It does appear that I’m looking at a partial denture appliance to go into my lower jaw. I’ve already got to molars out, from quite a few years ago. One on either side, each one a tooth in from the way-back molars.
Now, the right way-back is badly fractured. The left one in almost as poor a shape.
I met with a new dentist today. Many X-rays, a discussion. Another oral surgeon did both extractions years ago of those molar. Both times, he said to me: " Are you doing an implant here? I need to know. " The idea and cost horrified me so I said no. As it turns out, he should have framed it much different in terms of imparting info. He should have said, " Are you doing an implant here? Because the bone will slowly shrink away after I do the extraction and later on down the road, you will not have bone density to support an implant. "
He did not say that. Now, cost be damned, I cannot consider implants.
What is proposed is a partial denture. He’ll build a crown for the left way-back molar ( Not the technical name but I’m sort of enjoying how it sounds here ). Once that’s in place, that tooth will be in good shape mechanically. He’ll then crown the upper right back molar, also damaged. THEN he will design a partial denture that has one tooth resting in the lower left hole and two resting in the lower right holes. The lower right way back will be extracted first, of course.
Because there won’t be a natural tooth in the lower right way back to “anchor against” the denture, he says it won’t be so stable on the right for chewing. The left side will be the preferred side. I asked about cement every day. He said this thing will have little rubber hooks to hold it against the teeth to keep it in place. I can use cement if I want to but it’s not required. He also indicated that I can look to use it on the right since that side won’t have a good anchor.
I’m sad. I ask for input from Dopers with partials, Dopers with full dentures, etc. What am I looking at here? I’m 62 and do I now look forward to never eating a Prime Rib steak again??? Popcorn, be damned. But no crunchy/ difficult foods?
Are you sure implants are a no-go? Is the bone unable to support an implant because of your age, or some other process going on? Maybe a second opinion would be a good idea.
I ask because I have two fresh implants and I am 66.
Link to a thread that contains info about my implant journey as well as other dental fun.
mmm
Well, this thread caught my eye.
I had an idiot dentist who had me get an upper denture in my 20s.
I still regret that.
Finally got a new one, it needs sanded down.
I also got a lower partial as I cannot even recall what molars were.
It fits perfectly.
I just learned from my Endodontist today in Tulsa that I will need to have #14 pulled because of a crack and I should consider getting an implant. Can someone give me a rough idea of the cost? I have dental insurance, but I would still be on the hook for 50% of it. I plan to meet with my regular dentist to discuss the options when I get back to Missoula in a few months.
Varies greatly on which tooth, are bone grafts needed, etc but one list I found for Missoula gave $2,800 for a titanium implant. That was middle range of all the states.
Thanks for that. It helps.
Hooks may not work. You may need adhesive to hold it in place for eating. At least the hooks will be rubber. My first couple of dentures had metal hooks which ruined the teeth they hooked into. Implants were expensive, I lost lot of teeth when I was 10 so there wasn’t a lot of bone to work with later in life.
Is that like flunking twice?
Okay, he’s ugly, too!
This woman goes to the doctor. She’s sitting in the exam room when the doc walks in; he takes one look at her & says she’s too fat & he’s scheduling her for lap band surgery ::looks at his calender:: on Thurday.
“Geez”, she says, “that’s kind of drastic, I think I’d like a second opinion.”
He looks her up & down & replies, “Okay, you’re ugly, too.”
One never states the desire for a second opinion in my family because one knows that one will be assured of their lack of good looks!
The Dr. was quite clear: Because I did not have the implant “base” put in right WHEN I had both teeth extracted in prior years. ( different events ), the bone area underneath that tooth has literally thinned down.
An implant in those two spots is not possible. What hurts is that the area on the lower back right NEXT to that extraction site is also thinned down enough to prevent an implant. Yes, I get it- it’s one jawbone, not individual segments. Still, that hurts. Literally.
Please, please share whatever specifics you are willing to regarding the use, care and cleaning of a lower partial??
No, that’s not failing twice. That’s hopefully saving that cracked lower left wayback molar by crowning it instead of pulling it…
Well, you take it out at night ( I only have it in to eat), put it in lukewarm water.
When you clean it, you put it in water and drop in a fizzy denture cleaner.
Thanks !! I was kinda hoping it would be that easy.
Haven’t scheduled the start of the multiple visits yet. I’m trying to hold off for a few months so that I do not lose work in having this all done.
I do appreciate all of the good comments here.
You’ve all given me much to chew on.
Did you get a second opinion about the feasibility of implants? A bone graft might be a solution that would allow implants to be done.
I’m actually working on a 2nd opinion from a local office today !
Yeah. Bone grafts are real surgery- but I’m not 89. I’m 62. A decade or two of sounding like I’m stoned or have had a cerebral-vascular-event and am unintelligible coupled with the nightly sanitizing of a partial denture has me wondering about bone grafts…
When I had to have my teeth removed, I got a quote from the dentist for 4 posts in the top, 4 posts in the bottom, and then you get a new set of teeth bolted in. The gums would heal over the implants and I would have new teeth. Great idea.
The quote for the work was $57,000 dollars. Fifty seven thousand dollars! So I went with dentures.
Dentures move. And after a couple uses of the Fixadent stuff that helps glue the dentures in place you will never use that shit again. Horrible to try and get that stuff out of your mouth.
Your gums will get used to the dentures and form and fit without that mouth full of glue.
I dislike eating with my dentures in and prefer to eat without. Smaller pieces, even steak is fine. Dinning out is problematic
Your results may vary, but there is really no way to get back to your normal eating expirence.
Disheartening as hell. I appreciate the honesty.
They quoted me $ 7K for some crowns, extractions, etc. And a partial denture. Which I suspect will suck to use.
Fucking roasted nuts. Decades of chomping down hard with my molars on almonds, etc. Literally fucked up those back teeth.
My two implants came to around 13k, including the crowns.
Amount that was covered by insurance: $0.
Worth it? Absolutely.
mmm
But possibly a painful and expensive solution. Worth looking into, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up until I heard good news. (I base this on my late mother having had a bone graft that caused her intense pain, and experience with implants that have been eyewateringly expensive.)
I had to do a bone graft before getting one of my implants and it was far more painful than the implant itself. My face was swollen for a week after.
Unfortunately, based on Cartooniverse’s last post, it doesn’t sound like an option.