Depending on why she needs the denture, it could be a life-changing event in a good way. I got my first partial when I was about 30 , because my front teeth were very loose due to a bad case of gum disease. I only wish I had gotten it sooner. After I got the denture, I could eat normally and the extractions were actually less painful than having my teeth moving around. My diet did change- I could eat sandwiches and fried chicken and ribs again. As long as they are done right ( mostly meaning that the tooth color matches her natural teeth) , no one will ever know.
I know this isn’t my thread, and this is kind of but-in-sky, but I figure your sister needs all the encouragement she can get.
She is FAR better off with partial or even full dentures and a healthy mouth than a mouth of of decaying/broken teeth constantly battling infections. Bottom line is her health and welfare. Her age doesn’t matter - if she’s in pain and this will cure it then it is worth it. If her teeth are failing and this will remedy the problem then it is worth it.
People lose teeth for a lot of reasons - accident, birth defect, decay, whatever. Anyone who disses someone for dental restorations needs to STFU because it’s no different than looking down on someone with an artificial limb or a hearing aid or even glasses. She has a problem. She should not feel bad for fixing it, if anything, she should be praised for taking proper care of herself. Even if it was her own neglect that lead to this (I’m not saying it is, just hypothetical), she’s facing up to the problem and dealing with it, unlike all too many people I’ve encountered in life who have crap teeth and the means to fix them but can’t be bothered.
So good on her for doing what needs to be done. I wish her good luck and speedy recovery.
Interesting topic, since I know that it is in my future at some point. FWIW I had a “permanent” implant for 3 missing teeth at one point, but it loosened several times over a few years and the physics of it just didn’t work. The time and money just got to be too much of a hassle to try and keep it working right. I can’t imagine a full-bridge implant actually lasting. So now I’m just living with the gap in back, not visible unless I smile really wide. If I had to do it over again, I probably would have just opted for a semi denture.
Does it change how things taste? My husband has dentures and, unfortunately, hates them. He swears nothing tastes any good to him anymore.
Well there is a bit of taste loss of the palette being covered by the denture in most pieces. I personally don’t find it to be that inhibiting. I eat a great variety of foods and they all taste the same…heck I never burn my mouth with pizza anymore.
Longtime lurker here. I just want to commend Anthony for handling this so well!
I got dentures at a very young age too and have had them for almost 30 years now. Best thing I ever did but I remember how terrified and stressed out I was at first. I can eat anything I want and they feel so normal to me that I don’t even notice them. The trick is to wear them at least during all your waking hours. They should not hurt and if they do you go back to the dentist and get whatever the problem is fixed. I use the adhesives too and sometimes have a hard time getting them out when I want to. No slippy sliding around for me. You can also brush your teeth between cleanings with a normal toothbrush while they are still in your mouth if you want or need to.
The best part is that I don’t ever have to go to the dentist for a bunch of expensive and sometimes painful procedures like most of my friends and family do. That’s the silver lining.
You mentioned your girlfriend…did she have reservations about you going forward with the dentures? Do you go toothless around her? Have you ever headed out the door and forgotten to put them in?
Thank you for starting this thread. I just forwarded it to my fiance because he’s getting ready to start the process and has a lot of questions.
When I first mentioned it she seemed put off. When I mentioned my father had them she was taken a bit by surprise. My dad always looked young…late 20’s when in 40’s type. You’d never guess he has them, but he does. It reassured her a bit. When I actually got them done she was shocked by whole great they looked. I try to keep my teeth in my mouth unless I’m uncomfortable and I think its rude to do otherwise.
Do you have trouble with your teeth clicking (uppers and lowers striking each other) when speaking or eating? Do you have trouble speaking letters like “s” without hissing? I’ve noticed one or the other, if not both, in a few people I’ve known who have dentures.
My teeth don’t click; that is a sign that they are not fitting right.
I do have somewhat of a hiss when I say a word that ends in “S”, but it isn’t long or pronounced and only when I am speaking quickly. Unfortonately the more nervous I am about speaking the more likely I am to have quirks in my speach…but heck this is a life thing, not a dentures thing.
