Can't smile because my mouth is a mess

tom808

Hi

So my first post but been a lurker for a long time, I have what can only be described as a train wreck of a mouth. I like many of my age/generation have deep seated fears of dentists due to terrible treatment in the 70s/80s. This i suppose is part of my problem. I have not seen a dentist in years and last one i did see (extraction of a tooth after i lost almost 3 weeks sleep and 2 stone weight due to pain) asked me to come back but again my fears set in so bad that i didn't keep my appointments.

I have to add that of course this is not all the fault of bad experiences in dentist chairs but also down to my own terrible oral hygiene. I lived on 2 litres of coke a day i smoked 20 to 30 cigarettes per day and worked as a bouncer for many years so chewing gum (non of that girly sugar free crap for me thank you) was the norm. I am now missing half of my bottom teeth and several of the top ones.

Unfortunately this is the least of my troubles as the ones i do have left on top are mostly blackened stumps. As you can probably guess this is leaving me in considerable pain. I can kind of get by with the pain but its the stigma of how it looks that is starting to wear me down. I no longer smile because of the way it looks. I go for a job interview and all i can think about is how bad my teeth are and basically my confidence is shot.

I am unemployed and because my partner works and we live together i am not entitled to any medical cards (paid taxes for 20 years lol) and i am not entitled to any dole. My GF has an ok job but after rent food etc there is no cash left for luxuries (i will need to win the lottery to be able to afford proper treatment but i can't afford the lottery tickets so rock meets hard place:(). I am saving up to get a consultation done (€170) but i reckon i will need to bring another 100 on top of that as i know they will need xrays. Realistically i am asking a couple of things here

(1) Going by the pics posted how much (guesstimate) am i looking at to just get everything ripped out and a set of false gnashers put in?

(2) Is there anywhere i can go to get help with this (gov schemes, dental hosp training students, someone who wants a before/after project can use my mouth as advertisement lol)

(3) Any tips to help me would be much appre.

Also i understand there will probably be some who will want to troll/flame me for how bad this is and hey it's the internet and that's how things work but please don't be too harsh on me my confidence is shaken as it is

https://www.dropbox.com/home#!/lightbox/home/teeth

https://www.dropbox.com/home#!/lightbox/home/teeth

https://www.dropbox.com/home#!/lightbox/home/teeth

https://www.dropbox.com/home#!/lightbox/home/teeth

https://www.dropbox.com/home#!/lightbox/home/teeth

https://www.dropbox.com/home#!/lightbox/home/teeth

Problem123456

Hi the pictures are not working.
But anyway I will give you some advice, It's not going to be cheap but you won't regret it!
I'm not sure if the dentists on here will agree with this, but have you thought about getting Dentures?
It would be your cheapest option, price would range would be about €600-1300.
Again I can't see your photos so if I can see them I can give you better advice.
Depends what your front teeth look like. Maybe you could get veneers on your front teeth.

tom808

Problem123456 wrote: »

Hi the pictures are not working.
But anyway I will give you some advice, It's not going to be cheap but you won't regret it!
I'm not sure if the dentists on here will agree with this, but have you thought about getting Dentures?
It would be your cheapest option, price would range would be about €600-1300.
Again I can't see your photos so if I can see them I can give you better advice.
Depends what your front teeth look like. Maybe you could get veneers on your front teeth.

sorry about that kinda new to this. Anyone know how to get pics from dropbox working? Yeah i would be more than willing to go wit duntures if means i can open my mouth again.

helimachoptor

Hey there, those links dont work, you need the external links otherwise they bring me to my own drop box or the login screen.

What i would say is dentists see all sorts of mouths each day.

Someone posted here a while ago, you're probably wont even be the worse they see that day never mind week/month/year!

Problem123456

tom808 wrote: »

sorry about that kinda new to this. Anyone know how to get pics from dropbox working? Yeah i would be more than willing to go wit duntures if means i can open my mouth again.

Hi use a image upload website like http://postimage.org/

btkm8unsl0w5r4

This is a common story OP, dentists see all sorts of mouths and it is unlikely that yours is the worst they have seen that day.

With dental technology anything is possible. However complex dentistry will cost considerable time and money. Maybe something intermediate might suit until you have the cash to spend having a job done properly.

Dont whatever you do get money together and then spend it in a low cost, super fast dental work place. There is considerable difference in quality levels, and this have great effect on aesthetics and durability over the years.

