dentures Archives | Poplar Crossing Dental

Putting Teeth In With Crazy Glue

Posted on October 19, 2024 by writeradmin.

My teeth are in bad shape. They’ve started just falling out. The whole thing. Even the part I think is called the root. I’ve been putting them back in with crazy glue but it hurts. I can’t go out with my friends and I’m super lonely. Is there anything I can do to fix this?

Sunny

Dear Sunny,

An illustration of a dental implant in three images

For your teeth to fall out like this, you would have to have an extremely severe case of periodontal (gum) disease. I can tell you are feeling desperate based on the fact that you are Supergluing your teeth back in. These glues have cyanoacrylate. While it does work as a soft tissue adhesive, it would only hold for a day or two at the most. Even then, I would think that your teeth would still be flopping around a bit. This is a difficult situation to be in.

My advice isn’t going to be easy, but if you follow it, you can get a beautiful smile and feel like you can face the public again. Once your gum disease is this advanced, there is no saving your teeth. They’re going to come out. However, there are false teeth you can get. While you can just get dentures, the best replacements are implant supported dentures. These place four to eight dental implants in your jaw and then anchor dentures to them. It’s the closest thing to having healthy, natural teeth and they are so completely secure that you can eat anything you want without fear of the dentures slipping.

No matter what you get, you need to address your gum disease. That will take some work. I recommend you see a dentist who offers dental sedation. Usually when someone gets to the place you are in with their oral health it is because they have a fear of the dentist. Seeing a dentist who offers sedation will allow you to get the help you need in an anxiety-free way.

Then, once the gum disease is dealt with, you will need to have some bone grafting done. Gum disease eats away at the bone, which is why your teeth were falling out. That bone is necessary both to support a denture and to retain any implants you choose to get.

I know this is hard and a lot of work, but if you do it, you can have a stunning smile. False teeth can be made to look as beautiful as natural teeth. Though, it does require you go to a skilled cosmetic dentist who knows how to create beautiful smiles.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Low Pain Tolerance and Dental Care

Posted on April 26, 2024 by writeradmin.

I am worried that if I don’t find a way to get to the dentist regularly, I’m going to end up like my grandmother did with nothing but dentures for teeth. The problem I have is that I’m a complete wuss. I have zero pain tolerance. If there is one thing I have learned, it is that pain and the dentist go together. Is there something that can help me get to my appointments without feeling like I’m about to be put through the Spanish Inquisition?

Esteban

Dear Esteban,

You show a lot of bravery in your willingness to try to get to the dentist despite the painful experiences you’ve had. Just because you have a low pain tolerance, does not make you a wuss, and don’t let anyone tell you differently. In fact, there are studies that have shown the way we perceive pain, as well as our ability to tolerate it is genetic. Red heads are a prime example of that. Some time when you feel like surfing the net do a search on red heads and pain tolerance.

One thing I would do is see a dentist who offers some form of dental sedation. They are usually more compassionate dentists and better with people who suffer from dental anxiety. I would start with nitrous oxide. It will lower the effect of pain on you while still allowing you to communicate with your dentist as well as get on with your day immediately following your procedure.

It is great that you are trying to get the oral care you need. It is people who do not step up, the way you are, that end up with dental emergencies. When that happens, the appointment is often more stressful because there is not time to find a sedation dentist, plus, what could have been solved with a simple procedure had you gone in early, becomes something much more invasive which increases the risk of pain involved. They are also the ones who end up with a mouth full of dentures or expensive tooth replacements. Your courage to see a dentist will avoid all of that. Plus, as your oral health gets better you have less and less chance of any pain at the dentist.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

If I Want To Get Rid Of My Teeth Do I See an Oral Surgeon or Dentist?

Posted on June 17, 2023 by writeradmin.

I grew up with a horrible fear of the dentist. I do not even remember how it all started. Unfortunately, this fear carried over into adulthood and I no longer had anyone pressuring me to go. Now my mouth is a mess and hurts more often than it doesn’t. I think I am to the point where I just want to have my teeth removed and get dentures. It sounds like a dream to think about not being in pain every day. In that case, do I see a dentist or an oral surgeon to remove my teeth?

Mark

Dear Mark,

I am sorry for what you’ve been dealing with your entire life. Often, these dental phobias start after a particularly traumatizing appointment with their childhood dentist. Before we go into the procedure for getting rid of your teeth, I want to suggest that you try to save them. I know. I know. You HATE dentists, and given your life experience I completely understand that. However, I know something that can change your life.

