Scared of getting dentures

[Long Suffering]

Hello out there, well my run of dental bad luck continues, I need some advice and support. The situation is this, I have fought long and hard, suffered emotionally, physically and financially to keep my teeth, now at age 43 I find myself in the middle of a really bad spell of dental problems, effectively I have only my front teeth left and the odd molar without an opposing tooth, they are all heavily restored worn down and a non existent bite, in my last post I was having an upper canine removed, well they talked me into an rct, that does not seem to have worked as it has set of two other teeth and will cost me the implant next to it as well, I also clench my teeth a lot when I sleep, despite what dentists say I think this is the end of the road, its not just the cost its the worry I dread long holidays like xmas in case I have problems, I change dentists often but within 6 months when I ring up I don't have to tell them my name as they recognise my voice. I must have taken over the years about 40 courses of antibiotics and all but 2 were dental related.
I am worn down by the never ending cycle of problems trying to keep what remains and its not like they look nice or function well, but I am scared to death of having them extracted and losing them. The dentists mention bone loss ect but I cant go on like this it has to end.
Hopefully if I can find the balls tomorrow I will have 3 teeth extacted but my teeth dont come out easy and I feel sick just thinking about it. I already have a few implants and hope they can be used with different abutments and a few additional implants over time to have supported dentures.
Is 43 too young for full dentures.

Your thoughts would be appreciated !

 

[TerrifiedWoman]

Hi Suffering. I feel your pain. Having read most of the topics on this forum I have been quite surprised at how young some denture wearers are! So in answer to your question; no, I don't think 43 is too young. People younger than you have them! In all honesty, I should have got them long ago, but my fear of the dentist kept me from it. I'm now 56, and will be getting full immediate dentures July 7th. I no longer see dentures as something "old folks" get..I see them as a healthy, attractive alternative to rotten, ugly teeth. Everyone has told me my teeth are probably the cause of some of my other health issues..and I'm sure they are right.

 

[bumpthumper]

Hi Long Suffering -

I am 43. As of January of this year I had 18 teeth in my mouth. 9 on the top and 9 on the bottom. 3 of my top teeth were broken off at the gum line. In February I had 11 teeth extracted, the 9 top teeth, and my last two lower molars, and had an immediate full upper denture placed.

In April, I had to have on of my front bottom teeth extracted leaving 6 teeth on the bottom, and last week I got my bottom partial denture, which anchors to two of my teeth and holds VERY well. I too have hopes that when it is time for me to have a full bottom denture, I will be able to have it implant supported, as I hear those are much more stable than a regular bottom denture.

I have a journal on here if you are interested called "Dental Destiny (or Mysteries of My Mouth)". There are a few on here that also have the implant supported dentures, I think Ronny55 has one, and Marcelle is the other with one. You might give their journals a look.

I wish you the best for your appointment - please let us know how you make out.

 

[jade66]

i just my uppers in April and will get my lower denture in July....they are hard to get used to with all the sore spots...but..i love them . nice straight white teeth..no more bad breath or infected teeth...i should of gotten them 10 yrs ago but i am terrified of dentists and have ibs never thought i could do it but so glad i did..cannot wait to get bottoms i have an ugly partial ont he bottom and 3 loose teeth....now if you have good teeth you would be a fool to get dentures but if your teeth are noting but problems get them out you will be smiling pretty!!!!

 

[Long Suffering]

An update from long suffering, well as I expected they didn't want to pull the teeth but for once my new dentist sort of agreed that maybe partial or full dentures might be the way to go, anyway they rooted my other canine. Now having looked at my xrays which they emailed me and from what I've gleaned over the years the two upper canines which have abscessed would appear to me to have formed a communication with the implants next to them and to the sinus, ever since this started my nose feels sort of bunged up and drips a little. But thats not my main problem the two implants both 13mm x 7.5mm appear according to an implant specialist to be protruding into the sinus by 3 mm, that on its own is not always that bad but he thinks they should come out. Well tonight despite the antibiotics and enough corsdyl to float a battleship they are rotting faster than a piece of meat next to a radiator, and I am starting to feel really unwell I even told my mum that If I don't ring her in the morning to come check on me. Just need to get someone to take them out soooooon like now.
Everything I have read says if they get infected they just fall out, I have very good bone density and quality and I get the feeling they wont come out without help until they are down to the last thread by which stage the bone between the implant and canines will have gone maybe for once a couple of teeth maybe fall out without surgical extraction if I survive the sepsis.
This is also the first dentist to more or less say to me that I have complex issues with my teeth ect. and she is referring me to the local dental hospital for specialist help, I've been after that for years, my mum goes there and they are the only ones shes been able to get good fitting dentures from. If all goes well and with their permission I will sing there praises.
The only other thing I have learned from this is that I don't want any implants next to my existing teeth, not even root filled ones. so maybe now in a few months I can start with some partial dentures and build up gradually, not sure that I ever want implants again though the two on the lower jaw survived an abscessed tooth and its surgical extraction, failed root canal ( bi cuspid RCT and crowned 4 years old, I sectioned it and it had other lateral and vertical nerves still living not connected to the pulp chamber )
this is what I seem to be up against.
I am very grateful to those who responded not to take any comfort from the suffering of others but the reassurance that I am not the only one, does help as I am sure you are aware depression creeps up on you.

