Dentures

neelyohara

So after 10+ years my mother had her dentures replaced today...and it would be fair to say she's in a bit of a state right now.

She was nervous for the last two appointments (errors required additional appointments) and is just crestfallen with the results.

In her words the teeth are too big, the 'gum' part has stretched out her top lip so that it's tight, she can't stop drooling and she can hardly speak (<-a combination of the tightness and the length of the teeth).

I'm trying to do the 'it's an adjustment!' thing but they really do look weird Obviously if someone has new teeth they will look different, that's to be expected... but they shouldn't look weird!

When she speaks the only thing visible are the bottom teeth and both teeth seem to be clenched. She said they aren't loose but that's exactly how they sit when she talks.

I really don't know what to do/say. As I said I'm acknowledging that things might seem a little off (personally they seem a LOT off) but that it's natural, it'll take time, etc.... but what on earth can we do if there is a problem?

The dentist dismissed her concerns and said to come back if anything rubbed, etc. But what if there is a genuine problem with the teeth and they aren't suitable? How do even go about fixing them?

Oh and this was done on her medical card (she's widowed and in her 70's...there is no way that we could afford to replace the teeth). For now I'm staying quiet, but if things don't settle down in the next few days what on earth can we do?

helimachoptor

Op, can you post up some pictures?

ovalu

Unfortunately medical card dentures tend to be cheaply made and of a low standard, if you want good dentures you have probably have to pay for them

Dianthus

After 10+ years of wearing the same set, a brand new set is going to be a massive adjustment. Everything will feel really strange for a couple of weeks whilst your mum adapts to the new dentures. It's going to take a lot of perseverance and practice (a bit like wearing a pair of really comfy old slippers for years, then someone presenting you with a new pair of shoes& asking you to run around in them instead....it takes time to "wear them in"). The drooling and speech should improve bit by bit, but it'll take patience& practice. Then in a few weeks, reassess the situation?

btkm8unsl0w5r4

There are two possibilities here OP

1. Adaptation required. Your mum may just need time to adapt to the new dentures this takes weeks or months depending on the individual. The face and lip will relax around the new denture.

2. Denture sub-optimal - here the denture teeth are not set correctly for aesthetics and lip support, you Mum will never adapt to this. As already said medical card dentures are not the best dentures out there and cannot be. This is as depressing for the dentists as the patient but the amount of money paid is a fifth of what I would charge for a private complete denture.

Your mum can either choose to try adapt, try get a new set made or return to her old set.

Good luck.

neelyohara

Thanks all! I had some minor orthodontics and I know how just the smallest change can feel completely alien in your mouth.

I completely agree with the wait and see approach - unfortunately I think she's a little freaked out right now. I did say about the adjustment but she's worn dentures for 40 years and claims that she has never experienced anything like this.

Her main concern is that she is stuck with them, that in several months if the teeth still don't 'fit' the HSE will shrug their shoulders.

I can completely understand the quality issue. Unfortunately like I said going private isn't an option and while she still has her old pair they were causing a lot of problems (I estimate them to be a lot older than the 10+ years she says).

Thanks again guys!

neelyohara

helimachoptor wrote: »

Op, can you post up some pictures?

I'm not sure how she'd feel about that, at the moment I'm downplaying her worries but we'll see as time progresses! I might get some pics from her.

helimachoptor

neelyohara wrote: »

I'm not sure how she'd feel about that, at the moment I'm downplaying her worries but we'll see as time progresses! I might get some pics from her.

Well if there are issues, its best to get them spotted now and then recitified.
As you say above if she goes back in 6 months the HSE wont want to know.
In fairness they probably wont want to know now either!

ballsymchugh

what kind of problems was she getting from the old ones? may be worth getting them relined or rebased.
there's been a few stages with med card dentures that you wonder if the person making them was awake at the time, the discrepancies can be so infuriating.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Sorry OP to digress but the dentist here will appreciate this. I was fitting a medical card denture for a lady back in the 2002. I had spent many visits taking impression and setting up teeth. The lab then flasked the denture with her teeth on one side but somebody else's fitting surface in the flask on the other.

I couldn't understand why if fit so bad and eventually copped what was going on. The model had been destroyed so I had to start again from scratch another 3-4 visits. Medical card dentures are a total loss for dentists.

day dreamer

Hi there

I am no expert on dentures but you mention the old ones are 10 years old and may even be older. It could be hard to accomodate the new dentures if this is the case.

The new dentures could be very well made but will just take time to get used to. Maybe your mother will just not be able to tolerate anything different than the old ones she had.

If the old ones can be relined or rebased it would offer a solution. It may even require implants to support the denture but from your posts this is just not a runner.

I am sure the dentist who made them will see her and try to help

neelyohara

Well she tried to wear the teeth, a week of speaking as though she had both a lisp and a sock in her mouth, the drooling, etc. She had to swap to her old teeth to eat as she couldn't bite or chew even the softest of food... like a banana.

She made an appointment to go back to the dentist. She said she has had four sets of dentures in her life and she had never had problems like this - she expected them to feel somewhat strange, to take some time to get used to them, but not like this.

Anyway the dentist agreed with everything she said... including her complaint that one side of the upper (if memory serves) set was actually crooked. They said they used the same person to make the teeth for years but recently there were some changes - I'm not sure, they've moved or separated from the lab where they worked - and the quality has gone down.

Long story short the dentist said the mammy will get her teeth one way or another, even if it means starting from scratch with fresh moulds.

Aah such relief! Lets just hope round two works out well!

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Excellent OP, us dentists are a decent bunch who want our patients to be happy.

day dreamer

Thats good news about dentists for a change and I hope things work out for her