AIBU to want full dentures

[ShockingTeeth]

I'm 50 this year and have been giving a lot of thought to my teeth.

• I have severe gum disease. I have no teeth left on the upper left side of my mouth past the first pre-molar. When I had those teeth removed the dentist told me I didn't have enough bone left for implants. My upper right teeth are now approaching the same state of wobbliness as those on the left before I had them removed. My lower teeth are not so bad but still show signs of gum disease.

• All of my teeth stain horribly. I don't know what's wrong with them but within 2 months of a full clean at the dentist they look like the inside of a teapot again. I smile with my mouth closed. My teeth have always looked dreadful from childhood, regardless of products used and regimes followed.

• I have severe dental phobia. This means that I can't bring myself to visit the dentist as often as I should. It also means I lurch awake in the middle of the night worrying about gum disease getting into my blood stream and affecting my heart.

I've been living with these issues for decades and now I'm 50 I want done with it. I want a nice, whiteish comfortable smile and to not have to worry about gum disease ever again. I think a full set of dentures may be the answer. I realise full dentures come with their own issues.

So, AIBU to want full dentures and can anyone share their own experiences?

If that's what you want then go for it. If you would prefer implants then get a second opinion because I believe there are options even if you don't have enough bone.

I'm in a similar situation OP and I hope to go for full extraction and dentures in a few years.

Last year I looked at the dental tourism trade in Hungary and now have a vague plan to save up and go in around five years. I'll be 52 then so a similar age to you.

I can't wait to just be free of the stress of it as barely a month goes by without my gums being irritated or having a low level toothache.

Good luck

I have a friend who had full dentures in her early thirties, and it took years off her.
She just told everyone she had a lot of work done, which wasn't a lie, and knocked everyone dead with her beautiful smile.

I have bad teeth (from childhood, compounded by bulimia later) and would love to get dentures. Only 34. I can see myself doing this in a few years.

YANBU. Surely that’s reason enough? I’d like dentures, I’m 34 and have absolutely nothing wrong with my teeth (although am missing more than I should be at the back), and I want dentures myself. I’d rather that than toothache (I haven’t had that for years though hope I haven’t jinxed myself now). I’m just not very good at looking after my teeth.

Thank you for the responses.

How does the dental tourism to Hungary work DragonglassHeart? What if you need to go back for adjustments? Do you get that bit done in the UK?

If you got for full mouth extractions I would definitely say go for dentures rather than even try for implants. If you are already susceptible to gum disease around your natural teeth you will likely be just as prone to it around implants. Bone levels can reduce around implants in exactly the same way. Only difference is you’ll have spent thousands getting them put in only for them to get loose and fall out as well.
Upper dentures are usually easier to get on with (apart from the fact it covers your palate and some people notice slight loss of taste when eating).
Lower dentures can be a lot trickier sadly. Especially if you have lost bone already. Upper dentures are held mainly in place from suction from the palate. Lowers have nothing to keep them in place. I would advise keeping as many lower teeth as you can really. Having a partial lower denture could be an option. Keep any teeth that are very firm and could you remove the rest. This way the lower denture can Ben held in place with clips on the firm natural teeth.

My sister did and she looks bloody amazing! Dentures these days are great.

Oh and be wary about going abroad for treatment. Not because it is necessarily bad, but because many uk dentists won’t touch any work done abroad meaning you may have to keep returning there. Dentures could be different. But I do not know any dentists that would touch an implant placed elsewhere at all.

If you are already susceptible to gum disease around your natural teeth you will likely be just as prone to it around implants.

Yes, this is what I fear.

Thanks for all the info, it's a lot to think about. I don't suppose you could recommend anywhere around London?

I’m in the same boat. I begged my dentist and they said it was not possible as it was unethical.

Do you see a hygienist? I had trouble with gum disease, which has now more or less gone (I really have to keep on top of things though). I had deep cleans under the gum line initially from the hygienist (under local anaesthetic) and I now visit every 3 months. It has made a world of difference. Apologies if you do, but if you don't, it might help you hold onto some of your bottom teeth to use as an anchor, as a pp has said.
I don't have a dental phobia, but I can't stand any dental pain. All this treatment has been totally painless, if that's any comfort.

If you can afford it get your dentures from the smile centre. They cost 1k for a top and bottom set but they fit like no other and are made to fill out your face in all the right places so it doesn't look sunken. They have branches all over the country.

OP I am going through this process currently and seeing a fantastic dentist in London (Kings Cross area) PM if you want more details. I am severely dental phobic and this guy is just amazing, I have never felt so at ease at the dentist. I’ve had the mouldings done for the top set of dentures and I will soon be going under sedation (my choice as I think it’s less stressful!) to have my remaining top teeth removed and the temporary denture will be fitted the same day (the permanent will take 9-12 months to be completed). I’m the same age as you and while it is daunting to think of having full dentures, and I know there will be an adjustment period, I can’t wait to have a lovely confident smile. He told me that people with a positive attitude to dentures tend to heal quicker and get used to them quicker.

