hopefully not me.

Also mentioned it can effect food texture more than taste.

I guess all this is good news. I'm still in protest that this is going to happen one day but not today, so I feel a bit calmer. My current dental issue that threatened two teeth seems to be settling. Fingers crossed.
 
Whitney Houston had partial dentures for a number of years. And wow what an amazing voice (IMHO) and smile. And Frank Sinatra, or so it was rumoured. (Just trying to make you feel somewhat more positive.)

Glad to hear you are feeling a bit better/calmer about the future possibility after your dental visit. Hope those feelings continue x
 
Hi,
There are two clinical challenges when making a denture to someone who sings: First, if the denture include the front teeth, that might have influence the diction of whistling vowels (mainly s and sh). Secondly, a singer uses the facial muscles differently, might even stretch it to the extreme, which might effect the stability of the denture.
In any case, these two issues are fixable. It is important that the dentist is aware of that even before treatment, when the treatment plan is being established.
 
Hi,
There are two clinical challenges when making a denture to someone who sings: First, if the denture include the front teeth, that might have influence the diction of whistling vowels (mainly s and sh). Secondly, a singer uses the facial muscles differently, might even stretch it to the extreme, which might effect the stability of the denture.
In any case, these two issues are fixable. It is important that the dentist is aware of that even before treatment, when the treatment plan is being established.


Thank you. Relieved to hear the issues are fixable. The two teeth that I'm currently 'waiting and seeing' are upper incisor and canine, so the front, hence my worry.

I already have a couple of tiny gaps that sometimes make my s's a tiny bit 'untidy' but you can't hear it as a listener when I sing. Interesting about the muscle movement.....I'm crossing fingers I won't have to deal with this imminently but will make it a priority to mention my singing when I do.
 
Update:
I am now getting a denture. Next week. I was feeling ok about it, took the attitude that I will deal with it and cope and soon adjust.

But..,. I've just finished singing rehearsal and mindset has switched to anxiety. I only started singing solo a year ago and have improved a lot. I sing in a quartet and tonight one member said she was leaving. the teacher said he wasn't going to let me stop singing and gave me lots of compliments on how far I'd come (another fear I used to have) anyhow I suddenly feel the pressure of these dentures. Letting others down and loosing all the confidence and enjoyment I've gained from singing.

What if I can't move my mouth properly and sing confidently again ?‍♀️? it's the fear of the unknown and having to explain if I can't do it. No one knows I am having this denture next week.

Has anyone got experience that is realistic or things I can do to adapt quickly? I know about practising the alphabet and things. Singing really requires me to relax all my facial muscles and jaws and next week is going to be a challenge. will it fall out? I know I might lisp but I'm sure that will improve, it's feeling I might loose confidence to open my mouth and relax that's suddenly got to me....

I'm planning on going to rehearsal, four days after I get the immediate partial. This goal and the thought of will be ok is keeping me going. But what will I do if not? I wish I knew for certain that others have not had singing effected.

Any positive words?
 
No personal experience, as I am not a singer, but I am certain you will adapt just fine. My mum had an immediate partial for front teeth while healing during the implant process, and she managed brilliantly. She actually said that if she hadn’t had the screw things put in, she would have saved ££££ and stuck with it. I think they say it is harder to adapt as you get older, but she was in her early 60s, and no issues.

I have a little flexible partial denture for a lower molar and pre-molar, which I know is completely different (no plate, no wires, it just clicks on to the neighbouring teeth, and I had had a gap for years before getting it) but my dentist told me to talk out loud as much as possible so my mouth and tongue got used to it. The first day I had it I felt my speech was a bit “drunk”, but my partner said he didn’t notice it at all. I read aloud from my book to the cat that evening - she didn’t notice any problems either!
 
Update on this journey, hopefully useful for reference for others :

Ok, it’s all done, tooth out and denture in. Anaesthetic not quite worn off, so all very recent.

I was so afraid of the extraction that I almost forgot about the challenge of adapting to a denture.

Emotionally. Right now I feel like I can’t do this, but I have to and it all seems a bit much and I want to ‘feel my mouth the same way as before’ what is natural to me. Although I am totally convinced a denture will become what is natural, it kind of isn’t is it, the part that crosses the palette. This is a step of adaptation much bigger than crowns. So far anyway.

I don’t like the look of the tooth, that may be part of my resistance to the situation and not a big deal in the scheme of things. It doesn’t curve as much as my other canine and looks a bit ‘stumpy’ The impression was taken from a crowned tooth that was loose, but thought they would match my other canine better....

It doesn’t fit well, but my dentist has said come back if not feeling improvement in the next couple of days. He doesn’t want to adjust it as then it might be too loose when things settle in the next few days, post extraction. But for now it does not sit flush on my palate and goes up the back of my other front teeth quite a lot, not entirely sure how it’s meant to feel, but there i think it will sit closer to my palette tissues eventually. Lots of saliva and I feel like I want to suck it the whole time. ?