Thanks. 
I’m 25 as well and am just a few months off from getting all of my teeth pulled and they told me I would have to wait about 2 months before I would have my dentures. After talking to a few people, this doesn’t seem right. Do I need to ask for something specific to be sent home that day with a temporary set? Also, all of this work is being done at a dental school and not at a regular dentist as I do have financial problems and a lack of insurance. Could this be why? And do you have any advice for social interactions while not having teeth?
You need to ask them about a temporary set of dentures. They aren’t as hearty, they won’t last as long, and they won’t fit as well. However, they are relatively cheap - mine were $690 for the top part. They are right that you want to wait at least 2 months for your long-term high quality dentures.
The reason is that over time the swelling will go down and your gums will shrink. Then the dentures that were made to custom fit your swollen mouth will suddenly be too big.
If you ask people with dentures how they like them you will get two typical replies - they love them and are a perfect fit, or they are way too loose and they hate them. If they fall in the latter camp it is because they had their dentures fitted while their mouth was too swollen.
If you have no choice and you are going to be out of teeth for two months this will be a difficult question to answer. Are you employed? Employment would be the most difficult thing to work with. If you have the sick time saved up, you could use that. If not, and it is an office job, you can explain the situation to your boss and see if you can telecommute for work. Don’t be afraid to explain the situation to your boss - it is a medical issue and they are legally required to keep it private or risk getting sued. The other part, if you are lucky enough to be able to stay home, would be food. Stock up on low cost, highly-nutritious foods that are easy to eat. Think sweet potatoes, canned fruits/meats/soups. These will store well. Get powdered milk. It won’t be an outstanding time, but it can be done. Put on a hat and go to a fast food place in the drive-thru. When your meal is served and you pay just don’t talk. You will seem rude but it gets you through it. I’ve done this a few times when I’ve had to have the teeth out for a few days.
Another option would be to put a bandanna over your mouth area. People will assume it is medical and leave you alone about it.
Let me know a little more about your situation and I might be able to give more useful responses.
As someone who got a complete upper denture in about two weeks ago, my question is this - how long was it before you could eat comfortably with your dentures? I’ve gotten to the point where I can eat small bites and food that isn’t too chewy or too hard, but I find I have to chew slowly because it makes my gums ache too much if I put too much pressure on them. I also find it almost impossible to bite into anything - I tried eating a slice of pizza the other day and had to take a knife and fork to it.
Yes - swollen gums are quite painful. I would say by the end of week 3 I could eat 60% of what I normally do. By week 5 I was eating heartily. Some things, like apples, take a little skill to master.
AnthonyElite, it was my understanding that the bone/tissues need a rest overnight from the pressure of partials, let alone full dentures. Have you discussed it with your dentist?
It’s been a while now since you got your dentures. How are they feeling? I got my first set while in my early twenties. I remember that the plastic palette made it feel like I had a wad of gum stuck in my mouth, but that goes away. Now I’m so used to wearing them they almost feel real when I touch a tooth.
I ate baby food at first, and applesauce and soup, stuff like that. But when everything healed I could eat better than before.
If the dentures still feel loose they can put a permanent liner in them and you can’t even tell it’s there.
I get a new set about every 10-12 years. It usually takes a couple trips back to get them adjusted just right, but sometimes if there’s a “hot spot” I lightly file it myself with an emery board.
Can you easily eat things like lettuce? With my previous set I could but have had some difficulty with these. When I go back for new ones I’m going to mention it.
dentist here, yes this is correct.
My husband simply finds it uncomfortable to sleep in his dentures. In an emergency, like being in the hospital*, he can manage it for a night, but two nights and he’ll have to take them out to rest his gums during the day.
*Dentures are a high theft item in hospitals. I know, right? It seems ridiculous, since they’re such custom items. But people will steal them and sell them to black marketers, who reline them to kinda sorta fit a person who can’t afford their own set. So if you can, send them home with a family member, or keep them in your mouth. Same for hearing aids. But don’t keep those in your mouth. 