As you’ll have to see a dentist no matter what decision you make, I am going to suggest you see a sedation dentist. First, schedule a consultation. Talk to the dentist about your anxiety and ask for an appointment using oral conscious sedation. This is sometimes called sleep dentistry because it is so strong that patients often sleep completely through their appointment. Patients who have dealt with a lifetime of anxiety suddenly find they can go to the dentist again without any fear.

Are Dentures REALLY What You Want?

A woman’s jaw before and after facial collapse.

The thing about dentures is that they can often be just as miserable. They move around in your mouth and rub up against the ridge of your jawbone. Even the best fitting dentures will reduce your chewing capacity by 50%. However, the worst part of this is that the moment your teeth are removed your body recognizes that and immediately begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere. After ten or so years, you will no longer have enough jawbone left to even retain your dentures. This is known in dental circles as facial collapse.

My suggestion is you see if the dentist can save as many teeth as possible and just replace those which cannot be saved. If it turns out none of your teeth can be saved and you have to get dentures, then I recommend you get implant-supported dentures. The dental implants will keep them secure and prevent facial collapse. I am hoping that will not be necessary.

See that sedation dentist and then we can go from there.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

I Have to Have All My Teeth Extracted. How Can I Keep My Face from Collapsing?

Posted on March 21, 2023 by writeradmin.

I am only thirty years old and have to have my teeth extracted. My dentist said my calcium deficiency has ruined my teeth. I have two children who are still toddlers and I don’t want to look like a grandmother, especially because I am a widow and do hope to remarry someday, if I meet someone. Is there a way to do this without my face collapsing? I’ve been in tears for days.

Allie

Dear Allie,

I am sorry you have so much to deal with on your own. My condolences on the loss of your husband are included in that. Is it your dentist who told you that your calcium deficiency is why your teeth need to be removed? If so, he or she is making excuses. Your teeth are fully formed before adulthood and any deficiency you have now will not have an impact on your teeth. I am going to highly suggest you get a second opinion before going forward with your dentist’s recommendation to remove your teeth.

Different dentists vary in their willingness to save teeth. Some do not want to do anything except extract. Others will work like mad to save even teeth that are far gone. You want a dentist who is willing to fight for your teeth. It is possible your teeth are in bad condition because you have had two pregnancies close together. If you had a lot of morning sickness, this can be very hard on your teeth. That does not necessarily mean they are unsavable. However, we will go over what to do if they do need to be extracted.

What is facial collapse?

For those who may be unfamiliar with this term I want to go over what happens when your teeth are removed. Our bodies are designed to be remarkably efficient. When your teeth are removed, your body recognizes there are no longer tooth roots and will begin to resorb the minerals in your jawbone that were helping to retain your teeth. It does this in order to use its resources in the best way it can. While a fantastic way of distributing resources, it has the unfortunate effect of slowly shrinking your jawbone. After ten years or so, you will no longer have enough of a jawbone to even retain your dentures in your mouth, effectively making you a dental cripple.

The Solution to Facial Collapse

If it turns out you do need to extract all your teeth (which I am still not convinced of), then you can get implant supported dentures. Implant overdentures use four to eight dental implants in each arch. Then, once the bone has integrated with the implants, your dentist will anchor a denture onto the implants. Because of the prosthetic roots that dental implants provide, your body interprets them as the roots of your teeth and therefore leaves your jawbone completely intact. This would be my recommendation if your are losing your teeth.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Will Medicaid Cover Porcelain Veneers?

Posted on February 1, 2023 by writeradmin.

Ever since my cancer treatments, my teeth have been an absolute mess and I am ashamed to smile. I want to get porcelain veneers, but they are pretty pricey. I’m on Medicaid, which tells you about how much I earn. Is it possible that Medicaid would cover the porcelain veneers because my problem is medical?

Megan

Dear Megan,

I am so sorry for all you have been through. Cancer does a number on every part of your body, including your teeth. They are basically poisoning you in order to cure you. Unfortunately, Medicaid does not care about the reason your teeth have deteriorated. The big problem with government funded health care is that they will only cover the cheapest option. In their mind, it would be cheaper to remove your teeth and give you dentures than to try and save your teeth as well as make them beautiful with porcelain veneers. I would not recommend their solution. In fact, completely removable dentures cause more problems than they solve.

The first thing I would do is ask your dentist for some fluoride treatments to try to heal some of the damage done. He or she should be willing to do that given your situation. Then, evaluate the situation with any decay. Once the decay is dealt with it is time to get a pretty smile back.

