Help me. My parents never could afford a dentist. I knew my teeth would need help when I got older, but first I got pregnant and threw up for 9 months, then I got cancer. Both of those caused havoc on my teeth. They’re a mess. I started going but it seemed like I was maxing out my insurance and never making any real progress. Then I went the other direction and only started going when it was absolutely necessary. I’ve been living in constant fear of another dental emergency. I’m 27 now. I went to see my dentist today and told him I’m tired of living this way and want to remove them and get dentures. He absolutely humiliated me. He told me I was being a complete idiot and if I’d taken care of my teeth I wouldn’t be in this situation. I don’t know what to do. He refused to give me dentures.
Lori
Dear Lori,
You have been through so much. I wish your dentist would have been compassionate and talked with you reasonably giving you both the pros and cons of the solution you’d come up with. I disagree with him that if you’d taken care of your teeth you wouldn’t be in this situation. Both an intensely sick pregnancy and cancer have been significant contributors to your current situation.
I’m going to give you three possible solutions. Whichever you choose, you’re probably better off looking for a different dentist. Humiliating a patient is never helpful.
Reasons to Reconsider Dentures
Dentures are an option, but before you make that decision I want to you understand the drawbacks to dentures. First, no matter how well-made dentures are made the patient loses about 50% of their chewing capacity. They will move. Food will get under them. They’re not very comfortable. But, more importantly, you’re young. When you remove your teeth, your body reabsorbs the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere throughout your body. Consequently, your jawbone begins to shrink. By the time you turn 40 (which is still amazingly young) you will no longer have enough jawbone left to support your dentures, leaving you without teeth. This is known as facial collapse.
A Better Alternative to Dentures
If you’re determined to remove your teeth, a better option would be to get dental implants. These have a prosthetic root form which is surgically implanted into your jawbone, hence the name. With dental implants, it’s like having healthy, natural teeth. You can eat what you want and brush and floss normally.
Another incredible benefit is the implants preserve your jawbone meaning you won’t have to worry about facial collapse. Because you have a root form, your body interprets the need for you to keep your jawbone.
A Compromise
An even better option would be to work with a dentist who will help you get things under control. Save the teeth you can. It’s always better to have natural tooth structure. Maybe then you can have just a few implants for the teeth that can’t be saved and find a treatment plan for the rest. After cancer, and during treatments, dentists will often prescribe a professional strength of fluoride. This will help shore up your teeth while you’re working on them.
This blog is brought to you by Dr. Steven Collins.