 

[TerrifiedWoman]

Glad you will be getting some help. Please stick around..this forum has been a Godsend to me. I've spent sooooo much time reading here and it gave me the courage to finally make that first appointment! I guess we all sort of feel like we must be the only person in the world with such bad teeth..and such a fear of the dentist. Sharing those feelings with so many other people who truly understand is so much comfort.

 

[Long Suffering]

Another long sleepless night for long suffering, well one of my worst fears is over in a way these implants tonight have been quite painful and the discharge awful no point even going to bed, I will not sleep, but I came to floss round the implants and could not get the floss through its moved and it will turn, the other will turn too, if it was not for the crowns I could unscrew them. As soon as they moved the discharge was unbearable before but now OMG I could bottle it and sell it as paint stripper, but a least they wont have to be cut out. Typically my old dentist who put them in and his tardiness in sorting out the first abscess which I believe my have contributed to their very rapid failure is off on his jollys and I helped pay for it.
But my next question has got to be what next do you treat the hole in the same way as a tooth extraction obviously its going to be like a dry socket since its all infected bone, this is going to hurt a lot me thinks, this is what they fail to tell you when you have them put in. Hopefully maybe the canines might sort now this big focal point of secondary infection clears.
Hell who knows just gotta hope.

 

[GummyMummy17]

Hi, just wanted to give you some of these .Depression certainly does creep up on you and at 44 with full dentures I should say no it's not too young but behind a tiny door in the back of my mind which I try to keep firmly closed, there's a *yes* trying to get out But, I have them and I need to get on with them and used to them and I will, it's early days yet.

 

[Jules4102]

Just been reading posts on this forum. I'm 53 years old and also have rotten teeth and not many left. Front 2 at the top remaining and not many left at the bottom which has affected my speech and also makes eating very difficult too. Again, like most of the people on this forum, i have a real fear of dentist but am also terrified about getting dentures. How much pain will there be? Will they look natural? i really don't know which way to turn and would appreciate other people's help. Also how long is it likely to take. I have a very bad gag reflex and don't know if I could stand either having something alien in my mouth or tolerate the impression they have to take to make the dentures and can dentures be fitted immediately? Sorry for so many questions but I need to get my head round all this.

 

[LittleLynnie]

I just had my remaining top teeth removed in January (all molars broken down to the gum line and 4 very decayed teeth at the front), and had no pain, other than mild discomfort for about 24 hours. I then had to start my denture process in June and because I also have a terrible gag problem, I was very worried about going in. I went to about 4 appointments and each one was less than 15 minutes. I had a bit of trouble with the impression tray, but psyched myself into lasting long enough for them to get it done. Afterward, when the denture was ready though, I was shocked to find that I could not keep it in my mouth for more than 5 or 10 seconds without gagging! I had been prepared to have trouble and a learning curve trying to chew food with them, but it never crossed my mind that I wouldn't even be able to hold them in my mouth. I started googling though, and came across a tip to brush your tongue and go increasingly further back each day, to train your gag reflex to not be as sensitive. I did this every day for 7 days and did so 10 times a day. I then tried the denture in again and was able to keep it in without gagging! I am now able to keep it in all day without a problem at all, but because the dentist couldn't even check to see if it fit properly because I kept gagging, I now have to go in because there are a couple of sore spots that he'll need to file for me before I can actually eat. I have tried putting food in my mouth though and can swallow things easily and manage liquids too (I was worried that I'd drool, lol). My advice to you would be to try to brush your tongue for a week before you go for the impressions too, because that may make a big difference (I wish that I'd known that there was a fix for the gagging before I started). Good luck and congrats for finding the strength to do this.

Oh, and I chose not to get immediates because of the extra cost and I just wanted my gums to heal first without them (I'd had trigeminal neuralgia in my 20's and was worried about the extractions, so the last thing I wanted afterward was something pressing on that area).