Thank you for the reassurance. I have my follow up appointment tomorrow and will find what is going on. I have recovered a lot of feeling in my chin/lip. Lip is still tingley but I can feel pain when I bite it (which happens often because these dentures do not fit correctly). When it was numb, I wasn't aware I was biting the inside of my lip.

I did not have a Cat Scan prior to the surgery. He did a digital x-ray (not sure what its called, but it is on a huge TV screen while I sit in the chair...scary).

I hope he can tell if the bone grafting is working. I'm hoping I can get two implants in the lower bone in July.

Part of me regrets my decision to remove my teeth. But after reading the good information on this site, I think I probably did the right thing. Most of my teeth had been root canalled over the years and had crowns. I got opinions from 4 different dentists and Periodontists before making the decision to remove them all. Wearing a denture is terrible and I feel depressed that I will have to live the rest of my life with this. I wish I had the money to afford multiple implants so I could eventually get rid of the denture. But that isn't possible. I have no insurance and had to take a loan for the work I've had done so far.

Sorry for the long post,
Jane

Hi Jane,

Adapting to a new denture will be challenging. Everyone has their own story about this journey and most people find ways to deal very well with the denture as time goes on. It is important that the denture fit as well as possible and that should be a priority for your dentist to see that he does that for you. Some people have little to no problem right from the beginning and others need many adjustments during the healing phase.

It really will help you feel better mentally if you remind yourself from time to time that you have removed the infected teeth for the betterment of your overall health. That thought is an affirmation that you have done something positive and in spite of the challenges ahead, you are so much healthier for making this choice. As you heal, things will settle down and you will feel better and better about your decision.

Please let us know how your dental visit goes today...
Bryanna

Appointment went well. Oral Surgeon said I'm healing very well and had a nice ridge formation (have no idea what that is, but he seemed pleased). He said he was glad the dentist was making a new denture and requested I wear it for a few days and let him see it before I made any adjustments. I said I would. He said I had good bone and thought I would be ready in July for implants. He explained different options, but I got confused and he said he'd go over everything in detail in July. My impression was that he thought I could work with two implants on the bottom and seeing if I could live with the upper without implants.

He knows money is a problem for me and also explained that they now have generic implants which cost about 1/4 of the price of regular implants. He did stress that he has not used them and cannot assure me about how well they work. He compared them to generic drugs which work well in general. But he did not have experience with them.

My numbness is almost gone. He was pleased to hear and said the laser treatments might have speeded up the healing. He was sure it would have gone away on its own without the laser. He showed me, on my x-ray how my nerve runs in my bottom jaw. He said he would have to work around it if I got implants. The nerve is close to where the implant would go. He explained about placing implants at an angle to avoid damaging the nerve. He said he'd take new x-rays in July to reassess where to place the implants.

All in all, the visit went well. I always feel good when I see him, he seems very confident and helps me relax. My regular dentist is another story and I want to change dentist but she's making me a new denture at her cost (which she keeps reminding me). Part of the problems I've had with the denture is that when it was first put in, it was too loose and kept falling out. It also was too long and I would get an ear-ache each time I opened my mouth. It hit on the nerve by the hinge of my jaw. So, she cut the dentures but cut them too short. So theres no suction and they keep falling out. I haven't been able to chew anything. I do not want to work with her after getting the new denture. If she has to fix it to take the implants, I don't trust she knows how to do it. She seems unsure of herself which doesn't help me feel better. We'll see what happens.

Thank you for your support, it helps so much. I don't know if I can save up enough money for the implants but I hope I can do something.

Jane

Hi Jane,

Well from your statements about your visit today with the oral surgeon.... I think I like him He sounds very caring, confident, concerned about the fit of your denture and likes to have his ducks in a row before proceeding .... all of which is very, very good!

I appreciate his offering the generic implants as he is trying to make it more affordable for you. However, since he is not experienced with using them and since your mandibular nerve may pose some complications with the placement of the implants.... I would seriously consider going with the regular implants that he is most experienced working with.

