Maryland bridge vs partial denture for missing canine teeth?

[neepsandtatties]

My baby canine teeth (both sides) have never fallen out. I had them veneered about 5 years ago to make them look good aesthetically, always realising this would be a temporary solution (as x-ray shows they are only holding on by a thread).

My (new) dentist now says that one of them has a cavity so this has accelerated the decision as to what to do about them long term.

Implants are not an option for a number of reasons (adult canines still in head but lying nearly 90 degrees to where they should be, and quite frankly, I can't face the faff of extraction, bone grafts etc).

So choice is Maryland bridges or partial denture and I don't know what to do! The gaps left would only be visable when I smile broadly (not when I talk), so aesthetically I could cope with a denture I had to remove at night (and forgot to put it back in for the school run!). But I understand they can also be uncomfortable and a pain to look after? I don't really know much about dentures - dentist said she would use a metal one?

I inherited my problem from my mum (though she has it only on one side), and she has a Maryland bridge but it has fallen out several times, which obviously is a nuisance, and costs money each time. She also has to make sure she uses the other side of her mouth when chewing, but I couldn't do that as both sides are affected! My dentist also said that missing canines aren't the best teeth to bridge?

My dentist is also keen to do the work pre-emptively (i.e. remove the baby teeth now, rather than wait til they fall out naturally in x months/years). My DH thinks she's on the make, keen to get the work. Her justification was both the cavity and that it would be better to do it all in a planned way, rather than have to try and schedule it in at short notice when they fall out. But I'm not convinced on this explanation. Does it really matter if the baby tooth has a cavity if it has no roots and is going to fall out at some point anyway?

If anyone has any experience or thoughts, I would love to hear them. Also, I've read that you need to leave the gums time to heal after losing a tooth before starting any bridge work etc - am I right in thinking that since my baby teeth have no roots to speak of, that wouldn't be an issue here?

I have partial dentures. They aren't that bothersome in terms of wearing them but takes while to get use to a false roof to the mouth.

After extractions the gums shrink so usually you need the dentures replaced 6 months after extraction or can wait 3 months after and have them fitted and then they will probably last a year before you need new moulds. Then they should last as long as they last!

My partials have UL2 and UL 5/6/7. Mine were made before the extraction of UL 2 and I've had UR5 extracted since. (Month after) I'm having new impressions and dentures in March that should be fine for a year but may be re done after then of there's any more shrinkage. I also find them fine and I have a huge chunk missing from my jaw on UL area too.

(Not a great dental history!)

I've got a Maryland Bridge on both upper sides, the tooth behind the canine. I've had them for about 30 years and never had a problem with them.

I had the tooth behind the canine extracted. I then had to wear a partial denture for 3 months while the bones settled before having a bridge put in.
The partial denture was a complete pain in the arse and I hated it. It also started to rub the roof of my mouth and hurt so I didn't wear it at home. The bridge has been great so far! (6 months).

thanks all

youarewinning what's your care routine for the denture/your teeth?

scarfaceace/nobelgiraffe are your bridges attached to both teeth either side? My dentist said she might just attach to one tooth, which seems weird?

Mine's just attached to one tooth, the one behind it. It seems pretty solid. It's weird on the other side where it isn't attached because you can get dental floss up the side then completely over the top!

Yes, mines on one side too. Same as Noblegiraffe with the dental floss.

My care routine is take it out, stick in a small Tupperware tub with cleaning stuff. Rinse in morning and put it in!

Dentures do rub at first and as I say it takes a good year till everything is settled enough you can get a proper fitted set

Canines are tough to bridge because we put so much force through them. They're the strongest teeth usually with the most robust root (adult ones). Your relationship with your dentist clearly isn't great if you think she might be on the make. Perhaps you should look for someone else or get a second opinion?

You can do "immediate bridges" it depends on lots of factors including aesthetics which you've already said aren't your primary concern.

Why does everyone think dentists are on the make as u charmingly put it? Your dentist has recommended a clearly thought out treatment plan and explained reasons behind it. For what its worth it sounds fine and personally I would do a cobalt chrome (metal) partial denture. Obviously choice is up to you but please dont think a carefully thought out plan of care is anything but that

And yes marylands are attached to one side sometimes

That's the way we role in the UK isn't it!? Enormously offensive IMO but people always forget their manners when talking about dentists.

And of course it matters if u have decay if it spreads to nerve and gets infected it will be very painful. Anyway advice can be taken or not just reminds me why I no longer work in general practice

I know just get so sick of constant abuse bad image and disrespect. U wdnt walk into a gp and say I hate doctors would you?

FFS. Roll.

Fwiw I've had a lot of treatment and my dentist has been great sorting my dentures for aesthetic reasons as well as jaw alignment ones - knowing she'll have to re do them later on.

I'm an nhs patient and tax credits except form paying. So I have never thought she is on the make but that she's doing what she can because I told her one day I'd love to be able to smile and feel good.

youarewining just an aside, do you ever scrub your denture with for example a toothbrush?

Yes. I clean my teeth after work with them in and then do them out of my mouth as I clean before bed and then chuck in cleaning stuff.

I'm having to do more and more to care for them as they now won't even be sucked in as gums have shrunk so much so are held in by lots and lots of glue!!! Apt in March for new impressions and a new set!

Ah good, just checking. Lots of folk boak never scrub them and boak they get boak lots of stuff boak growing on them. Hope your new ones are good

Thanks for the responses!

So sorry, didn't mean to offend anyone with reference to the comment about the dentist being 'on the make' (and you'll note it was my DH's words, not mine). But what I don't understand (and I still don't so it would be great if any dentists reading this could tell me) is why the work needs to be done now (i.e. have the two baby teeth extracted), rather than have the work done when the baby teeth fall out naturally (which might be next week, which might be in 5 years time).

Yes, the baby tooth has a cavity, but it has no roots thus no nerve so I do not understand the need to have it done now. When I asked her, she wasn't very clear but said it would be easier to schedule in. She also said that it wouldn't be possible to have the extraction/do a bridge on one side only (i.e. the cavity side) to allow me to save up enough for the other side (it will cost £850 each bridge) - she said I would need to have both teeth extracted and bridges made at same time. Even though there is nothing wrong with the baby tooth on the other side and it seems to be holding up well. Does that seem right???

Well maybe the Dentist is thinking of the psychological impact. These things always happen at inopportune moments. Can you imagine losing a tooth before an occasion where you wanted to look your best?

My NHS Dentist is an angel sent down from heaven. Thankful for the day I walked into her practice. She has coached me through a serious phobia (caused in part because of malpractice by a former dentist who was struck off for what happened w/ some others plus me) and educated herself about the use of auto hypnosis in Dentistry. I was able to have pretty invasive and major work done without sedation.

Thank you Jaina. x

How can it cost £850 for a bridge? Is it not NHS? I thought the most they could charge was just over £200? (I got my bridge free as I had a maternity exemption!)

Yes, perhaps that's it (although TBH I could live with it for a few weeks/months, not really that bothered as it doesn't actually show unless I grin. My mum lived with her gap for 58 years before getting it bridged!).

This is my NHS dentist, but all this work would be done for me as a private patient as it is cosmetic, unfortunately.

x-posts - how was mine NHS but yours would be cosmetic? Mine was only one tooth behind yours

Hmmm. I don't know Noble. It was made very clear to me that any of these options (bridges at £850 each, denture at £900) could only be done as a private patient.