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Questions about dentures in general

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Posted 9/22/2013 12:37 AM (GMT -5)
Instead of hijacking the thread about teeth and meds, since the subject of dentures was mentioned several times, I had some general questions about them.  Believe it or not, no one in my immediate family has had them.  Even at 86, my mother still has most of her teeth, plus a couple of what I think you call bridges.

If you get dentures, does it require a dental surgeon to remove all your teeth?

If so, are they all removed at one time?

Would you be put under entirely for the process?

Once they are removed, do you leave the dentist with the dentures in place, or does it require healing time for

the teeth removal or gum repairs or stiches?

It would seem like one would have a lot of pain having all their teeth removed at once, what was the pain situation like for any of you that had this done?

I know this would vary area by area, but as a rough figure, how much did the teeth removal and initial dentures cost?  A round number would do.

Do you know if most dental insurance would cover any of  the costs?

I know for a fact, that I am on the losing side of the rest of my teeth, as I mentioned in the other thread, now most of the right side  teeth are simply breaking apart or crumbling away.  Between the neck/throat radiation I had, and the amount of opiates I have been on for 3 years, plus the dry mouth issue, its all starting to make sense.

So for so many questions but it is all about one subject, and it may help any others here contemplating going the denture route.  Thanks for any answers or advice in advance.

David

Posted 9/22/2013 3:38 AM (GMT -5)
I can probably help you out a bit David.

I tried to save my teeth, had numerous root canals, partials, flippers, crowns....all for naught. What I went through personally I would not recommend (ie: trying to salvage when decay is imminent).

I first got an upper, then my lower. At that point, I had so little left. I wish I had done them both together.

For me, my regular dentist did the extractions, and I left with what's called "immediate dentures," so you're never "without teeth." They are primarily cosmetic but you can eat with them. You wear them until the "real" ones come in.

They act as a healing aid and actually you don't take them out for a bit. The compression helps with healing. I had a more painful go of it for the bottoms.

For me, it was painful emotionally and physically. They feel huge in your mouth at first, like you'll gag. But that goes away. You go back for relines periodically.

Be aware, however, unlike our parents' days, where you'd get "one set of teeth" and be on your way, we've learned,...you will get continued bone loss without the teeth in place. Lack of stimulation erodes the bone, especially the lower.

That means periodically you need to either get them rebased or whole new ones cast.

Since I had mine done in two steps (not recommended) I'm trying to recall the price, but I think it was around $5000.00. I've seen ads for very cheap dentures for under $1000 but, I dunno.

This time around, because mine need to be replaced, I need "corrective" ones. My jaw isn't aligned (ergo: doing upper/lower together makes more sense), when I saw a new dentist when we moved away from the one who did my dentures, he quoted me (this would be last year) around $5000 price.

Dental insurance (mine anyway) only covers $1500 of "selective" care and in this case, once every FIVE years. You can't just put that towards "whatever you're getting done." (Denture wise)

My immediate family had their teeth as well, other than partials.

Looking back, I wish I never invested so much into trying to save what was obviously a losing battle.

I feel upset that no one made a connection. I was told to use products like Biotene if I had dry mouth, and I know for some it works wonders, but there was never a dentist or doctor to step up and admit despite good oral hygiene, there was a connection.

I'd be happy to talk to you about it.


Merrida


PS: Now that I have them, I am MUCH happier. I'll be happier when I get new ones ($$) that actually fit due to all the bone loss. But they're not as big a deal as I thought, and they're better than what I forked over and the pain I went through. If I'd've known then, what I know now....
Posted 9/22/2013 4:14 AM (GMT -5)
Going off of Merrida my father had all of his teeth removed in sections, then he had to have bone grafts out into his jaw because of a hereditary bone loss exacerbated by his smoking habits. After the bone grafts took he paid about $15,000 out of pocket to have sockets put in the new jaw and he then had false teeth set on the sockets (New meaning to metal mouth) he couldn't stand the dentures so he paid to have that done. It is a better way (to him) than having dentures. He still has to use special tooth paste brushes ect but they are mounted on special individual sockets so they are like real teeth look like real teeth and he prefers it. He had his teeth pulled in sections and then had the bone grafts done after. It took him 2 years from start to finish, he is much happier now and his mouth and jaw no longer bug him. If any of his teeth crack or wear they go in and just put a new tooth in. His pain level was only bad for a short bit never enough to keep him home from work though.
Sorry this isn't a personal point of view just what I saw my dad go through.
Morgan
Posted 9/22/2013 4:58 AM (GMT -5)
I think Morgan's referring to dental implants.