It is good that you have a nice ridge formation as this means that your denture will have something to hold onto rather than the bone being flat. Dental implants can be put in at an angle.... however this can be a little tricky when fabricating the denture.

I have to tell you, it is not typical for an oral surgeon to be so concerned about the fit of the denture as they generally focus on the surgery and leave the restoration portion up to the other dentist. However, he may be concerned because of the lousy fit of this first denture and how she chopped it up in adjusting it. Implant dentures are more complicated... perhaps he is concerned about the fit of that one too but may not want to step on her toes and tell you his concerns.

Did your dentist refer you to this oral surgeon for the extractions? Have you expressed your concerns to him about your thoughts on her making the implant denture? He may be inclined to refer you to someone else if you express those concerns to him. Just a thought......

Glad the numbness is getting better. You will get through this okay.... you really will

Bryanna

Thank you again! Yes I think the OS is a bit of a perfectionist and wants to make sure the denture fits properly to assure success with the implants. That is my impression. He is very careful about not being critical of my dentist who I found out of the yellow-pages as I had no way to find a dentist. We moved and didn't know anyone to ask.

My regular dentist did not recommend the OS originally. She recommended a Prostdontist? I stated that I was nervous about removing all my teeth and would feel better using an Oral Surgeon. She then recommended two doctors and he was one of them. He made me feel comfortable, although I liked the other man also.

The regular dentist has an odd way of relating and I find myself uncomfortable with her. She hardly speaks or comments and I never know if she has even heard what I said. I also get the feeling that she really hates dentures and gives me a feeling that the problems I'm having, I deserve for doing this. I could be wrong, but she says things which are disturbing...like, 'well this is the way dentures work, you'll just have to accept that.' When I said I can't bite on anything, even a soft piece of bread, she said "I've never know anyone with dentures who can ever bite again.'

'What!', I said, there are millions of people walking around with dentures who eat. She didn't answer.

She took an impression last week for the new denture. She only did the upper. I thought I'd have the new dentures last week but she said the lab wanted a wax impression. So she had me try the wax on the upper and kept asking how it felt. She had me smile and marked the upper teeth. She said it would be back from the lab next Tuesday. I asked why the impressions were only done of the upper, not the lower and she didn't answer. I said, 'you are going on the assumption the lower is correct.' She just said,' hum.'

So who knows. I just know my mouth hurts and I keep biting the inside of my bottom lip and cheeks. I feel like I have sores developing from the biting. I've complained to her about this repeatedly. It is so painful to try to chew anything because the dentures catch the skin inside my cheeks and bottom lip. I have no idea what is causing that except that the dentures are too wide, but not sure.

I guess she feels she's paying to replace the uppers, but doesn't want to pay for both. But, I would think the bite couldn't be corrected with doing both. Very frustrating dealing with her.

Thank you for the support,
Jane

Jane,

I would suggest that you go to a different dentist for your dentures because she obviously does not want to do your dentures. I would ask her for a refund of your money and the sooner you do that the more recourse you have to get it all back. If you wait, she will argue that you wore the dentures so they must not have been so bad. Even though you complained about them, that is how she will view it because she has the attitude that all dentures are horrible. Which is ridiculous!

Many general dentists hate doing dentures and often refer their patients to a Prosthodontist for the fabrication of the dentures. You may have misunderstood her or she didn't explain herself well when she suggested you see the Prosthodontist. You still would have seen an oral surgeon for the extractions... but the Prostho for the denture. She probably didn't emphasize this to you because she wanted the money and figured you would just settle for these crappy dentures as she obviously expects all of her patients to do.

I know this has got to make you mad and upset. I'm sorry. But I have seen this SOOOO many times and it's not unusual unfortunately. She will most likely not be able to make you happy with the dentures and I would not trust her to make an implant denture.... she obviously hates doing dentures! I would ask the oral surgeon, not his office ask him, for a referral to a Prosthodontist. Tell him what she has said to you and you are so skeptical of having her continue with the work. You will not mention to her about the referral. If you continue on this path with her.... you will not have any recourse to get reimbursed your money and you will be in her office constantly with the same problems. It will cost you more in the long term than if you were to go someplace else that was more competent.

