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Question:
I am considering dentures, I have a number of problems due to a chrushed jaw when I was a child. I loose tooth after tooth. First root canal, then pull them. Most have never had a cavity. Now, I am 45 and have had cavities and in the last 9 months I have lost 3 teeth and about to loose my fourth. And have one starting to hurt now. I am so depressed about this.
My dentist says that I have good bone and should not get dentures. I am so tired of the pain. I have lost a lot of weight, that I didn't have to lose anyway. I have nine teth left on top and nine left on the bottom. I have a flipper on the top. It doesn't even allow me to eat. And this is what my dentist made for me.
I want to get dentures and I want the Genevea kind, they are like swiss dentures. I wanted to know if there are any swiss denture people in Calfornia? And what do you think about someone in my shape? ...Mary in CA
Answer:
Mary, you have stated that your dentist says you have good bone. If you do have good bone support and are free from gum infection (no bleeding upon
probing or flossing) and the existing teeth that you have are stable (will not move when forces are placed on them and free from decay) then I would very
strongly urge you to do whatever it takes to keep your natural teeth.
Once they are gone, there gone and you will never have the chewing capacity of natural, healthy teeth with a denture. I have personally helped many patients through the process of loosing their teeth and transitioning into dentures and I have yet to meet one who really likes their dentures more than natural teeth - especially a full lower denture.
If you do have some loose or compromised teeth, I would still recommend that you try to establish health then design your existing teeth to receive a well
formed partial denture. Please don't look at your present stayplate (flipper) as the only option you have. A well constructed custom cast partial denture
has a very precise fit and can be made to look very beautiful today. It also feels much tighter and thinner.
We even have partials that have no metal at all called Valplast that feel very good and look great, so again I would urge you to reconsider. My very worse day in dentistry is the day I must remove a patients lower teeth and give them a full lower denture (assuming no implant support). These are extremely hard to get use to and will flop and slide around and only function at 10-15% of natural teeth.
If you are in a state of end stage periodontal disease, and you must loose your teeth due to lack of support, than I would urge you to consider some implants on the lower arch (4 if possible) and a metal bar and clips to lock your lower denture in place. This will provide you with nearly 70-80% function as normal teeth. If you do choose dentures,there are a number of beautiful denture systems out there today and the real important part is that you find a dentist who will discuss your cosmetic concerns.
I like to get my patients heavily involved with the tooth selection (type and shape), color and set up (how the teeth fit together in the arch). Our goal is to provide natural looking dentures, not fake looking ones. I like the Ivoclar pressed dentures with IPN teeth (very beautiful and hard). You should expect a
custom shade match of the acrylic to your natural tissue and demand all the details be there. You should look at the teeth in wax before it is processed
so you can review the cosmetics. Often photos will help with this.
You are quite young to loose all of your teeth by today's standards so if you can save what you have and design a nice fitting and looking custom removable set of partial dentures, this should serve you well for many years.
Editorial Staff
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