They are great, in my opinion, once you've got an established baseline. I had bone graft material put in as well when my teeth were pulled, because I planned on getting implants.

Keep in mind, implants are great because true, they stay put, and your care is very, very different. But also, you have to financially be able to maintain them.

They are a more "permanent" way to deal with tooth loss. The dentist screws titanium into your jaws. They act much more like real teeth than dentures ever would, no doubt.

I cannot afford them, nor what it would cost to maintain them should anything happen.

If you want to check out implants, there's an "All On Four" device being utilized, -- 4 lower implants, 4 upper ones.

Morgan's Dad got a very good price! Around here it would cost anywhere from $25-$40k to have implants for the whole mouth!



Merrida
Posted 9/22/2013 5:36 AM (GMT -5)
Ok well from the poor side of town, Lol.
I had all mine pulled at 2 steps, top then bottom and Medicaid/Medicare paid all but the 20% and the cost of general anesthesia (imagine that). Both done within a ten day period and I couldn't afford the "now " denture as its also not covered unless things have changed in 10 years. Had the bone grafts the first one a month later also under general (pd this) and then fitted for a denture which I had been paying on for since the decision had been made to remove them

There are some good low cost denture clinics that are good just do your homework on that, around $500 for full and that's always cheaper then having one then the other done.

If there's a College of dentistry you can get to I would check that route and particularly since your a medically different patient, ie, radiation damage, they really like different and challenging cases and they have ways of getting things paid by Medicare regular dentistry cant. They would do it all start to finish including making the denture and possibly at no cost.

My Mom had them do her last plate of her life and she loved it, said out of 4 dentures in her life it was the greatest fit.

I'm pretty sure your going to run into the same thing the rest of us do as far as bone density and erosion and that requires Oral surgery and the Dental College has it all.

If it has any cost associated with the whole process they set you up on a payment plan based on ability to pay.

MUSC, in Charleston, is the best from what I hear and not sure how far from where you actually are and what their application process is but it's possible you can call or request the paperwork online to see if you qualify, if it takes a month your going to need at least that long for records transferred and your Oncologist to get onboard etc.
Posted 9/22/2013 8:22 AM (GMT -5)
I had all of my top teeth pulled in the late 70's. My regular dentist did it, he pulled them and put the dentures right in. I've never had a bit of trouble and I still have my original dentures. I've had to have them adjusted through the yrs, but that's it. The only thing I had for pain was the novacaine. But, considering the fact that I would rather have the pain of labor and delivery with a 9+ lb baby than dental pain, it wasn't that bad. My dentist gave me demerol for afterwards. I was in my mid twenties and I was having chronic headaches. I was going to nursing school at the time and my dr thought the headaches were because I needed glasses. The eye dr said my eyes were fine. My dentist said, it's your teeth, he was right. Sorry, I don't remember the cost, but insurance paid for all of it
Posted 9/22/2013 10:44 AM (GMT -5)
Vickie,

I hear ya. When the dentists with whom I was consulting, (because I was in denial and actively trying to find a way out of this dental mess without dentures),...they would randomly say things like: "Can you take money out from your house equity?"

As IF!? We RENTED! They just assumed, oh sure, I'll just re-fi and plunk down $20 grand.

I was getting one of my (futile) root canals one time and was blown away when a patient just whipped out a check and wrote it for over $3 grand for whatever service they got. Must be nice, eh?

That's why I'm still hanging onto these puppies....for MY kin, anyhoo, $5k is oodles and oodles of moola.

I tried to get my medical insurance involved since my meds were contributing,...they just strung me along for 3 years...in talks,...phone calls....phony comments about (ahem) trying to help. Yep, yep, yep.

Mine hurt, but they work. I just have to "glue 'em in" a few times a day! They've fallen out at some inopportune times though....so yeah,...still working on those new ones.


