Hals

Hi Moira,

I feel your pain. I have partials top and bottom and they feel like hockey pucks in the mouth. The list of problems includes speech defects (slurring, lisping, thickness and an inability to pronounce the words "box," "cheese," and anything ending in an "s," so I must never speak in the plural form), inability to chew/swallow, appliance movement and obviousness.

I hate them. I cannot get used to the bulk and I agree with your assessment that this is a life-changing experience. I find that I am socially reticent and extremely self-conscious (the lowers did a nice leap off the gums during an interview). Mine do not fit well in a few areas. I have brought this to my dentist's attention more than once, and he now sees me as a demanding patient who is being unnecessarily difficult (Anyone out there been told that the dentures were better than being edentulous?). The back "canals" on top are too wide for my gums and do not contour properly and my gums sit above the plastic; the same issue plagues one side of the lower back.

When they fit tightly in the front, they spring up in the back and vice versa. Then there's this very obvious pink plastic gumline that doesn't come close to matching my own gum coloration (on the upper front) so that when I smile I am revealing the plate.

Then there are the werewolf teeth. I have my lower canines, and the four replacement plastic front teeth were constructed to jut out beyond the canines, giving me an underbite (and to think that I went into this with an OVERbite!). I have complained about this repeatedly and told that the appearance of the teeth is correct. It's my guess that since my canines were twisted, the lab had to no room to fit in four lower front teeth and brought them forward, but this looks appallingly bad.

There are minor issues as well. The bottom line is that I can't stand wearing the things and want to rip them out of my mouth. I am always aware of them and frequently take them out and put them in my pocket and hope that no one speaks to me.

Am going to spend some more money on another dentist. I was told the speech problems were my fault, and yet I speak quite clearly without these contraptions and have overcome most deficiencies there with ease. As it is, I am nearly unintelligble with them in and I used to do voiceover narrations and was known for my speaking voice and articulation. No more.

Good luck--wishing you the best!