I'm so sorry you are going through this....... I feel so bad for you :/

Bryanna

You are right Bryanna. I went to her today for the new denture (which was just the upper). It does fit better but the palate is long and causing gagging and the back molars are not there. Just flat plastic.

I asked her why the bottom was not done as they fall out and she cut them too short. She had cut both upper and lower too short (before the premolar) so the bottom just sits in the middle of my mouth and instead of remaking it, she had the lab make the upper with the molars pushed forward and flat plastic covering where the premolar and back molar would be! Hard to explain but really botched. I decided while sitting in the chair I could not deal with her anymore. I said very little except concern about gagging and the palate feeling very thick. She just said, that's how dentures feel, you need to get used to it. I asked why she didn't do the bottom and she said, 'well that's where you are getting the implants so we'll worry about that then.'
I said, 'the bottom denture is what will attach to the implants?' and she replied, 'we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.'

So, I just decided to thank her and leave.

Believe it or not, my husbands crown fell off last week (molar). I certainly didn't want him to see my dentist and he got the name of someone from his Internist. He liked this dentist and she told him his upper teeth were beyond fixing and should be removed due to gum disease. All his teeth are crowns and permanent bridges. He didn't know he had gum disease as his gums do not bleed. She said she could try to save 4 bottom teeth and make a partial.

Last week I told my OS about my husband and he said to bring his x-rays and make an appointment for him and he'll be able to tell if his teeth can be saved. So I made an appointment for Thursday. I plan to go along and show him my weird upper denture. I am going to tell him I will not go back to the other dentist and ask him to PLEASE recommend someone.

I don't know about trying to get my money back. I doubt she will do that. I don't know what to do. This horrible denture cost $2,000. Now, with my husbands teeth, I think we are in trouble financially. My husband is 80 yrs old but in fairly good health.

Sorry, I go on so long. You have been the only person I've been able to talk to and I'm so thankful. I don't know how I would have dealt with all this without your advice.

Jane

Jane,

Pursue getting your money back and the sooner the better. That dentist knows she did not make you a decent set of dentures and she is also withholding information from you about the implant denture. She is obligated to inform you, listen to your complaints and make you something you can wear. She has done none of those things. You are entitled to your money back. If you need to write a complaint to the dental board, then do that. She is being neglectful.

Regarding your husband. I am glad to hear that his new dentist is being pro active with him. Hopeless teeth should not be retained... especially when there is periodontal disease as this infection is a systemic condition and not just limited to his mouth. I urge you to think twice about "saving" any of his lower teeth with root canals. That would only exacerbate his problem with more infection.

Please keep us posted okay. Your dentist will give you a refund if you tell her you are going to the dental board.... is she doesn't... then she will once she hears from the board upon your complaint. There is no reason why you should lose out on that money.... she did not do right by you. Also, talk with the oral surgeon about seeing a Prosthodontist.... they usually are pretty particular with making dentures.

Bryanna

Thank you again. I have learned enough about root canals, I won't let that happen with my husband -- thanks to you! I think the OS wants to see if there is the possibility of saving more teeth on the bottom to make him more comfortable with the partial denture. He wanted to see my husbands x-rays and arrange for the extractions.

One quick note. I counted the teeth in my denture and I have 24 - 12 top and 12 bottom. Of course the bottom one was cut short by the dentist. But the new upper was made that way with flat pieces of plastic covering where the molars should be. She had the upper made to meet the shortened bottom. Very weird and difficult to eat. I think 24 teeth is 4 teeth less than I should have.

Thanks again,
Jane

Jane,

Actually you should have 14 on the top and 14 on the bottom depending on your anatomy. If your mouth is very small then 12 and 12 would make sense.

Be careful when a dentist says the word "save".... this is usually a reference to root canal therapy or apicoectomies. Both of which accomplish the same thing ... nothing.

Bryanna