Somehow I missed your message earlier.

I am 54 and have had no natural teeth for about 15 months - I first had
my upper teeth and lower molars out in July 2003 and got an immediate
upper.

It sounds as though my teeth were better than yours, but had a lot of
unexplained pain. I had done the years of crowns, inlays and now was
going to lose a few teeth, was recommended to have gum grafts and
implants, replace a few crowns, replace amalgam fillings with gold or
ceramic etc.

I struggled to find a dentist who would extract my teeth. I live in
South Africa, by the way. Eventually found one who agreed to take out
all except 6 lowers and he did the first stage. Got an immediate
denture (upper) and then six nmoths later found a dentist who took out
the lowers after I told him that I intended to get them all out.

I don't regret it.

They feel great. I seldom take them out to sleep, I can eat almost
everything - certain dried fruit is kind of slow - and they seldom
irritate. there is the odd time when they are a bit irritating for a
few minutes, and in the early stages there are days when they are hell.

I am blessed with a great dentist attached to a lab. I can go in any
time for an adjustment without charge, and now even after a year with
these teeth, there is the occassional need for adjustment, as the mouth
changes. I know of people who never get an adjustment, and suffer
through, bnecause the dentists can't be bothered. Frequent adjsutment
is the key, as well as a dentist who makes lots of dentures. I am also
informed, that when the impression is made, the sooner it is cast into
a model the better, as the alginate (the impression material) distorts.
Most dentists send the impression away to a lab, so it can be some days
beofre the model is made. My dentist will do a set of dentures in 24
hours. When I had my lower teeth extracted, I saw him one day, and had
the extractions and lower and new upper dentures in my mouth within 24
hours.

Certain downsides - I am always slightly anxious when swimming in the
surf - if I am on my own in a secluded spot I take out my lower plate.
If I have a cold or hayfever, they irritate me a bit. I was on holiday
in Mozambique and two teeth fell off the lower, making it a bit
uncomfortable - and no dentist nearby. So now I carry repair glue. They
are a bit noisy when eating certain foods - but one gets used to that
and learns to be a bit discreet. One of the best things is not waking
up with that early morning mouth - the mouth is much cleaner - no
matter how much effort one puts into flossing etc.

Good luck

Lewis
In Denture_Dentures@yahoogroups.com, "Chris Van Osdol"
<chrisvanosdol@y...> wrote:
>
> Hi everyone, thought I would find a group about dentures. I am 53 and
> have been fighting poor teeth for the last 15 years. Missing several
> and all my lowers are worn down and effected by cold drinks. The
> Dentist I have been going too just won't go for Dentures, so I am
> going to find one that will. It has been very upsetting and I have
> felt like they don't want to go the denture route because they will
> make more money off of me with all their B.S. plans to cap things,
> install partials, etc. I am overseas most of the time and leaving
> with crappy teeth is no fun! I had to have our korean cook pull a
> tooth for me which was REALLY bad! SO hope to learn more about
getting
> and kiving with dentures!