Dentures Imminent!

[spider8]

Wow MMM, you're getting treatment I know nothing about from your periodontist. I think my gums are okay, this dentist said they are in the usual state for someone of my age - 48!
What are they actually doing for you with your gums and all this detailed measuring etc.? What's the outcome going to be? Seems to me that unless this is leading to some kind of help and addressing the problem then what's the point..........can't you just get on with sorting the teeth out? Oh and your dentist needs shooting, recrowning wobbly teeth my arse!
No, I'm getting 'the' denture on Wed and I've seen what the tooth colour will be and it looks good, a good match to my colour as you could get. Today we're off to town to get all the gubbins needed - denture bath, denture brush, cleaning stuff - more expence and things to add to our future shopping lists!
I'll give up-dates as I go in case there's anybody else who might be facing this kind of thing but don't expect me to be jolly about it.........if something isn't nice I'll say so - I'd sooner share the pain and be honest

[Millymollymandy]

That was the 'last' appointment of 4! The first we discussed dental hygeine etc etc and X-rays were taken, the 2nd and 3rd were deep cleaning under gum line with ultrasound (though felt like regular dental clean with ultrasound to me) and this last was as I described. The probing was noted so that (I imagine) they can compare in the future to see if they are improving or getting worse.

Originally years back I had dental surgery, 5 diff sessions of having my gums cut open to deep clean. I'm still not sure about this new method (current periodontist says "oh we don't cut gums open any more"). Well we'll see as I still have problem areas and one of my teeth was twinging a lot on eating after the last cleaning session but she says there is nothing wrong with the tooth itself but it's the problems up in the bone/root area (dunno what you call those areas up inside your gum next to the teeth they show as black areas on Xrays which they shouldn't!). Tooth's OK at the moment and it might have been the treatment causing it as all my teeth felt funny for about a week or so.

It's all in French so I'm still quite in the dark about it all as my previous Swiss guy spoke English! All a bit frustrating really.

I have yet to meet a dentist of any nationality (and I've seen all sorts of nationalities in 3 differnent countries) who recognised gum disease - even after I kept telling them about all my gum problems! To see the first periodontist it was only after a 1mm gap formed between my two front teeth and pus started coming out the gum that he agreed (reluctantly) that I should see a specialist.

[spider8]

to that last bit!
I do feel for you MMM, not nice at all this situation.
Reminds me of that terrible joke 'your teeth are fine but your gums will have to come out'......not laughing are we!
I take it they have said that having your teeth out and getting dentures isn't an option because of the gum situation? Sorry, I'm sure you're sick of people like me stating the bleedin' obvious with questions like that
I've been having dental work since I was a kid and have more filling in my gob than actual tooth but I am going to try and hang on to my bottom teeth. I know it will mean lots more money and our flexible friend credit card has bent over backwards already - several times - but the bottom dentures seem to be the least stable ones, harder to keep in place. Looks like we'll be keeping the dentists etc., in work and money for a long time to come - damn!
Been to Boots today and stocked up on denture care stuff oh joy - not! Got home and stuffed more painkillers down my neck as molars were hurting like mad.
If ever you want to email me then please do so MMM (and anybody else), we gum/teeth-challended people should sick together

[Millymollymandy]

I take it they have said that having your teeth out and getting dentures isn't an option because of the gum situation? Sorry, I'm sure you're sick of people like me stating the bleedin' obvious with questions like that

To be honest I've never asked and it's never been discussed or ever mentioned. It's only when I'm fed up/have discomfort or think about how much it's all costing that I think it would be better to just have my teeth out! but then like you I'd probably be sh*tting myself if I did! I don't even know what happens to gums after the teeth are extracted if you are prone to gum disease - I just naively assume the gums would heal up and there wouldn't be a problem..... maybe I'd better do some googling!

[Millymollymandy]

If ever you want to email me then please do so MMM (and anybody else), we gum/teeth-challended people should sick together

Dentally challenged Ishers unite!

[spider8]

Thanks for the message pumpy - reply sent .

[Millymollymandy]

Good luck for today, Spider. I can't find a fingers crossed smiley but think a hug might be needed more!