I am terrified of having to remove it, the dentist had me do it in the surgery before I left. It was hard to get out, even for him. Been advised to try taking it in and out in a few hours and to leave it out overnight.

Speech, surprisingly good, but I can tell it’s much more of an effort and if I speak fast all sorts of letters and words are hard to say. Mostly I think because my brain is wondering what this thing is in my mouth as well as trying to speak. I feel like I have brain ache.

Overall I am exhausted, from the long haul of my current situation and now adapting to this, so I can only imagine that taking it step by step is best. Trying not to overthink. Not sure I have any other options for replacing this tooth in any case. So I will try and accept my situation and stay positive I will find a new ‘norm’, even though I actually feel like saying, I don’t like this, fix it. But I think that is a reaction to knowing I won’t have the same feeling and sensation in my mouth as I had before ?

I’m not sure how singing will go, more than a mechanical issue, I feel a bit down right now and not wanting to make an effort to do much at all, but that will change.

Dentist wasn’t sure what tooth had caused my issues as the X-ray did not show anything with the tooth he extracted, he root filled the other tooth. Decided to extract as infection remained, the tooth was not salvageable as already root filled and crowned years ago. I was hoping he’d see a big fracture when he took it out, to confirm the other tooth wasn’t the main issue. There wasn’t a big fracture, he saw some leakage areas and still seemed to think it was this tooth as primary issue but X-ray not clear, in any case I will have to see how the other tooth does now. Either way both were affected but initial issue still not known. I guess it doesn’t matter.

Long story......but at this moment my treatment plan is complete!
 
Sally,

I just wanted to say I am thinking of you , this is huge and so new. I remember the feeling of being scared to take the partial out when I first got it. I empathize, I hope you can rest while you are processing all this.. :grouphug:
 
Sally,

I just wanted to say I am thinking of you , this is huge and so new. I remember the feeling of being scared to take the partial out when I first got it. I empathize, I hope you can rest while you are processing all this.. :grouphug:


Thank you. The anaesthetic has completely worn off now and the denture is quite painful. It’s digging in and when I close my mouth my front teeth are hitting it on my palate side. I am going to try and tolerate this until bedtime and hope things settle a bit more. The digging in is off putting but again, going to see this as a changing process. So exhausting

Yes I’m resting, I have two cats and don’t usually watch daytime TV, but today we are all on the sofa ? just had some very very soup like mashed potato as was starving.
 
Truth is that these flippers can be made to fit well and be reasonably snug and no pain. The problem is it takes time and effort and insurance plans don't pay adequately for this effort.
 
Truth is that these flippers can be made to fit well and be reasonably snug and no pain. The problem is it takes time and effort and insurance plans don't pay adequately for this effort.


Hi, is there a settling in period? Is it possible my mouth changed since the impression was taken? I had infection in two front teeth, the one extracted today had moved and a lot of bone loss. Also not sure where pain is coming from, maybe the extraction but denture does feel wrong. Is the plastic meant to rise up the back of the tooth? It’s only across half my palate and feels like hard smooth curve.

I’m in the UK and a private patient, so insurance isn’t an issue for me, but I did expect a different experience. Really would like to know if a settling in period is to b expected? I just tried to remove it and struggled, will try again in a bit. The fake tooth itself is wedged in tight, but the plate part not so much.
 
Sally, I'm just wondering too, did you get a partial with metal or like a flexible valplas? My partial with metal was easier on me that the valplas they tried on me at one point. Not sure how it is for others , that was just my experience
 
Sally, I'm just wondering too, did you get a partial with metal or like a flexible valplas? My partial with metal was easier on me that the valplas they tried on me at one point. Not sure how it is for others , that was just my experience

Hi, it's not a flexible valplast or metal. It's an acrylic 'plate' that slots around the other teeth, no clasps. Meant to be able to hook fingernail just above the fake tooth and pull down to release it. Its very tight.

A bit like this picture, but only half way across with a canine tooth.
 

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I really hope this quickly feels better and more natural. It is hard to get used to something new especially tight or pinchy new things in your mouth! really hoping for the best in this for you! On another note.. that is lovely you are with your cats resting.. LOVE cats.. they are so sweet. I hope yours will bring you extra comfort and love today!
 
Hi, it's not a flexible valplast or metal. It's an acrylic 'plate' that slots around the other teeth, no clasps. Meant to be able to hook fingernail just above the fake tooth and pull down to release it. Its very tight.

A bit like this picture, but only half way across with a canine tooth.
Thanks for the picture. This type NOT the valplast (flexible) is the easiest to adjust and modify in the office. Depending on the skill of the dentist the doctor might have some pink acrylic in the office that they can use to fill in and make it more secure.
 
Just wishing you lots of luck and a speedy adjust period. My mother-in-law has this done twice and the last time just rescently. She had a tough time getting it out the first time due to the swelling after extraction but after that it was fine didn’t effect her speech at all. Don’t know aboutnsining never heard her sing lol but she said the adjust period was fairly quick for her hoping you have the same experience ?
 
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