Hi Brianna - thank you so much for your dedication to this site and to answering our questions. I've only had the center area of my teeth, both upper and lower, for the past 13 years and have done well without my molars. To clarify, I have the 4 center teeth, the eye (canine) tooth and one molar on each side, top and bottom. I've been on medications that cause extreme dry mouth for 29 years now, and most of my teeth have extensive fillings all along the gum line. My bottom teeth don't show much, and I have a small mouth - but unfortunately my biggest asset is my smile, which shows all of my upper teeth. Vanity, vanity! And I still do have 5 good teeth on the top - but I don't know if that is enough to hold a partial in place, and as the decay is advancing so quickly since I started using a CPAP machine all night. My dentist is adamately opposed to my getting dentures, to the point where she just won't speak at all while working on my teeth.

The 5 good teeth are on the top -4 center and 1 canine tooth - and my dentist is proposing an $1100 crown for the remaining molar on that side. I will lose the canine tooth on the upper right, along with the last molar next to it here soon - the molar is very loose, and the canine tooth has a very deep decay, which they used a laser to access and try to repair some 6 months ago but it is now hurting and somewhat loose.

How do I decide if there are enough teeth there to justify a partial? I can't trust my current dentist - she feels all 12 teeth on the bottom (which have extensive fillings along the gum line) but I should at least try root canals and crowns for all 12! to try to save them for a few more years. No, of course I can't afford that - and I can't count on her to give me an objective opinion on the top teeth.

Also, just how does one find someone to do dentures? Each individual dentist in my area (southern Maryland) seems to do them, all with different opinions as to a liner or using temporary dentures then having permanent ones in about a year. Must I go around to each dentist for a consult and somehow decide if what they are proposing is good or not, and affordable.

Any suggestion for each of these issues? I also am complicated by being a diabetic and have a severe allergy to glycolic acid derivAtives. So everything used on me, including liners and the finished dentures I have to contact the manufacturer to see if glycols are present. My current dentist can't give me that information - she can't know today which lab she might recommend(!). As I stated, she is highly opposed to my getting dentures.

I would appreciate any guidance you have. It's very difficult to figure out what to do and who to go with. Thanks!

ElizaJane