Nervous About Dentures - Dental Health Message Board

DFWGIRL · 10-19-2006, 02:39 PM

hI
i am new to this site, but i read a lot of good things
i am 39 years old, with really bad teeth all my life. In Jan 07 i have to have all of my top teeth pulled, and get a top plate, i am so nervous about it all, how long will it be before i can eat, talk and such, and also i am so nervouse of what my husband is going to be like when i have them out?? can you sleep in them? I want to wear them 24/7

crisma · 10-19-2006, 07:56 PM

Hi there! Getting dentures is a pretty scary thing, but if you have bad teeth, I think it is well worth it! I usually wear my dentures all the time. I have a full set. Sometimes I take the bottoms out to sleep, but most of the time I leave them in. Eating takes a little while to get used to, but I eat better now than when I had the bad teeth. Talking is kinda hard for a few weeks. The letter S is the worst. If I had known how easy of a time I have had with mine, I would have done it years ago. Living with bad teeth is a nightmare!!!!!! If you have any other questions, I will be happy to answer them if I can!

Cristie

mc1982 · 10-19-2006, 09:08 PM

Hi DFW....I am in Texas too...EAst TX....Crisma gave you some good advice girl, she gave me some too. I just had all my top teeth pulled a week ago this past Wed....also had 4 pulled on the right bottom. So far I have done great, much better than I had conjured up in my little ole mind. My dentist gave me two 5mg. Valium to take abt. an hour before my appt. and they had me really relaxed...not sleepy but very relaxed, which made it easier to get past the needle...that was what I worried abt. most and it was really not that bad. Once I was deadened good and he started pulling I did not feel a thing, just a little pressure a few times but NO pain at all. Also I was only in there abt. an hour total and it was over. When I got ready to leave they gave me a prescription for an antibiotic (he said he always does this to be safe) and a presc. for Vicodan for pain. I only had to take the Vicodan 2 or 3 days and I was never in any bad pain, just a little uncomfortable. Be sure before you go to stock up on soups, puddings, jello, yogurt, ice cream and such, soft foods. For breakfast I usually eat scrambled eggs or cream of wheat, oatmeal and such. I am a big iced tea drinker and the nurse said that was great, that the tannic acid in tea helps the healing. No carbonated drinks for a few days and nothing real hot at first. Tomorrow I go in to get the bottom teeth cleaned (9) and one filling and they will prepare two teeth for crowns and put temp ones on. In abt. two weeks I will get perm crowns and about 5 wks. after that I will get a bottom bridge or partial. Try not to worry too much and thats easier said than done, as Crisma told me...lol....but it really isnt as bad as you imagine...I promise. The dentist told me to leave my denture in at night for now. After the 2nd day I was to take it out 5 or 6 times a day and rinse gently with warm salt water but I do sleep in it. I do not want to sleep without mine either and the Dr. said that was ok but to leave them out at some time during the day to let your mouth rest and breathe. When I shower I put them in the denture cleaner and then brush them and rinse my mouth good and put back in before I leave the bathroom...lol. I guess I am very vain but oh well. Crisma is right too, I would have done them sooner if I had known it would go this well. If you have any questions I will be glad to try and answer you and I am sure Crisma will too. Hugs...Marcia....got to help a fellow Texan!!

Sandybeech · 10-20-2006, 08:10 AM

Getting a denture or dentures is a big life changing step. If you look back at the problems you have suffered with, a denture may be a welcome change/cure. As with anything you do to your body, there needs to be time for healing to take place- both mental and physical. Give yourself time for this.

Learn all you can about dentures before you go in. If you have any friends or family that have dentures, pull them aside and ask some questions. The more you know and understand the easier the process is.

About your husband- get him involved in this process every step of the way, the more he understands the better for both of you. Also let him know your fears and concerns about your relationship with him. About your social interaction with other people. He is your partner and he is probably best equipped to help you.

Feel free to ask questions here. I am 41 and have had full dentures for 6 years.

Sandy

ibladyv · 10-20-2006, 08:59 PM

DFWGIRL

YOU SHOULD BE NERVOUS! MY EXPERIENCE WITH A TOP DENTURE WAS A NIGHTMARE!

AND STILL IS.ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A VERY GOOD DENTIST, AND IT WOULDN'T HURT TO VISIT A FEW DENTURE WEBSITES TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THE WHOLE PROCESS.SINCE YOU SAY YOUR TEETH ARE IN VERY BAD SHAPE YOU WILL PROBABLY BE VERY HAPPY WITH NEW ONES! MAKE SURE THEY TAKE IMPRESSIONS AND THAT THEY DONT LOOSE THEM! LOL.. ABOVE ALL,MY ADVICE TO YOU IS WHEN YOU TRY ON THE "WAX" IMPRESSIONS, THAT YOU ARE COMPLETELY SATISFIED WITH THE WAY THEY LOOK AND FIT.BECAUSE NO MATTER WHAT THE DENTIST TELLS YOU ABOUT HOW THE PERMANET ONES WILL DO THIS AND THAT DIFFRERENTLY THAN THE WAX ONES,IT IS A BUNCH OF BULL!

AS FAR AS THE REST OF IT GOES,YOU'RE ASLEEP WHEN THEY ARE PULLED AND THEY ARE IN WHEN YOU WAKE UP.DEPENDING HOW FAST YOU HEAL WILL DETERMINE WHAT YOU CAN EAT.IF THEY FIT RIGHT THAT SHOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM.YOU MAY LOOSE A FEW POUNDS BUT THEY TOO WILL RETURN.AND DON'T WORRIE MY DEAR, ONCE YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF IN THE MIRROR,YOU WILL "NOT" LET YOUR HUSBAND LOOK AT YOU WITHOUT THEM! TRUST ME. LOL..

GOOD LUCK TO YOU.