Merrida
Posted 9/22/2013 11:36 AM (GMT -5)
Lol, who even has enough money to have checks? Mine goes from my hand to the bill collecters. My Mom use to say if she had a dollar she'd stay up and watch it all night cuz you could bet someone would get it before morning!

Im not sure if its a bad plate or from something to do with the graft but for the life of me I've never been able to wear the bottom denture! Its like that sucker is five times too big for my mouth!

The minute I get it close to my mouth I start gagging and cannot get it in. I've tried everything, its really difficult to get it in when your choking and gagging. So I never wear it! Never now as in 4 years so it probably doesn't fit at all now!

Do ok with one though, not much I cant eat!

Didnt stop me from gaining weight!
Posted 9/22/2013 1:03 PM (GMT -5)
My NIL (Nana In Law!) has been wearing just her upper plate for almost 30 years. She can't retain the bottom ones either.

I think we all get told the bottom ones are a little trickier. They just fall right out and squeeze down. It's weird,...too tight and pinch,...yet fall out. Yep, that makes about as much sense as zebras on a Florida beach, I tell ya.

But I still am glad that I've got them. When I think of what lengths I went to, just to try and NOT get them, how much $$ I flushed away that could have gone towards my family or other areas of my health, silly rabbit.

I often go without my bottom ones too. (In fact, I ran over mine before....as in, they were getting sore, so while driving I put them in my lap, forgot, they fell out onto drive way,....Ninny over here didn't really notice: "Hey,...whaaa-happened to my bottom denture?"...since I often go without them in, and got back in car and *crack* rolled over dentures).

Wish I had just bucked up and done it sooner instead of investing in a losing battle. The worst part is, looking back, I can see the treatment plans proposed by my dentists over the years,...I believe they knew my mouth wouldn't handle it (after so many crowns falling out, root canals being done then having to be extracted,...over years?). Sucked me dry. Sucked the family dry.

Dental pain has been some of the worst pain ever. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.



Merrida

 

Posted 9/22/2013 7:50 PM (GMT -5)
I too suffer with serious dental issues. With all the steroid use I've had over almost 13 years, not having an immune system, and chronic dry mouth, my teeth just crack and break. I asked my dentist if I should go ahead and get all my teeth pulled and get dentures. He said "NO WAY", he advised me to hold onto my own teeth as long as possible.

I have had an upper back molar pulled, and a tooth next to the back molar on the upper side pulled. That's it though, I do have several crowns and I need another two crowns on the bottom center. If I continue to have issues we may have to do partial plates. I'm not a good implant candidate and of course the issue of money is there too.

I have dental insurance but it only covers up to $1,500.00 a year. Our insurance is thru Delta Dental offered by the US military retiree program. I get two free cleanings a year, and fillings are covered at 60%. However, my crowns are only covered at 45%. The two crowns I got last year, my portion of the bill was $1,000.00. The positive side for me is because of my complex health issues, IF, I need teeth pulled, the oral surgeons at Walter Reed will pull them for me at no cost. To bad they won't cover the dentures or implants.

Hoping to avoid dentures for awhile yet, I'm only 48 and it sounds like it's painful to get them. Vickie you mentioned a lot of gagging and choking is that common with dentures? Does it ever go away or is it something that hangs on forever? I'm not sure if I could deal with that, I'm guessing that's why my Mom's companion never wore his dentures. Was always amazed he could eat anything w/o teeth in his mouth.

Good luck David and anyone else who is facing this added problem from our CP or disease.

Hugs,
Posted 9/22/2013 7:58 PM (GMT -5)
Wow, what some amazing input on this, already learned a lot just from this thread, will come back and answer each person later, was just passing by the computer but will be back a bit later.

thanks,
david
Posted 9/22/2013 8:58 PM (GMT -5)
Barbara, to the extent I do no its not normal. I have seen folks do it until they get use to them and then stop.

The plate seems to fit really far back and I've obviously never had a week stomach so I dont know why I do that. Im seriously talking choking on the thing.

The top doesn't do that at all.
Posted 9/22/2013 9:57 PM (GMT -5)
For starters, didn't know it was so involved. Wow, that will be a lot to think about, and to figure out and plan for. Will probably see my regular dentist soon, and have him evaluate my remaining teeth. I have only had a tooth at a time removed over the years as needed, never had any crowns or root canals, too much dentist fear for this guy. When I have had teeth removed, always use a dental surgeon, even though it costs more.

