If you wear dentures, please help!?

Question

I'm only 21, have had bad teeth all my life. I'm getting all of them pulled soon and getting dentures. It's really embarassing for me, I feel like I'm unattractive now, and I'm afraid to open my mouth at all! When I get my teeth all pulled and while they're healing, will I have a hard time talking and eating? And when I get my dentures, they have to be taken out every night right? I'm just afraid I won't like the feeling of not having any teeth! Like I said, I'm still young, and I feel so embarassed. How can I make myself feel better about this? Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

First, try not to feel so embarrassed. Be proud that you are being proactive and doing something about your problem now.

You may have a hard time talking and eating, but that's usually just because you are sore. It will be a big, big change to eat without teeth, but it is possible and you will adjust to a softer diet, especially at first.

As for the dentures, TAKE THEM OUT for at least 6 hours every day. Just as your feet need a rest from shoes, your gums will need a break. Most people take them out at night, but if there is a more convenient time for you during the day, that's fine. Just make sure you really take them out.

You will meet other denture wearers who will tell you that it's ok to leave them in; DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM!

Especially because you are only 21, leaving your plates in all the time will likely to come back to haunt you as you age. Why? Because without teeth, one naturally loses some bone with age. Wearing your denture all the time will put additional (unnecessary) stress on your upper gums/bone especially, sometimes causing the deteriorate faster.

Be patient with yourself. It is likely to take some time to adjust, but having a positive attitude is 95% of the battle. Besides, if you are embarrassed about your teeth now, you'll probably feel 1000% with your new dentures.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I'm 37 and have had an upper partial since I was 10 yrs old, when i had an accident and knocked out my front teeth. It has been a while, however my cousin just had a couple of teeth pulled and a new partial made less than 2 weeks ago.

The first couple of days you will have to eat soft foods or liquid until the stitches come out, talking is not difficult but you may feel self concious because youll have a lisp (don't try whistling - it doesn't work....LOL)

If your new dentures will have a metal frame, then you should take them out and soak them in Listerine and water (kills germs and bacteria) overnight. If you have an acrylic one, you can leave them in ---i used to do it all the time. My next partial that i am saving for will be a flexible! My denturist isn't fussy about them but I know a lot of dental techncians (they guys and gals that make the dentures) and they recommend them. The cost is about the same as an acrylic so its not a money issue it's a fit issue.

Let me point out to you that once you get your new teeth in, you will LOVE them!!! It takes a while to get used to them, and if you notice anything like they are too loose or too tight, go get them adjusted right away, or if you get sores in your mouth (it can sometimes happen with the first ones) talk to your dentist so he can adjust them.

Good luck and enjoy your new smile!!!!!

Answer 3

I'm going through it now, cept I'm 3 times your age. Cigarettes and Soda Pop, causing huge percentage of younguns to loose their teeth earlier than my generation. I've been getting it done for the last 9 months and now have a permanent full upper and a temp partial lower. Reason it's taken so long is because I still work a fulltime job and couldn't take time off, hence needed to keep something in my mouth even if only for cosmetic purposes. Been eating soups, yogurt, and smoothies most the time. I didn't have much problem talking, but couldn't chew much of anything. Just now learning to tackle solids. I suppose you can leave um in all the time if you want to, but I throw mine in a ultra sound bath to cleanse them and give my gums a break and breather. Plates are somewhat porus and a great place for bacteria to breed. So most people throw um in a cleanser bath overnight to lessen having an odor problem. Brushing the gums will toughen them up quicker and also help with lessening the odor issue. Actually, I go the the restroom and rinse my lower after every meal and several times during the day. However, I'm not 21 and faced with concerns that you may have. I know they're expensive, but have you talked to anybody about implants? You'd be better off with a couple of your own teeth or inplant posts on the lower. Makes it alot more stable and would help with bone resorption. You're gonna have um longer than I am, so I'd consider all alternatives. Good luck and keep a positive attitude, I'm sure you'll have a beautiful smile.
Cheers,

Answer 4

You should not be embarrassed, you are taking a vital step in improving your healthy and appearance.

Dentures are a big change- both physical and emotional. You will need to be prepared for these changes and have a good support group in place- family or friends. Be open with them about what you are having done and be honest with yourself.

Ask your dentist if you can have immediate dentures put in as soon as your teeth are extracted- this will help your gums heal faster and help greatly with the emotional aspect as you will not have to go out without any teeth.