Get the pics working and I can give you some pointers.

tom808

Ok so here goes take 2 on the pics

http://postimg.org/image/99jq1ztvh/

http://postimg.org/image/tjh1h4v0d/

http://postimg.org/image/ua9rmwxdp/

http://postimg.org/image/iozlf7bwd/

http://postimg.org/image/hf6ddw7i5/

http://postimg.org/image/xep0xg3jx/

Gallery link

http://postimg.org/image/xep0xg3jx/

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Yep you have some decay issues and several of the teeth will require removal. Treatment may involve dentures of implants depending on the amount you can afford. Try to hang onto the lower teeth as much as possible as a lower denture can be tricky to wear.

1. Why are your teeth so bad, treat the cause.
2. Remove the hopeless teeth.
3. Fix the teeth you can.
4. Replace the missing teeth with dentures or implants.

This may involve overdentures or other fancy work but at this stage getting the disease process under control is the most important thing.

tom808

Veda Obedient Typo wrote: »

Yep you have some decay issues and several of the teeth will require removal. Treatment may involve dentures of implants depending on the amount you can afford. Try to hang onto the lower teeth as much as possible as a lower denture can be tricky to wear.

1. Why are your teeth so bad, treat the cause.
2. Remove the hopeless teeth.
3. Fix the teeth you can.
4. Replace the missing teeth with dentures or implants.

This may involve overdentures or other fancy work but at this stage getting the disease process under control is the most important thing.

How much (roughly) do you think we are talking here? i have no work at the moment so not got much spare and bank have already laughed at me when i went looking for a loan. No family or friends who have spare cash to loan me so that avenue is closed. Implants look great when finished but thats major money and with no work prospects at the moment i think that is off the table for now. I would be thinking more along the lines of remove the bad stuff and get dentures. You cant see in the pics but i have no lower back teeth and uper back are as bad as pics with 2 wisdom teeth near enough covered over with gum.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Honestly it depends on what you want done. Could be from 1000 euro to 50,000 euro. Say a dentist charges 60 euro to remove multiple teeth, and say you need 10 teeth extracted that's 600 euro, and say you then need dentures, that will be another 600 euro. An thats not counting any fillings you need, cleanings etc. Even basic treatment with basic acrylic dentures will be thousands rather than hundreds. If you have zero cash you stuck. Try get a medical card, you can get basic treatment for free. There is the dental hospital but if you dont have a medical cards thats actually pretty expensive.

tom808

Veda Obedient Typo wrote: »

Honestly it depends on what you want done. Could be from 1000 euro to 50,000 euro. Say a dentist charges 60 euro to remove multiple teeth, and say you need 10 teeth extracted that's 600 euro, and say you then need dentures, that will be another 600 euro. An thats not counting any fillings you need, cleanings etc. Even basic treatment with basic acrylic dentures will be thousands rather than hundreds. If you have zero cash you stuck. Try get a medical card, you can get basic treatment for free. There is the dental hospital but if you dont have a medical cards thats actually pretty expensive.

Yeah i have tried a medical card and was told i am not entitled to one as my GF works (her wages barely cover our expenses) and does not matter that i have paid tax for 20 years if you are co -habiting then your basically ****ed. Tried the social welfare officer and she pretty much said tough **** as well. Dental hospital is also a no go as the first thing they ask you is will you be paying by card or cash So much for our social health care equality for all BS this country gets more like the USA every day. Ah well thanks for the advice guys it looks like it's another couple of years pain and no smiling until things pick up and hopefully some work happens until then i will enlarge and print this off for any future photos

ash2008

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/treatment_benefit_scheme.html

If youve paid tax, then you may be entitled to a free visit to the dentist. I know you need more than a check up, but maybe the dentist can at least help you with the pain and give you some advise on what options you might have. You shouldn't have to suffer in pain cos you cant afford treatment.

tom808

ash2008 wrote: »

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/disability_and_illness/treatment_benefit_scheme.html

If youve paid tax, then you may be entitled to a free visit to the dentist. I know you need more than a check up, but maybe the dentist can at least help you with the pain and give you some advise on what options you might have. You shouldn't have to suffer in pain cos you cant afford treatment.

Thanks ash never thought of going to them, gonna give them a call later and see can they advise.

Cushie Butterfield

You could also get a referral letter from either your dentist or GP for the dental hospital, given the general condition of your teeth. There is a waiting list for an assessment, & a further one for treatment if required.

Send the referral letter to the Waiting List Officer, Patient Services, Dublin Dental University Hospital, Dublin 2.

I don't know what waiting list you would need to apply to go on initially (restorative or periodontal), but once you are initially assessed you would be referred on to the relevant dept & put on their list. Your dentist or GP could advise further.

Payment may be required at some stage if accepted for treatment, but AFAIK individual circumstances can be taken into account & payment plans could be arranged if you were to be charged.

