What's been your experience with dentures?

[maslex]

Just plain ole regular dentures. No implants, no partials, etc.

Due to surgery 8 years ago my teeth have been seriously going downhill. Cavity after cavity after cavity. Filling after filling after filling. Extraction after extraction after extraction. My dentist has said that I've put up a good fight but it's now time for dentures. So next month I'm getting the 9 bottom teeth plus a wisdom tooth pulled.

I'm assuming I'll be on liquid and soft foods for a while. That's fine. I've done it before. I'm just worried about the recovery (pain wise). Any insight?

 

[LuvOrlando]

Any thoughts of doing a second or even a third opinion before such an extreme measure?

Maybe there are alternatives out there your current dentist just doesn't know about. I mean lots of cavities and getting teeth pulled every now and then doesn't seem like that big a deal to have real teeth that that bite into thigs properly.

Its annoying and all but I wouldn't pull me teeth just to simplify things, Dentist sounds a bit like a quack to make the suggestion.

 

[Pooh2]

I would definitely get another opinion as well as a consult for implants.
The bone shrinks up pretty quickly after extraction so same day implants are a good way to go if you are a candidate.
Good luck with your recovery.

 

[dizneegirl]

My grandmother had the remainder of her teeth pulled, as she didn't have great teeth to begin with, and had come to be in a situation similar to yours. She regrets doing it now. She never has had gotten one set (can't remember if it's the upper or lower set) just right, and generally only wears the other for every day/when she's not in company.

 

[Christine]

My aunt had this done at a very young age because of so much dental work. She said it's just never the same.

 

[Rogue1677x]

Both my parents had to have dentures when they were in their 20's and 30's (medical reasons) and in my mom's case, she's had to have them replaced three times (once because they broke, twice because bone shrinkage).

She said it was painful, but considering this was shortly after giving birth, it was nothing compared to that.

My dad no longer has his dentures thanks to a work outing involving drinking, needing some fresh air and when he stuck his head out the car window, the dentures flew out of his mouth, getting run over in the process.

His coworkers being the funny guys they were, took up a collection in honor of his teeth and built a little memorial.

My dad doesn't quite register pain normally, I forget how a doctor described it. He feels pain, but has an extremely high threshold, so for him it maybe was not terribly painful. He had heart surgery as a kid and my grandmother said he never complained of pain then either.

 

[trip]

If you can manage- get implants. I have some and am so happy with them. If your dr. Doesn't do them find another for a second opinion.

 

[OneOftheB's]

Full disclosure, I do not have dentures and my husband is a dentist.

So, according to him, the first 3 days are rough. You should be given temporary dentures. Wear them and follow the directions given to you by your dentist. If you can afford it, get at least 2 implants (they can set mini implants) to use as adhesion points for the dentures, you will be 100x happier than trying to use one of the denture adhesives that you put in daily.

 

[maslex]

OP here. Thanks for all of the suggestions. My orthopedic DR put me out of work permanently back in February. So right now, I have no income and implants are just way too expensive right now (maybe down the line, who knows). As for my teeth, I have had SO many fillings done that my dentist has said that I don't have much actually tooth left. It's mostly fillings so even getting a partial wouldn't work because I don't have any solid teeth to actually hold onto.