Dentist and me...

Am facing 2 extractions at end of the month then 5 visits at weekly intervals for the dentures etc.... I can certainly think of nicer ways to spend my time and money!

Six months ago I had a dental check up and all was fine - now a piece of tooth and a filling have fallen out of two of my back teeth! The cause was lettuce of all things and mushrooms.

After the 3 or 6 months when the gum has healed and thus shrunken a little, the denture will need 'lined' or perhaps a touch of polygrip.

The metal denture is well worth it if it is affordable and suitable. Extra teeth can be added within reason.

I'm on my second metal denture. I have an appointment on Friday regarding a loose-ish molar.....this molar is needed to be kept for the denture to hook onto...So fingers crossed.

I've had a metal part-denture which hooked onto crowns for about 10 years - that's been fine until recently. The crowns have now finally given up and I have a huge space there, and a wobbly part-denture awaiting replacement.

My dentist told me that I can have a plastic part-denture right away, as Coolgran65 described, and it's under construction atm, then after 3 or 6 (can't remember which) months I can have a metal one again if I want.

I'd have thought that'd be the same for you loopylou.

suzied DD has just had the same process for two teeth that needed crowning. She said she should have realised how much it would cost when the dentist didn't mention price at all Still, what else are credit cards for?

Thank you Coolgran, that's really interesting especially as have emergency dental appt tomorrow so can ask about options.
Not happy about bridge on crowns as part of the problem is that elderly crown came off and tooth underneath was rotten which apparently is common development when you have a crown?
Implants totally out of the question, would be talking about at least a £15000 bill at the end !

That's reassuring, Coolgran. I may well be in a similar position myself soon if my front crown snaps off again!

loopylou - I have a partial denture and was also told that following extractions the gum has to have time to settle and heal so that the new denture will always fit well.

Like you I was very worried about appearance.
It was sorted ok.

My partial upper denture is made from a base of metal and is very fine, can hardly feel in it my mouth. The gum had to be well healed before I could have this. This metal fitting is not available on the NHS and cost me about £600.

While waiting for the 3 months or so, I wore a NHS partial denture. This is the usual denture where there is a pink plastic roof. I had a 9am appointment for impressions and returned to the dentist at 4pm for a fitting. It cost me around £120.

I decided against a bridge on crowns as one of the removed teeth had been a troublesome crown that never settled because of the root which was difficult to remove. I was afraid of any further problem in the gum which would mean breaking the crowns to get the bridge out to get access.

I have recently had a bridge fitted and am very pleased with it. Like Suzied, the worst bit was the cost.

Have spent 2 hours at the dentist today. Had a crown and inlay done same day , amazing new technology - computer modelling done by having scans done of teeth, which are hideously projected onto a screen, then the crowns are made in about 30 mins, no moulds, just accurate measurements from the scan then perfectly fitting crown milled and fitted. Most painful bit was paying for it.

I am 77 and must have a good dentist as I still have all my own teeth.I had a broken one the week before Christmas and there was no question of taking it out. He did all the prep work there and then and fitted a temporary crown and the permanent one on the 23rd.

You should have heard what my dentist had to say about senior partner's work which started this whole débâcle off.......
Would change dentist Practice but don't trust any of them now.

Why do dentist always seem to contradict each other? I've seen posts on another forum about contradictory advice from dentists , of course we can only be guided by them but how can you make a decision based on differing views of the same problem?

I have one tooth that my dentist wants to take out. I had to see an emergency dentist a few weeks ago as the temporary dressing that had been put in fell out. Second dentist put in a dressing and said the tooth could be crowned and did not need to come out. I will tackle my dentist about this when I see him next. Don't want any unnecessary extractions.

Good luck with the teeth - and with your course.

Dentist said a bridge but would attach to 2 crowns which may not be enough, or implants at £1500 each, which is a no brainer!
Had all 5 out at once then ghastly 'dry socket' (infection) and antibiotics for 6 days...... Also he had difficulty getting them out [scared]
My big worry is appearances, about to start a Return to Nursing course and very depressed at thought of no teeth for upto 3 months ( according to dentist things have to settle down before can have replacement bridge/partial denture etc)
Not to mention so difficult to eat......

Hasn't your dentist made any suggestions loopylou? A partial denture perhaps or a bridge to replace the missing teeth.

OOOOh that does sound awful. I am slightly dental phobic but more doctor phobic because of being around them too much in the past two years.

Did you have all five teeth out at once. I had two out at the same time and that was bad enough. I know I have one tooth that has to come out and another possible and I'm going to ask if I can have them done one at a time.

I think it's better to keep your own teeth if you can. A dentist at a hospital told me a person can manage with a certain amount of teeth. (I can't remember how many it was.)