Dental advice wanted – Ill-fitting dentures
Last year I had most of my upper teeth removed and eventually had dentures which initially fitted quite well but within weeks I couldn’t speak properly or eat with them. I came to the conclusion that my gums had shrunk a little more,hence the problem. On my return to the practice I discovered that my dentist had been killed in a car crash and her position taken over by another. She was quite reluctant to do anything about the teeth although there was quite a large gap between them and my palate but eventually did.
On my return she fitted the teeth. Tne gap was less but the teeth slanted. When I clenched my teeth the right hand side teeth were touching but there was a gap on the left hand side. She said that there was nothing wrong with them but if I wasn’t happy then she would make me new teeth but I would have to pay for them again.
I have been without upper teeth for about a year what with having to wait at least a month for each appointment and the problems which have arisen.
I don’t know what to do. The teeth definitely slant having had several ‘second opinions’. They are unwearable and if the dentist starts again I could finish up with the same problems. I could go the local dental technician but why should I when I have paid good money. I am a senior citizen and can’t afford to keep paying out. Plus why should I accept substandard workmanship simply because it’s the NHS?
Any advice please would be helpful.
You have had immediate dentures made. Because of the large number of teeth removed there has been a lot of shrinkage of your bone.
These dentures will almost always become looser and ill-fitting over the first 6-12 months during which time the bone heals and remodels its shape.
Your first dentist should have explained this to you at the outset. It is usual in such cases. If there is a lot of shrinkage the denture will have a new lining placed after a few weeks to reduce this discrepancy, which is what your new dentist seems to have done. This will help
for a while but bone shrinkage will continue, and eventually the denture needs to be remade. Your final denture should fit a lot better and should not slant, because the bone will now be stable.
Hi,
I am able to help you to solve this problem. I can adjust your denture. Please contact me on tel. no. 079 2167 3202. We are based in EGHAM around Heathrow.
Phil Mitchell….unfortunately you are not correct.They are not immediate dentures, they are the permanent ones. The dentist removed the last remaining front tooth ( I had an infection following the injection) and when healed made a mould. Today I collected the teeth and now they are lower on one side than the other. I leave for Australia at the end of the month and have finally given up this battle.
When I return she is going to start again and I am going to pay…AGAIN!
Andrew thankyou for your offer but it’s rather a long way as I live in Norfolk.
I will battle on although after the disappointment of today I do wonder why.