Ill Fitting Partial - Dental Health Message Board

Zimm · 10-31-2001, 10:45 PM

Hi Everyone!! I have told my sorrowful story on the board several times. I have a new problem that I hope someone can help shed some light on(I HOPE) To make a long story short,after months of problems with a tooth, I finally went to a new dentist, he suggested that he pull that tooth and make me a new partial. VOILA, problems gone. WRONG!!! The partial doesn't fit right, it's too tight, it feels crooked, he says there's nothing wrong. When I wear them for too long, I'm getting a lot of gum pain and burning, only where the partial fits, I compared my old partial to the new one, only where it is the most painful, and it's totally different. I also notice that because of the burning and pain, I'm clenching my lower jaw and I'm starting to get like a charlie horse pain in my jaw joint. I have no idea where to go from here. I would appreciate any info any one can share with me.

Shaelle · 11-01-2001, 12:54 PM

Not too long ago I found a letter in a chart. This letter was from a patient and it was directed to the State Board of Dental Examiners. And enclosed was other papers. The letter referred to another dentist in town who had fit a patient with an ill-fitting partial denture. This patient kept going back to this dentist and the dentist kept telling her it was fine and would make a couple of adjustments here and there but there never fit right. In the end the patient filed a complaint to the State Board and a hearing was held the doctor was to re-make the partial or pay back her money. She took her money back and came to our office. The doctor she saw made another partial and she is much happier, her partial fits great and she's happy now.

Moral of this story.....you paid alot for that partial, demand that he makes it right, makes you a new one if necessary, gives you your money back (you will probably have to give up your bad partial), or you will file your complaint with the State Board.

It sounds like your ill-fitting partial may be causing you other problems, possibly joint problems. Another thing, if your insurance paid for it, then contact them and let them know, maybe they can refuse payment until the problem is fixed.

Good Luck

Zimm · 11-01-2001, 10:06 PM

Shaelle,
Thank you so much for your reply. If I go to the State board, don't I have to have an attorney and prove it was made all wrong? I am so totally new and confused about all this. I really appreciate you taking the time to answer my post. Thank you.

Zimm · 11-04-2001, 09:24 PM

Shaelle,
You were so very kind to answer my posting, I hope you won't mind if I ask you another question. My husband insists that because the dentist took an impression, there is no way that the partial can't fit, because the impression is my mouth. Can this be wrong, I have spent so much money with this tooth and partial, and being a retired senior, I don't have it to spend, so my husband gets frustrated about the money. I know I have pain from this partial!! please tell me if there could possibly be something wrong with this partial even though he took an impression. Thank you for listening.

MelanieB · 11-06-2001, 01:04 PM

Zimm,

If the partial is causing any pain in the jaw joint area then please please get it fixed as soon as possible!!! The jaw joint is very sensitive to misalignments and malocclusion (poor bite that ill fitting partials can cause) and continued wear of something that is causing you pain in your jaw can lead to chronic jaw pain down the road when the partial is fixed and fine. I know the sensitivities of the jaw joint first hand. Go to the TMJ (temporo mandibular joint) disorder page on these healthboards and you will see many people with severe jaw problems. Lots of them (not me though) are due to poor fitting braces, dentures, and other oral appliances.

So please seek a second opinion, see another dentist, or whatever you have to do, to get this fixed!

And to answer your question - just because an impression was taken does not mean that it's foolproof. A lot of lab work is done to make any oral device and mistakes and errors can and do happen. A half a millimeter error can cause huge problems. But usually it can be corrected and made to fit properly. I have a hard time believing that yours can't be fixed. If it's that bad, they should make you a whole new one!

And if your dentist tells you that the jaw pain is nothing, turn around and walk out. As a TMJ disorder sufferor, I promise you it is NOT nothing. It is a very serious and painful condition.

Melanie