because I had no money for expensive dentistry, like crowns, root canal therapy and such to take care of my healtht teeth I had to get all my upper teeth removed. I just got a complete upper denture and fell very depressed.
How do you cope? I am swollen, food isnt the same, I gag. Help!
I feel like an alien with this plastic feeling thing in my mouth.
2006-12-15 06:25:44 · 6 answers · asked by rocky 3 in Health ➔ Dental
Believe me, I know how you feel. One of the only questions I've asked in this forum (you can check my list) was when I was facing full dentures. A sweet lady named Pam found my message and pointed me to the following forum. It helped me tremendously to be able to share info with people in the same boat. Check this out when you get a chance.
http://groups.msn.com/DenturesANewSmile/welcome.msnw
On October 19, I had 23 teeth pulled. I'm now wearing my temporary "alien" things, upper and lower. I feel like I have bubble gum plastered all inside my mouth. I haven't been able to chew anything harder than a hard boiled egg, and biting into a sandwich or hamburger is totally out of the question. That should change when I get my permanents at the end of January however.
I think I can help with your depression about this. If you want, please contact me.
2006-12-15 06:38:48 · answer #1 · answered by kj 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Practice, practice, practice. It takes time. If you sat down at a piano for the first time, you would not be playing classical music in a day. If you got an artificial leg, they would send you for rehabilitative therapy for 4 to 6 weeks, so lets allow at least that amount of time to get used to artificial teeth. You're using a lot of muscles you didn't have to use before and they have to get into shape. You have to learn to chew with a little food on the right and a little food on the left. While I can not comment on the quality of your dentures, I can only hope that they are "just right" and that this is a matter of getting used to dentures.
Dentures are not a replacement for teeth. They are simply better than not HAVING teeth. They do take some patience on your part. You will have to start out with chewing smaller bites and trying to distribute the food a little to the left and a little to the right at the same time. You HAVE lost the taste of your food, because you have a lot of insulation in your mouth now. You probably taste half denture and half food. After a while, your sense of taste will return somewhat, but that too is an adjustment on your part.
I know that this is not very encouraging, but thousands of new denture wearers make the adjustments. If it takes a month or two, you will look back in a few years and say that it was hardly any time at all. It's just difficult to accept that while you are learning to use dentures for the first time.
2006-12-15 20:48:20 · answer #2 · answered by Picture Taker 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It will definitely take some time to get used to. I tell all my patients that there will be an adjustment period. You WILL get better. Having said this, there are some things that could be wrong with the denture. One of your symptoms, the gagging should not be happening.
A denture should allow you to chew, speak and function...without falling out. It should not gag you. Often if the back of the denture is extended too far it will make you gag when you swallow. This can be fixed by trimming the back of your denture. Let your dentist do this...don't try it yourself...if too much is taken off you can lose the seal and your denture will get loose. If you didn't wait for your denture and got the thrm right after the teeth were extracted, you can expect to need some adjusting. DOn't ever get too discouraged though....there are very few things that can't be fixed on a denture. Make sure you let your dentist know if you are having any sore spots...and let the dentist know about the gagging.
Good Luck
2006-12-15 06:46:36 · answer #3 · answered by nighttrain551 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Oh my I do know how you feel?? I knocked my teeth out hiking in the winter!!! I fell on ice and after a few yrs my teeth turned black so I had to get upper dentures...........I had more trouble getting use to fake teeth.....but it will get better...as the swollening goes down they will feel more comfterable in your mouth and little by little you will be able to eat everything as before.....but I will say it will never be the same as your real teeth!!!!!! hang in there!!!!! sandy
2006-12-15 06:42:50 · answer #4 · answered by Sandy 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My mom went through this a couple months ago and when she had her teeth pulled, it took a lot of her (what she thought) dignity. It's a hard decision to get dentures and it is painful from what I gather. In time you will get used to them. It took my mom about 6 weeks, but now she is so happy to have nice, white, straight teeth that don't cause her anymore pain. Good luck
2006-12-15 06:29:08 · answer #5 · answered by Bobbie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You'll get used to it.Give it a few days,you'll probably have to go back and have it re-fitted once the swellong goes down,no big deal,no pain,soon you'll be glad you did this.Really.
2006-12-15 06:29:03 · answer #6 · answered by festeringhump 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