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I'm making an appointment tommorrow with the dentist to get dentures. I can't get implants because the meds I took to PREVENT bone loss after cancer dissolved much of my jaw bone.[you read that right] Because of the bone loss I have been steadily losing teeth for about 7 years now.
My questions are two-fold. One, I have read that one thing difficult about getting used to dentures is learning new ways to chew with both the top and bottom dentures. Because of that, I was thinking to just leave the remaining bottom teeth right now and only get uppers to start with. [I also don't have near as many tooth problems on the bottom]
Second question is a dumb but serious one. I keep thinking about the sneeze or the laugh or the cough that could send my dentures flying. Unless I have a cute one liner when that happens I will be so humiliated. So, any funny lines if [when] this happens to me?
Well, I'd just get the uppers done. The bottom can wait, from your posting. You may have gagging issues (I did, very badly) so modifying them may be needed.
As far as chewing. I took mine out as it was a pain to eat with them. When I do replace them, I know what I'll want so as to reduce issues. I'll only wear them for appearance sake, no other reason.
Using a good adhesive, will halt embarrassing incidents.
I'd just go with the top for now. My dentist told me that the top teeth hold onto debris more than bottom teeth and that is why mine went bad and had to be removed. My top denture fits well and if they fit well you shouldn't need adhesive to keep them in place. I've been told bottom dentures are harder to keep in place without adhesive so I am doing my best to hold on to those teeth.
Be persistent with your dentist if they don't fit right. My mom always had issues with them not fitting properly. Plus, over time your bones and gums may continue to recede, and they may need to be re-lined. Sometimes it takes multiple adjustments to the inner surface to get them to fit properly so they stay in place. If they fit right, suction due to the moisture in your mouth should keep them in place. If worried about them flying out, be extra sure to cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, but hopefully you do that already.
I have literally enough hour in the dental chair that if it was qualifying "flying time" I'd have a commercial pilot's license.
In my case none of my mother's family had good teeth, or their own teeth after 40. Thin enamel is the family issue. For me, because of opioid pain relieves I can't really live without over two decades basically killed off my teeth.
The reason the bottom teeth "last longer" basically is they kind of sit in saliva all day.
Currently I have a full upper and a partial bottom(just molars).
The front bottoms have deteriorated so bad that even the dentist agreed just pull the last 8 and go full bottom.
Besides wanting the new uppers to match just right, (and if course more money to them), a full set at the same time may really be best.
When they made the full upper (I was milking the upper partial before I got the full), they were able to match it to my older bottom partial quite well, but it was an issue with biting/chewing versus just being closed together, if that makes any sense.
I have to make an appointment to get er done, the rest of the rotten stubs out and new full bottom made.
Again, being cheap, I was going to keep/refuse my current upper, they didn't like the idea, but at $4200 just to extract the teeth and make a bottom! So much for the new company.
I'm going back to the old denture company, not cheap, but far better in price.
I'm now going to have the bottoms removed and both new dentures done together. I have a small mouth, hard to fit "just right" also.
I'm getting both because I just recently set the upper on the vanity edge, lost my balance, knocked them off and one front upper tooth broke off. Oh, well it lasted me about 4 years. And, no we can't just glue it back in, for the life of us, we don't even find that single tooth anywhere in the bathroom, hmm, I now wonder if it bounced into the toilet?
The bottom partial is about 6 years old, and they DO wear down with use!
I have a high gag reflex, and I gag putting them in or taking them out. Even still.
And, lol, if you use fixodent or poligrip (not as good in my estimate) or the store brand work great so your teeth won't fly out!
(The old fixodent commercial of "fixodent and forget it" with a lady biting into an apple WONT work, however)
It's up to you, insurance if any, or your budget, but I would suggest getting both at same time.
My top were supposed to be held in place by 4 implants that they clicked on to but 2 of the implants came out.
Keep your original teeth as long as you can, nothing is as good.
If you can keep some of your bottom teeth, do so, hang on to them as long as possible.
That's what I did. I have lost a couple towards the front which if the truth were told, had been problematic since I was in my teens.
I have yet, though even after almost twenty years of having an upper denture, really gotten used to eating with them. Mostly it's what's called "mouth feel".
Correct, taking medication to support bone loss (typically Osteoporosis) is not always compatible with implants. It has nothing to do with having had cancer. It affects the makeup of the jaw bones.
The medication is never guaranteed to PREVENT ALL bone loss in all cases. I'm sure your doctor/dentist told you that.
I have one implant and holding off on getting another (molar) until I'm sure I don't have osteoporosis and need any meds (since 5 years ago I was borderline)
A good dentist will make the most healthy and conservative recommendation and it sounds like for you, that might be focusing on the uppers, retaining your lower teeth OR removing some and adding a partial plate that hooks onto a couple of remaining teeth down there.
My neighbor with extensive tooth loss after a car accident also had EXTREME osteoporosis and was in rehab three months at age 62 after a serious kitchen fall with 8 rods in her hip/thigh and that soloution is what her dentist did with her. She takes the osteo med once a year, I think. So basically she's walking around with two teeth in her mouth, a partial on the bottom and full on top. NOTHING noticible unless I call her after she removes them at night LOL (she also had 3B lung cancer a couple years ago but been in remission thereafter thank god)
My parents and grandparents had full dentures all my life and I never once noticed any problem with anything.
Besides, you're talking a good $30,000 minimum for a mouthful of implants so there's that!
EDIT: DO NOT GO CHEAP on the dentist! NO CHAIN STORES. Find a dentist with HIGH LEGIT REVIEWS preferably from people you KNOW because you're talking 24/7 COMFORT, quality and durability that lasts more than just a couple years.
Last edited by huitrecouture; 08-08-2022 at 03:57 PM..
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