Talking and eating will be a challenge whether you get immediate dentures or not. Be prepared with easy to "chew" foods like eggs, pudding, mashed potatoes, etc.

Think about all the positives of a nice smile. Look around you at other people with nice teeth, dentures do not mean the end of the world. Before long you will have them under control and you will look wonderful. And unless your dentist tells you otherwise, they do not have be removed every night- you do need to clean them daily and you should rest your gums for a period of time every day too.

Take it one step at a time

Sandy

Answer 5

You want have a hard time talking ,your gums will be sensitive
for awhile the longer you go without teeth the harder your gums will get I had my teeth pulled for several years before I got dentures, most of the time I eat without my dentures I can't eat anything hard though without my dentures .you can sleep in them if you want to . I use adhesive paste to keep them in place . To make yourself feel better look in the mirror with your new teeth .

Answer 6

go to a biologic dentist. non-biologic dentists do not pull the periodontal ligament. this will lead to bone loss that is unnecessary. go to one who uses iv conscious sedation. when you get them pulled, you wear temporary dentures (which are actually the same as regular dentures) for 3 months or so because the gums will shrink, then you get the permanent dentures. yes, it can be difficult to eat and adjust to and the dentist may have to make adjustments to them for proper fit. some people have problems, some don't.
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BIOLOGIC DENTISTRY AND IV SEDATION

Before Conscious IV sedation was used in Biological Dentistry, there was no other choice but to have the patient come into the office as many as 5 or 6 times for treatment.

According to Dr. Hal Huggins, a pioneer researcher of biological dentistry, IV sedation is...[a good] approach for the patient's welfare because...[it will] not interfere with the 7-14-21 day cycle of the immune system. ...this new approach...[allows] for faster recouperation, excellent detoxification,...and [is] less stressful for the patient.

IV sedation is performed by a licensed anesthesiologist (M.D.). ...we use MIDAZOLAM. The risk is minimal with heart and blood pressure being monitored throughout the procedure. ...[It] can last anywhere from 3-6 hours, depending on the amount of work required; But...to...the patient,...[it will seem like] it has only been an hour or less. The patient does not go under. They can talk, use the restroom, and interact and participate throughout the procedure. Some...patients drive home,...although...the patient [may opt to] bring a friend or spouse with them.
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CAVITATIONS

A cavitation is an unhealed hole in the jawbone caused by an extracted tooth [or a root canal or an injury to a tooth]. Since wisdom teeth are the most commonly extracted teeth, most cavitations are found in the wisdom tooth sites. Please see the graphic and photo below to get a glimpse of what may be in your mouth and the effects it is having. The photo and diagram demonstrate the destructive and pathologic consequence of a routine tooth extraction. Dentists are taught in dental school that once they pull a tooth, the patient's body heals the resulting hole in the jawbone. However, approximately 95% of all tooth extractions result in a pathologic defect called a cavitation. The tooth is attached to the jawbone by a periodontal ligament which is comprised of "jillions" of microscopic fibers. One end of each fiber is attached to the jawbone and the other end of the fiber is attached to the tooth root. When a tooth is extracted, the fibers break midway between the root and the bone. This leaves the socket (the area where the root was anchored in the bone) coated with periodontal ligament fibers.

There are specialized cells in the bone called osteoblasts. Osteoblasts make new bone. The word "osteoblast" means bone former. They are active during growth and maintenance. However, the periodontal ligament prevents the osteoblasts from filling in the tooth socket with bone since the periodontal ligament fibers lining the socket act as a barrier beyond which the osteoblasts cannot form bone. In other words, an osteoblast "sees" a tooth when it "sees" periodontal ligament fibers. Since there are billions of bacteria in the mouth, they easily get into the open tooth socket. Since the bone is unable to fill in the defect of the socket, the newly formed "cavitation" is now infected. Since there is no blood supply to the "cavitation" it is called "ischemic" or "avascular" (without a blood supply). This results in necrosis (tissue death). Hence we call a cavitation an unhealed, chronically infected, avascular, necrotic hole in the bone. The defect acts to an acupuncture meridian the same way a dead tooth (or root canal tooth) acts. It causes an interference field on the meridian which can impair the function and health of other tissues, organs and structures on the meridian. Significantly, the bacteria in the cavitation also produce the same deadly toxins that are produced by the bacteria in root canals (see Root Canals). These toxins are thio-ethers (most toxic organic substance known to man), thio-ethanols, and mercaptans. They have been found in the tumors in women with breast cancer.