If you really want porcelain veneers, I would save up for them so you can have them done by an excellent cosmetic dentist. In the meantime, teeth whitening is the most affordable way to improve your smile quickly. That alone can make you look years younger. Just make sure you have used that fluoride and your teeth are no longer dealing with the sensitivity that likely developed throughout your cancer treatments.

I wish that government healthcare were better and that they factored in situations such as yours. Unfortunately, they are all about the bottom line.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

I Can’t Keep My Denture In

Posted on August 19, 2022 by writeradmin.

I have been in dentures for over 30 years. I first lost my teeth when I was just 30 years old. I can’t keep them in. there is no ridge left on my lower jaw which means I cannot keep my dentures in anymore. I’m guessing I have to replace this but I’m not sure if it will do any good without the ridge on my jawbone.

Evelyn

Dear Evelyn,

Implant Overdentures

I am sorry you are in this situation. I wish your dentist would have warned you about this when you were first fitted for dentures. Once your teeth were removed, your body immediately began to resorb the minerals in your jawbone. It did this because your body recognizes you do not have any teeth that need support anymore. In an effort to be as efficient as possible with your body’s resources, it resorbs those minerals in order to use them where they will be more useful in your body. The problem with this is that your jawbone slowly shrinks until you no longer have enough support for your denture. This is known as facial collapse in dental circles and is what you are going through.

The prevention for this would have been to get implant overdentures. This places dental implants as prosthetic tooth roots in your jawbone and then anchors your dentures to them. The implants prevent the loss of any jawbone as well as giving you a denture that is completely secure. No slips and your chewing capacity would be significantly increased. Unfortunately, you don’t seem to have been given this option.

Snap-on Denture

At this point, you have a couple of options. Before any of them are viable, however, you will have to build back up your jawbone. In order to do that, you will need to have some bone grafting done. Once that has healed, that is where decision time begins.

First, you could just replace your denture. However, you are still young and will face the same problem as your body, once again, resorbs all the minerals. Your second option is to get implant over dentures, as described above. They will cost a significant amount of money. If that is too much money, don’t give up. Even as many as two implants for a snap-on denture will help preserve your bone.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Is It Too Late For Me to Get Dental Implants

Posted on May 28, 2021 by writeradmin.

I have had dentures for about ten years and I finally have dental insurance. Is it possible for me to get dental implants at this time? I do have some periodontal disease which did cost me my teeth to begin with. What do I do?

Luke

Dear Luke,

Dental implants are always a good idea. They are far superior to dentures. Even the best fitting dentures will reduce your chewing capacity by 50%, but the worst side-effect is the facial collapse that will result the longer you live with dentures. Once your teeth were removed, your body recognizes that and immediately starts to resorb the minerals in your jawbone. It does this in an effort to be as efficient as possible with your body’s resources.

Realizing you don’t need the bone to support teeth, it wants to use those minerals somewhere they will be more useful to you. It is a wonderful way of using your body’s resources. The downside, though, is after a number of years you have lost so much bone that you are not even able to keep your dentures in any more. Having dental implants placed signals to your body that there are still teeth there and because of that it will leave the minerals of your jawbone in place. This protects you from facial collapse.

Generally, if you are in good general health you are a candidate for dental implants. In your case, there are two things you will need to deal with before moving forward. The first is your gum disease. If it was severe enough that you were losing teeth. You don’t want to lose your new dental implants. So, step one to getting dental implants is to have your gum disease treated.

Second, the gum disease combined with the length of time you were in dentures means you probably have a significant amount of bone loss. Once your gums are healed, the second fix will be to get bone grafting done. This will build back up the bone you need in order to secure the dental implants.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Dental Implants after Ten Years in Dentures

Posted on December 30, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have had dentures for the last ten years and have hated them the whole time. I have money for dental implants but my dentist thinks the length of time I’ve been in the dentures may keep me from getting the implants. Is it too late for me?

Bonnie

Dear Bonnie,

You are not alone in hating your dentures. While some patients adjust to them, many find them a pain to deal with. Technically, if you are otherwise healthy, it is never too late to get dental implants. However, depending on the bone density in your jawbone, you may need an additional procedure.

When your teeth were first removed, your body began to resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body where they will be more useful. Unfortunately, this has the unfortunate side-effect of slowly shrinking your jawbone. After ten years, it starts to get harder to properly fix your dentures. In twenty to thirty years you won’t have enough jawbone left to keep your dentures in. This is known as facial collapse.