There is a long waiting list, but at least you would have started the ball rolling. The main thing is to do something sooner rather than later.

helimachoptor

Yeha couldnt agree more.
Get the ball rolling, it may be slow but at least you'll know something is happening.

Best of luck with it Tom!

tom808

OK so called citizen advice and because I have not worked in last two years I am not entitled to dental visit under prsi. They were sympathetic enough and said this is not the first case they have heard of. The woman suggested going to Vincent de Paul and asking for help but could never do that (1% pride 99% thinking worse off than me need their help more). Will look into other avenues and keep updated.

ballsymchugh

just to prepare you, you may need 2 sets of dentures within a year of each other, possibly sooner. when you get teeth removed and dentures put in immediately, the subsequent healing can cause the dentures to become loose, so you may need more when the healing has finished. how long that takes depends on the person though, usually 3 months min.

ash2008

tom808 wrote: »

OK so called citizen advice and because I have not worked in last two years I am not entitled to dental visit under prsi. They were sympathetic enough and said this is not the first case they have heard of. The woman suggested going to Vincent de Paul and asking for help but could never do that (1% pride 99% thinking worse off than me need their help more). Will look into other avenues and keep updated.

That is really frustrating :mad: The same happened to me because only certain years are considered and I had just come back from abroad. So my sister, who at the time had only worked part time for 2 years got a free visit, whereas I didnt despite working full time for years previous to going abroad.

There's no shame in going to see Vincent de Paul - these days plenty of people are who never thought they'd having to either - just the way things have gone these days. Like I said before, you shouldnt have to live in pain, pain that may get worse if it goes on, so i think your need is very real.

tom808

Hi all

I just want to update on where i am at in regards to my dental issues. I was contacted by by pm by someone who has a dental practice and is a member of boards (not sure if i can mention names if mods could let me know would be much obliged). We chatted for a while and he eased my mind a bit about how dentistry has come a long way and he told me if i ever wanted to just get a consultation i should contact him.

Fast forward a few weeks later and after several days of pain and no sleep i contacted him and he arranged an appointment for me. He talked me through the whole process of what he was doing always reassuring me and before i knew it he had whipped out two stumps that had resided in the back of my mouth and caused me no end of pain.

I suffered some mild discomfort over the next two days but let me tell you this is the first time in my life i have ever been to a dentist and not been in pain for weeks afterwards. I have since been back and had the rest of my back teeth removed and i have had impressions taken for a full set of dentures. I am due back in two weeks and i am going to have (GULP) the last six upper teeth removed and the dentures fitted. After this we are going to work on my lower set. I will post pictures when i have the dentures in to show the difference.

If anyone has fears about going to the dentist as i did please feel free to contact me on pm if you want to talk privately as i can understand exactly what you are going through.

john kinsella

That's great news Tom, delighted you are being looked after! Good ol' Boards members come to the rescue again.

If the mods allow will you give the name of the dentist? I'd like to throw a bit of business their way (my dentist is getting a bit old and shaky)

Best of luck with the dentures, look forward to seeing the pics.

Any luck on the job front?

helimachoptor

Sorry folks, no names allowed even the good ones unfortunately.

john kinsella

Tom, if you wouldn't mind would you fire over his name to me on PM?

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Thats great Tom, good to get things sorted out. PM the name of the dentist but dont post it. Its not me BTW.

tom808

Ok so i went in on Monday and had the last 6 teeth removed. Pretty painless and quick. New dentures have been fitted and here they are.

sorry for the weird angles but c'mon you try to take pictures of your own mouth without looking this silly:D

tom808

Some soreness on the gum which is to be expected until they settle correctly which i am told can take 4/8 weeks and also eating is quite strange. There is one particular spot on the gum were it rubs first thing in the morning when putting in that can bring a tear to the eye with the stinging but once the plate is in an hour i have no problem inserting and removing at will to clean/rinse. It's only been 3 days and they seem to ave settled higher onto the gum an are starting to feel like a better fit. Back in two weeks time to start work on the lower jaw. No extractions here (i think) just a couple of filligs and polishing and hen set the lower plate in.

ElleEm

Just came across this thread on the Homepage, and it's nearly made me cry.
I love the community Boards creates.
Well done to the kindness of the dentist in question.

And Tom, your new teeth look amazing! Well done on fighting the fear!

canadianwoman

Glad to hear that you've had them fixed and that someone here was kind enough to help you.

paulers06

They look great Tom. It's amazing what a nice smile can do for a person. Can't wait to see the lowers

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Tom...looking really good, what a great improvement. Bet your wondering why you spent all those years worrying about it now.....great work.