[spider8]

Well guys, guess what...............I've been getting myself ready for this as you know, hubby too so he knows what to expect............we get to the dentist, I'm in his chair, he's about to numb me up...........he looks at the denture and sees that it isn't right, it only has the teeth on it that are missing now - before the others come out............not the full top denture!!!!
Good job he checked first, before pulling any teeth. He tried to call the Denture Technician (or whatever he's called) but he wasn't there. We left the dentist not knowing what the hell was going to happen but they'd get back to us and let us know.
We've received a call from the dentist giving me an appointment for 21st January to have all the impressions done all over again . Due to my dentist having a 4 week holiday in mid February (I only want him to do it, the other dentists aren't up to much!) and depending on whether the DT can produce my denture in time, I'm either having the teeth pulled in early February before my dentist goes away or sometime after 20th February
I just feel like giving up! (Thanks MMM for you kind thoughts )

[pumpy]

what a shambles, you must be so dis-heartened. Stick with it 'cos it will be worth all the hassle eventually!

[JillStephens7]

If I am right and today is the 13th (often I am wrong, wrong, wrong).

Hope it wasn't too awful spider8 and that you're doing ok

[liskeardjane]

wow - this has made me feel faint reading all this and I am going to go to the dentist! I have fillings I need doing and I feel sick before I go, I shake when I get there and have amigraine after but it's got to be better than gum disease or losing my teeth! Whilst I'm working I think I'll go skint for a while and have a filling a month - I've found a cheap dentist, Polish - all glamorous and efficient - who do a massive white filling for £80 and I needed nearly a whole tooth filling and it took an hour -so not bad for a private medically trained person! I will book tomorrow and get the other three done and I will look after my teeth!

[Millymollymandy]

How really frustrating for you Spider and I can well imagine your feeling like . It's been frustrating enough the times I've gone to get a permanent crown fitted only to find the colour match was rubbish and having to wait another week or so to go back. But this is worse and you've got a long wait. I'm sorry.

[spider8]

Well Folks............still no further forward. I've had about 5 cancellations in total now and would really like to put my dentist in the chair and pull his bloody teeth out - see how he likes it
That's a point..........anybody have a dentist who has dentures themselves???
At the moment (but this could change at any moment) I'm in on Tuesday Feb 9th at 1745 and he's given me some Diazepam. I have 10 tablets (10mg) and he wants me to experiment with the dose beforehand so i can get into a 'relaxed/sleepy' state for the big pull. I'm to get a good nights sleep the night before with the aid of the tablets, then take some 2 hours before the appointment. I took one tablet last night and it didn't do anything so it's two tablets tonight
Sure am sick of all this and I can't seem to find a 'denture-wearers' forum that is UK based. They are all US based and although helpful it would be good to have UK terminology used, meds over there have different names etc.
Anyway, MMM - how are things with you and your gnashers - and anybody else, of course?

[Green Aura]

I'm slightly stunned that your dentist gave you 100mg of Diazepam and told you to go and sort out your own dose!!!

I wouldn't double the dose.

The problem is that Diazepam is a slower, longer acting drug than a sleeping tablet. Try taking it an hour earlier instead if you want it to help you get a better night's sleep. If you simply increase the dose it won't work any more like a sleeping tablet, it's effects will just last longer the next day.

And remember, you're not really supposed to notice anything as such. It will just make you feel less anxious, unless you take a large dose. And that is presumably what the dentist wants. Unless he gave you instructions to bring someone with you to make sure you got there and back safely he shouldn't be telling you to take enough to make you drowsy.

Hope all goes well - when it eventually happens.

[spider8]

Thanks for the info about Diazepam Green Aura, I didn't know it acted on a person like that and, after how my dentist explained it's effects and how he wanted me to be at the appointment, he doesn't either .
Do you think I should try 2 10mg tablets tonight but take them 2 hours before bed and see how I feel then? Last night was 1 1/2 hours before I went to bed but I did sleep well (although I did have some really weird dreams! ).
Don't worry, my poor long suffering hubby Dave will be my driver on the day. Poor sod, he's had it rough already with me going through the emotional mill but much worse is to come I'm sure .