Cost wise it’s £150 for each tooth extraction. £500 for sedation, obviously that’s optional but if you’re dental phobic it’s really worth it. And a bit under £500 for the temp dentures. I could have probably found someone cheaper but the guy I see is worth the money. Additionally most dentists do payment plans if you need it.

Please get a second opinion - you could have a bone graft, surely.

I can't think of much worse than dentures, tbh.

Oh and he did say he could have saved some of my top teeth if I wanted but `I would have still needed a partial dentures and the work needed to save a few teeth would have been long and expensive. So he gave me the choice on what I wanted to do. He didn’t pressure me either way, just laid out the options. So I decided to just go for it and be done with it! I will be having the bottom ones done too a few months later. Once I’m used to the top ones and all healed.

Mine stain badly too, I found using white glo toothpaste only for one day to remove the staining took them back to what they were! It comes with a toothbrush and if you use that, it shifts all the staining

I have a couple of partial dentures, DH has the works (I honestly don't know why we both have such bad teeth ). He manages really well and they look really good (as do mine). I had them done on the NHS.

Hi OP.
Whatever you do don't get it done in Hungary. If you need a full clearance and completes that's nothing that a uk dentist won't do well (and on the nhs if you have an NHS dentist), if a uk dentist won't do it it's not something that should be done. There's no recourse for dentists in Hungary, no way of adjusting the work they do etc. Dentistry in the UK costs what it does because that's what ethical dentistry costs, and nhs dentistry is actually incredibly cheap for the work you get.

The problems with full dentures is uppers work well, lowers can be a pain because they rely on muscular control. The longer you are without teeth the more bone you lose and the less likely you will have a good fitting set of dentures. The less bone you have the poorer the fit

It sounds like you are only missing 4 teeth? If so that's really nothing. Do you have a partial? If not I would start with a partial and see how you get on. See how you get on eating and keeping it in. Find out how it feels. With the amount of teeth you have, and the lowers showing no mobility theres no way you need full dentures. Try a partial denture first and adapt to having a big block of plastic in your mouth

Dentures aren't really teeth, they don't behave like teeth and can't be used in the same way. They are a good replacement if you are missing teeth but the real thing is 100x better.

If your teeth stain there is a reason, do you see a hygienist? Book yourself in with a hygienist, or just your dentist just to talk through hygiene and risk factors of gum disease, causes of staining etc. Theres a reason your teeth stain, do you use corsodyl? Or smoke? And it can be sorted.

I really really would advise against a full clearance with only 4 teeth missing, and if you were my patient I'd be doing everything I could to help you get the staining and gum disease under control so you didn't have all your teeth taken out. What about a perio specialist? To get the gum disease under control?

I honestly think going from mostly natural teeth to a full set of dentures is an incredibly hard transition, and once your teeth are gone they are gone. Even if I thought that was the future for you, if you were my patient I wouldn't go it with full dentures, because it will be difficult to adapt.

I don't really see how going abroad for it would work anyway. My dentist has had several appointments with me over the last six weeks in preparation. He will also be seeing me a week after it's done then at least once a month for adjustments (as the gum heals). You couldn't go back and forth to Hungary that many times!

I had full dentures fitted in my early thirties due to an accident. I've had them over 20 years now.
I had them done back home in Germany for two reasons. First due to cost and second due to being pissed off with the UK dentist pissing about.
Yes, sometimes it can be a pain but how you deal with them once you have them makes a big difference.

I completely understand your feelings as I was in the same sort of situation for years and years and couldn't smile properly because of broken or missing teeth. I had a complete phobia of dentists which didn't help and I just put it off enduring agony at tmes from infections and abscesses. Finally I had to get it sorted. If I could have bitten the bullet I would have but that was the point ! I could hardly eat. I was convinced they would say everything had to come out but in truth they managed to salvage some and extract some and now I have a partial upper denture which stays put without the need of fixatives because it clips over back teeth and feels stable and secure and I have no speech problems with it, no lisping. It is not all plastic but has metal fixing which is light weight and comfortble and doesn't cover the upper palate so that everything still tastes just as it should. Now I can smile naturally and I do, all the time and I cannot tell you what an enormous difference it has made to life. I no longer hesitate to join in with friends and groups because of being so self conscious, I eat without fear that every next mouthful was going to be the one that broke another tooth. The dentist was wonderful and not a bit judgemental. It was all sorted out very quickly and none of my friends have really noticed anything except that I am much happier. I can't stress enough what a difference it will make to your life to get this sorted out so be brave, find a good dentist and get good advice. Once you have done it you will wonder why you waited so long.