To want to get dentures?

[Margotshypotheticaldog]

I have terrible gum disease, awful teeth and a serious fear of the dentist. I've had dental planing done in the past and although it helped for a while, I was completely traumatised. Wearing masks for the last number of months has actually suited me as I hate people seeing my teeth.
I don't want to try treatment plans, I just want to give up and get dentures. All of my teeth are stained, and a few at the back are starting to loosen. I have a dentist appointment coming up and I know he's going to try and talk me into expensive, painful treatment to keep my horrible teeth. Wibu to just say no, I give up, I want dentures. I know it's not the same as real teeth and will restrict my diet somewhat, but I don't care if it cures the gum disease. Is this likely to be a choice the dentist will offer me??

I don't have an advice sorry but I feel the same way as you and was actually just talking about this a couple of days ago. My teeth are horrendousl and feel the same about masks. I'll be following this thread to see what advice you are given I really hope it could be an option.

Thanks pivot! It's something that I just can't discuss with people in real life " Ooo your teeth are lovely, are they real??" 😂 And I suppose if (when) I have a spectacular set of new fake gnashers, I certainly won't be annoucing it to other people. I'm just presuming modern dentistry will be able to provide convincing fakes, but maybe I'm kidding myself.

Please don't,I have partial dentures and they are a fucking nightmare, I am always so conscious of them. Just get your teeth fixed

Oh 🙁

I have partial dentures and have had for about 4 yrs now. I don't even notice them anymore and no one has ever commented on them.

I've always had crap teeth no matter what treatment I've had, they deteriorated rapidly after I got pregnant. It did cost me almost 4K though Tom get them done. Do what you need to do for you.

And I seriously wish having them restricted my diet haha

To obviously not Tom!

If you were my friend, I’d say why on earth would you even contemplate false teeth?

It limits what you can eat, you have to remove them to clean them and your gums will shrink.

Surely it’s the last of last resorts?

Could you look into ‘all on 4’ dental implants?

I suppose Tertius I'm not young, but I'm not old. So I expect false teeth to be inevitable somewhere in the ever closer future, and I'm bringing that time forward a touch? Maybe I have trust issues with my dentist. His teeth are perfect obviously so I feel like he has the technical expertise, but he doesn't understand what it feels like. He can't tell me from first hand experience the pros and cons of dentures. I just want to try and get informed so that I can discuss the options.

I think my gum disease is probably too severe for implants, also not sure if I could afford them.

I felt like this 12 months ago then I looked into braces. I couldn't have Invisalign because my teeth were really crooked so I opted for Damon braces. 8 month down the line they have transformed my smile, around 12 months to go then I'll get them whitened and they will look amazing. There are so many more options other than dentures.

You can get screw in dentures now.
They'd be easier to manage.
Dentures bring problems too with mouth ulcers buying paste, if you can afford the screw in set.
Far cheaper than veneers.
I get it I've enjoyed the mask too for the same reason, they're not discoloured just wonky.
I've to see a consultant with DD next week delighted I'll be wearing a mask, I look okay otherwise excluding teeth.
I'd love new teeth, even the dentures.

Braces will do absolutely nothing for someone with gum disease except make things worse. There are very few options for someone with gum disease. Deep cleaning (planing/debridement) and hope the disease stabilises. Or wait until they get worse and either have them removed or they fall out then have dentures/implants (if you have enough bone left)

Hi OP. I have quite severe gum disease that got a lot worse during lockdown because I couldn’t see my hygienist. Long story short I made an appointment with a periodontist privately. I’m not going to lie, the first appointment was awful. I was shaking so much he couldn’t actually examine my teeth and then I had a full on crying meltdown 😭 on the chair. He is the kindest, nicest man though and calmed me down and I got through it. A year on my gum disease is totally stable and I’ve even had braces fitted so in a few months my teeth will look great. There was no way I was having them out although he did discuss implants as an option. Find an expert, make an appointment and be brave. You can get through this without the truly horrible nuclear option of having all your poor teeth out!