In order for dental implants to stay securely, you need enough bone to integrate with them. It’s possible if you’ve lost enough bone that you will need to have some bone grafting done to ensure there is enough for the bone there for osseointegration. Once that is done and healed, it will be time to get your dental implants.

Your dentist can place four to six dental implants in your jaw and then anchor your dentures to them. These are known as implant overdentures. You will find this life-changing compared to your dentures. The first thing you’ll notice is your chewing capacity goes up dramatically. Even the best fitting dentures will reduce your chewing capacity by 50%. In addition to that, there will be no more slipping and sliding. Plus, you’ll never have to worry about them falling out. The biggest benefit, however, is that having prosthetic tooth roots in your jaw prevents facial collapse.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.

Can I Have a Pretty Smile After 30 Years?

Posted on July 29, 2020 by writeradmin.

I have had dentures for 30 years. I have always hated them. I’ve recently learned about dental implants. I wish I had known about these years ago. They look so much more natural than my dentures do. Is it too late for me to get them? My dentures aren’t even staying in any longer anyway.

Marilyn

Dear Marilyn,

I am sorry you have spent all these years unhappy with your smile. I almost hate telling you this but both dental implants and beautiful dentures have been around for decades. The problem you actually faced is an inexperienced and unknowledgeable dentist.

The good news is it is not too late to fix this. You will need one additional procedure in order to ensure the procedure will be successful. You have been in dentures for so long that you’ve likely lost too much bone structure to adequately retain your dentures.

When your teeth were removed, your body began to resorb the minerals in your jawbone in order to use your body’s resources more efficiently. By the time you’ve been wearing dentures as long as you have, then you no longer even have enough jawbone to adequately support your dentures. This is known as facial collapse and is why your dentures are no longer staying in place.

You’ll have to build that bone back up. In order to do that, you will have a bone grafting procedure done. This will make sure you have an adequate replacement of the bone you lost during the last 30 years.

Once you have had time to heal from that it will be time to begin your dental implant procedure.

Implant Overdentures

What you will do is have between four to eight dental implants placed in each arch of your teeth. Then, once the new bone you have has had time to integrate with the implants your dentist can anchor a newly made set of dentures to them.

I know you were worried about dentures not looking great. That has more to do with the artistic ability of the dentist than the procedure itself. You can have a stunning smile.

What you’ll need to look for is a dentist who has both experience in dental implants and cosmetic dentistry training. Look for someone skilled in dental implants first. From there, you can check out their smile galleries to get an idea of the beauty of the work they’ve done.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker. We offer metal-free dentistry.

All-on-Four Dental Implants

Posted on July 6, 2019 by writeradmin.

My husband is tired of his dentures. When he first got them, we were under the impression they were his only real option. The longer he’s had them the more he’s despised them. We recently learned about dental implants. We went to see a dentist about them and he said that the All-on-four procedure is his only solution because of bone loss. What I want to know is if this will be as good an option?

Carly

Dear Carly,

All-on-Four Dental Implants

I’m sorry your husband wasn’t given all his options at the beginning. This would have saved you a lot of hassle and discomfort, not to mention paying for two procedures. I hate telling you this, but your husband isn’t being given all his options again. In fact, whatever dentist you saw wasn’t completely honest. The all-on-four procedure isn’t your husbands only option.

While the dentist is right that there was likely a lot of bone loss, you can have bone grafting done. This will enable your husband to do traditional dental implants. You asked if all-on-four is as good. It isn’t. While the procedure has gotten a little better, it is still considered controversial. Plus, if one component of it breaks, the entire unit will have to be replaced.

The theory behind this procedure is to place the anchoring implants at an angle which, in theory, requires less bone structure to be available. That would be a good option if we couldn’t add to our bone structure, but we can.

Get Dentures Supported by Dental Implants

I’m going to recommend he have the bone grafting done and then have implant supported dentures. This places dental implants in his jaw, which in turn will protect him from further bone loss. After a period of healing, he can have dentures anchored to them.

He will find a much higher quality of life. There’s not slipping or sliding, no food getting underneath, and his chewing capacity will be significantly increased. This will completely change the way he feels about his teeth.

I’d also like you guys to look for a better dentist in your area. Hopefully you can find one who keeps up in his field or at least has the guts to say he doesn’t know or can’t provide necessary services.

This blog is brought to you by Hoffman Estates Dentist Dr. William Becker.