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Dentist is Insisting on a Procedure I Cannot Afford?

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Dentist is Insisting on a Procedure I Cannot Afford?

Posted by writeradmin

I am so frustrated right now and I have no idea what to do about the situation. I am losing all of my teeth. I know it is my fault, but that is water under the bridge and I just need to move on from here. My dentist is insisting I get all these dental implants which I absolutely cannot afford. I really just need to get dentures, but he keeps telling me that they will destroy my life. What am I to do if I just don’t have the money?

Carol

Dear Carol,

before and after facial collapse

 

While your dentist may have good intentions, he has not handled this well. The best dentists don’t just order you to do something and make dramatic claims about it destroying your life if you don’t. They inform you of all your options and explain the pros and cons of each. In truth, completely removable dentures have serious downsides.

Problems with Dentures

  • Pain as the lower dentures rub on the bottom arch
  • Some people with a strong gag reflex have trouble with the plate for the upper dentures
  • Slipping
  • Loss of chewing capacity. Even the best fitting dentures reduce your chewing capacity by 50%
  • Loss of your jawbone leading to facial collapse

While the majority of these are comfort issues, the last one facial collapse can lead to serious health issues. When your teeth are extracted, your body recognizes that and begins to resorb the minerals in your body in order to use them elsewhere throughout your body where they are more needed. After ten years or so, you will no longer have enough of your jawbone left to even keep your dentures in. Not only will it make you look decades older, but you will not be able to eat solid food.

Preventing Facial Collapse

Having dentures secured with dental implants (implant overdentures) signals to your brain that your teeth are still there and the jawbone needed. This will prevent any bone loss. Though they are expensive, and if you can’t afford them, you can’t afford them. I have two suggestions in that case.

The first is to look into snap-on dentures. These are more affordable than traditional implant support dentures because you only need two dental implants. If even that is too much, then go ahead and get removable dentures, but do everything in your power to save up for implant replacements as soon as possible.

This blog is brought to you by Mt. Dora Dentist Dr. Michelle Stillman.