Hi there. I am a 35 year old woman. I have had a whole host of dental issues this past year and have lost 7 teeth. It has been awful and I so badly want to be out of pain. Most recently, I lost the two upper left back molars. I was already wearing a partial denture (because I lost the back three upper right teeth), so when I lost these two upper left ones, they added teeth to the denture on the left. I started wearing the denture after the extraction and it was rubbing very badly. However, I was out of town and couldn't go for an adjustment for a week. (I should've stopped wearing it, but we were at a resort and I was embarrassed to be without… and needed it to eat). When I returned, I went for three adjustments, and my dentist got it to the point (just yesterday) where I can now wear it. However, it rubbed SO badly for so long that I am in so much pain now (even with it out). It feels like my gums are bruised and there is referred pain up behind my gums and into my cheek, and sometimes even into my jaw joint. It's awful. Is this amount of pain normal? I am taking Aleve and T3s to control the pain, but am wondering if maybe I have an infection from the rubbing (no noticeable infection is present, but perhaps it's a possibility??)

Also, I have a sore back molar on the left bottom (yes, another tooth issue. Ugh!). I have this horrible feeling that maybe I'm ALSO feeling pain from this tooth that is being referred to my upper teeth? Is that possible? I should explain that this tooth is just a little sore if I press on it, but otherwise, seems fine. It hasn't ached in the past. But the gums around it occasionally get inflamed since getting a big filling it about 6 months ago. My dentist seems to think it's just a sensitive tooth, and perhaps food getting trapped around can make it sore as well? It is not sensitive to hot or cold and there is no sharp pain present.

Any advice you have is so greatly appreciated. Bryanna, I see that you have so much expertise, that if you have time to read and respond, I would be in your debt. I should mention that I do plan on getting dental 5-7 dental implants, once all of my healing takes place. I simply cannot wait to not wear this denture anymore. It has not been pleasant thus far. I'm considering seeing a denture specialist as I have just received my denture through my dentist, and it is not her speciality. Thoughts on this as well?