Yos

Hi Frisfluf,

Sorry to hear about your ordeal. I know this is something you won't want to hear but I get the impression your dentist is not good at treating denture patients and fitting dentures. X-rays should have revealed some clues of your "fish hook" roots and the proximity of the sinus'. You should have been referred to an oral surgeon. If your dentist is an oral surgeon (mine was) he/she should have used a more appropriate sedation method or spread the extractions over a number of visits. You should never have had to endure what you did. But that, as they say, is water under the bridge. I hope that you trust your dentist enough to continue with your treatment plan.

The first thing you need to do is manage your pain. Ask your dentist for a refill of your pain medicine, at least another weeks worth. It sounds like you're going to need it. If you're really in pain and he/she refuses then you're better off seeing another dentist that actually cares about whether you're in pain or not. Immediate dentures should be worn 24/7 (except for cleaning and rinsing) for some time after the extractions but not if they're painful to wear. Take them out if they hurt to wear. Rinse your mouth with salt water often (about a teaspoon of salt to a cup of water). It promotes healing and is actually quite soothing. Ice packs could help reduce swelling as well.

The "hores teeth" effect is a common complaint. It's usually a result of the gums being swollen and pushing the dentures up for the lower denture and down for the upper denture. Your dentist shouldn't have given you a soft reline so soon after the extractions either. Most new denture wearers have their first soft reline after two or three weeks when the swelling from extractions is gone and the gums begin to resorb (shrink). If anything, the soft reline probably only made your "horse teeth" effect worse by adding more thickness between your gums and the denture. If you still have "horse teeth" after all the swelling is gone and your gums are resorbing then you'll know there is a problem with the dentures. Try to be patient until then.

It sounds like your initial healing period will be longer than normal. But normal or not, healing from multiple extractions and adapting to dentures will take time. What's most important for you now is to get relief from your pain and have your gums heal properly. Dentures can be adjusted or remade to fit properly so that should be a secondary consideration at this point. If you have any other questions please ask. Good luck!

Yos
(full upper, partial lower Dec. 2, 2002)