Merrida - your account kind of scared me, both in the details and the cost, but I realize you are telling me like it was for you. Fortunately, I don't have much invested in my existing teeth, never went for expensive repairs, opted for extractions. And we do have dental insurance, but not sure what it covers.

Morgan - I have heard of the method your father did, but I think for me that's too expensive and complex, but found it interesting

Vickie - I would be weighing in on your approach, "the poor side", to be honest. At one time, don't ask me why, SC was known as advertising the cheapest dentures in the US, that and the cheapest cigarettes. Don't know about the denture side, but true on the smokes, as they have among the lowest taxes on the smokes. MUSC is where I saw that urological specialist back in Feb. It's in Charleston where my daughter lives, and if that ended up the best, that could be arranged with a visit there to my daughter, so that's possible, its a 225 mile drive each way though. But if it was worth it, money and time wise, might be worth considering

mercy - you were sure young when you had yours done, but it sounds like it worked well for you, least it was a positive story, thanks

Barbara - thanks as always for your input. Being 61, and with so many bad ones popping up, and considering how many I have already lost, feeling for me it might be worth considering the denture route, or else I will continue to pay for one extraction after the next. Some of mine have been difficult, for some reason, and my dentist has been puzzled, I have had so many odd teeth with either badly twisted roots or even double roots, which makes for difficult extractions. The pain side worries me, as I am already dealing with enough pain in general, I wonder how long it would really take to heal up the gums from a total tooth extraction? Sounds kind of scary and creepy at the same time from what Vickie was recounting. Based on my current cancer prognosis, the other way of looking at this, is that my remaining teeth may be likely to outlast me, so perhaps its just vanity to worry about my teeth with a runaway cancer situation going on. Lots to think about.

Thanks again for the good input. Will have to ponder my options, do some checking around locally, and go over my wife's dental policy. She's always spending a fortune on her teeth, and she says its a decent enough policy. She takes excellent care of her teeth, but has always had "weak" teeth as long as I have known her.

David
Posted 9/23/2013 6:58 AM (GMT -5)
My DH has had weak and bad teeth as long as I have known him (21 years). He has had all of his top teeth pulled and got dentures for the top. This was all done through medicaid at the time, but unfortunately, he has NEVER been able to wear the top dentures. He gags whenever he has tried, so I just threw them out. This was after about 4 years of him trying ever so often. He still has a lot of his bottom teeth and is able to eat just about any kinds of foods. His gums have toughened up enough that it just doesn't bother him. He is self-conscious about not having any top teeth, but he talks in a way that no one ever notices.

My dental problems are extensive. I used to have perfect teeth up until my second pregnancy, when I lost my first tooth. I was told it was from the extended morning sickness I went through with my first pregnancy and the baby taking so many of my normal vitamins. I have now been on and off of pain meds and steroids since the fall of 2003 and that has really taken a toll on my teeth.

I have no dental insurance. My only insurance right now is medicare, and the only dentists around here will not even see you unless you can pay in full at the time of service. This includes the dental college that is 75 miles away from me (the closest one). So I am not exactly sure how I am going to handle my problems, but we are trying to work it out. I think I can just get some teeth pulled, but I will need an oral surgeon to do most of the work as most of the teeth have broken off at the gum line and the roots are still there. There are three or 4 at the gum line and one that just needs pulled. The rest I believe are still healthy. The ones that I have lost or are broken are all towards the back of my mouth. So I tend to eat and chew stuff as close to the front as I can.

I have been being extremely careful to keep my mouth/teeth clean after my meals. I hope to avoid any infections until we can figure out what to do about my teeth.

Good luck to all those in my situation, if you figure out anything that may help please post it as I always read the boards!
Thanks!
Trudy
Posted 9/23/2013 11:59 PM (GMT -5)
hey david. i too am just about ready to have what little teeth i have left removed. and then fitted for dentures. (upper and lower) in a way i'm looking forward to it because i'll be able to smile again. i'm hoping things will work out for the best. so just as much am i looking forward to i am nervous just the same. well time will tell. i wish you the best of luck.
thank you merrida for the information, was very helpful......
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