I feel like I made a horrible mistake and I’m afraid there’s no remedy for it. I wanted to get dental implants to replace if not all the missing teeth, at least the ones that show when I smile, but I wound up getting a denture to save on costs. I knew I wouldn’t be overly thrilled with the aesthetics, but I had no idea this thing would ruin my life. It hurts. I can’t eat. I can’t talk. I can’t smile. The dentist says I’ll get used to it. No. I won’t. Now the time has passed and I’m afraid I’m stuck with this thing for life. I really wish I would have gotten another opinion or tried to save my remaining teeth. Any advice?
-Lauren
Dear Lauren,
It’s a shame you went through this ordeal. Try not to beat yourself up about your lost teeth. They may not have been savable, so try to focus on what you can do now to make things right so you can eat, talk, and smile again.
In some cases, people do adapt to their dentures over time. Equally, your gums may be sore for a while after extractions, and as time passes, you’ll feel better, too. Adjustments can also be made to dentures at any point if the soreness isn’t being caused by healing. Sometimes, just smoothing out a small area can make a world of difference in making dentures feel better to wear. If your dentist didn’t check them and try, he probably should have. Give the office another call and let them know exactly what’s happening. If it really s related to the fit of them, they should be able to help.
As far as affordable dental implants go, you may still have an option. You can get something called a “snap-on denture,” which relies on dental implants to hold the denture in place. This gives you a firmer hold than traditional dentures, but without the expense of a full set of implants. It often only takes two for it to work. Depending on your preferences, you can also have more placed, and have a partial denture designed to fit around them. Either method is less expensive than a full set, and will provide a better hold.
It’s also worth noting that dentures can look beautiful and natural. If you’re not happy with the appearance of your dentures, it may be worth having them remade by someone who does a better job with aesthetics.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Perry.