Gum disease can be treated. Staining can be removed. There are independent self-referral hygienist clinics in some areas who are much cheaper than dentists or periodontists.

With discussing, if it is something likely to happen a mould of your teeth could be taken now so that when you decide to do it a set can be made that matches the shape so your face isn't altered too much by the dentures not being a close match.

This woman on tiktok has done it. @princxssglitterhead vm.tiktok.com/ZMR2NsJbG/

I've had partial dentures for years and I've had no trouble at all. I eat what I want and it's never been an issue.

Thanks for the replies, plenty to think about. I find I'm in sort of low level panic mode in the actual dental surgery, so it's really hard to focus and keep my thoughts straight. This is all really helpful. I'm also weirdly ashamed /embarrassed to discuss this with people in real life. I spend my time hoping people won't notice (I'm sure they do) I certainly wouldn't want to draw any attention to my teeth!

Braces will do absolutely nothing for someone with gum disease except make things worse

Oops, better explain that to my husband who has just had braces fitted, purely in order to make his teeth easier to clean!

I had terrible gum disease. I have a hereditary condition that meant it was only ever going to get worse. I think some of the worst days of my life were watching tv, feeling a weird feeling in the back of my mouth and realising two of my molars had just fallen out.
I got tired of painful hygiene sessions and not being able to ever smile and the very painful sensitivity.
The next time I was at the dentist he suggested taking six out and having a partial denture but I was just tired and said I wanted them all out. Two months later at the hospital I had a full clearance and dentures. It was quite traumatic, I was only 46. But I tell you what, it was the best decision I ever made. I had dentures made privately and I love love love my smile. I never stop smiling now. I feel like a new person.
I'd say go for it. Because unless someone has has bad gum disease they have no idea of the pain and distress that comes with it.

I did this four years ago, it took me a while to convince my dentist to do it. It is the best thing I ever did, I didn't choose white teeth, but a more natural colour. I now get compliments on my teeth (nobody knows they're not real), and while they took a bit of getting used to, I have never had mouth ulcers and am not limited in what I eat.
If you live in Nottingham I can recommend a very understanding female dentist, although you may have to wait for her nhs list to open up again.

First time I saw my periodontist I couldn’t even look at the x rays or talk through the options properly with him. He sent me a really long detailed email so I could think through everything in my own time. I could have discussed it with him over email or had a call if I’d wanted to avoid the dentist surgery panic. Honestly someone really expert and professional will work through this with you. I totally get the embarrassment/humiliation factor of it all. But now I can get through my appointments totally calmly. It’s not fun but I know I’m doing what I need to do and I’m in safe hands.

But I tell you what, it was the best decision I ever made. I had dentures made privately and I love love love my smile. I never stop smiling now. I feel like a new person.
Congratulations.
That is inspiring. 🙌

Dentures do the job when they are needed but they don't match real teeth, even real teeth with gum disease. A dentist will only offer you this if your teeth are past the point of saving and I don't think they provide the solution you think they do. Once you get teeth out you start to lose the bone that held your teeth in, this is also what holds the denture in. The earlier obviously you lose your teeth the more bone you will lose and the sooner you will find it hard to get a good fitting denture. Going from your own teeth to a complete denture will also be difficult to adapt to.

Implants are not really an option if you have gum disease. It's unlikely you will have the bone support and implants too can essentially get gum disease, whatever led to the gum disease in the first place is likely to lead to perii mplantitis

I know it's not what you want OP but your best bet is a treatment plan that makes the most of your existing teeth with a dentist you trust. This may involve the loss of very mobile teeth, it will likely involve deep cleaning. Obviously if this doesn't happen then yes, it will be dentures. Which is not the end of the world but is not a cure all solution to gum disease

Thanks iamnoangel, not near Nottingham unfortunately. I have wondered if I would be able to relax more with a female dentist. I think an email or call later would be great for me, solurky, I'll see if this is something they can do for me. Thanks for all replies! Just to clarify, I wasn't thinking to have all out, just.... Enough I suppose? Just the really bad ones??