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So yesterday I went to the denturist to get a mold for my dentures, and it was mostly a flop.
My gag reflex just refused to cooperate long enough for them to get a good impression on my top teeth, so I am going to have to go back and try again a week from Thursday.
Sighs, I need huggles, anybody got some to spare?
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Been there etc.
I have a similar problem and I eventually discovered a way around it, although of course it might not work for you.
Modern dental practice seems to be to lay the patient down absolutely flat. This does not work for me at all. What I get them to do is to raise the chair back a little, say five to ten degrees, then tip the headrest back. This apparently stretches your airway differently and the gag reflex is gone. At that angle I don't swallow anything and I can keep my mouth open for a good while before coming up for a rest.
As for mo(u)ld impressions, try getting them to sit you upright, especially for the top teeth. You don't need to lay back at all for that.
Coincidentally I have to visit my own dentist tomorrow for a check-up and wallet lightening. I have a new guy; the previous one lasted 18 years and he knew exactly what I wanted and how to manage my teeth. This one, not so much. I doubt I'll be in there 15 minutes.
Penny
Sitting upright
My denturist had me virtually sitting upright when I did the impressions. Worked well for me, but then I only have a mild gag reflex. Sticking my finger down my throat to induce vomiting usually requires a couple of tries before I can get back far enough to do the trick.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann
Similar issues with dental work in general
Growing up (mid to late 1970s) in Paraguay, my first dentist experiences were with that seven jointed monster, that had a foot pedal operated flywheel and a bunch of leather strip belts, they called a drill; and an upright swivel chair with a foot-rest platform that could be raised and lowered. I still shudder at the memory!!
By the late 1980s they used the lazy-boy style chairs. But the dentist would only lean you back to a maximum of 45 degrees.
But coming to Germany, I discovered that the dentists try to lay you out almost flat on your back. That turns out to be a huge trigger for PTSD for me, making me curl up into a fetal position on my side so any kind of treatment procedure is totally out of question. A big part of that trigger is due leg part of the chair not moving in sync with the upper part, and the angle between my torso and my legs opening up beyond 120 degrees. That gut reaction is triggered by physical abuse in my genital area persistent through most of my school experience.
Add to that the fact that my head needs to be higher than my chest and shoulders, because otherwise my nose and airways just clog up. And that lack of air feeling is downright terrifying. (I even have the head of my bed raised a bit.)
So far I have not found a dentist who is willing to work with me in accommodating my physical and psychological triggers and needs. They are constantly pushing the limits, because they want to be comfortable.
Yep. "You can has Huggles."
I've always got extras, so many extra Huggles that there is a danger of them leaking out of my eyes.
My suggestions re: the impression are elsewhere.
And I have just =so many= Huggles sources. "For instance?" I 'hear' you ask.
- My local radio station, WFMT.com. Available free world-wide on the 'net. (Maybe hold off until the weekend, as they are doing a fund-raiser.)
This just in! A WFMT listener, Jennifer, has just made ten (!) "[JS] Bach to School" donations - this means 10 schools each get $1,200 in musical education 'stuff', and the station gets 1,200 * 10 = $12,000!! But wait! There's more! Then, Jenifer made a $12,000 Matching Challenge, so that she doubles the next $12,000 in donations to the station! I think the on-air announcers almost 'lost it!'
And me ... sigh. Lady Budget says that I "sit this one out." But they 'got me' last Fall, and I have their gift mug in front of my mug: (here) https://secure.wfmt.com/catalog/detail?productid=FGMUGM
---
Just got back from a Vegan Festival, so I had a nice chat with Bill Muir aka, https://sgtvegan.com/. Bought two books (https://youtu.be/wh54PsciUwE), one each for a good friend and her grand-child. Got bonuses - free carry bag, a Vegan Strong patch, and some stickers!
- Also a nice chat with Victoria Moran: https://mainstreetvegan.com/
{I dunno. Maybe Name Droppings should be treated like any other kind of droppings ...)
One Lady was doing her 'video blog', so I invited her ... Thus, my Philly Cheesesteak sandwich got its 15 seconds of "internet fame!"
Also got stuffed on an Ethiopian lentil stew with bread, a taco and a scoop of egg salad.
---
All foods vegan ... after all, this =was= a vegan festival.
===
Managed all expenses with cash ... except, when I got home, between travels to the Great Dark of the Eclipse, and travels to the great enlightenment of the vegan fest ... The Tollway people have 'auto-nicked' my credit card for $10. Twice.
"But wait! There's more!" on WFMT.com, Classical+Folk+comedy.
=Another= ten [JS]"Bach to School" gifts!
Another ten schools get music education 'stuff' (their choice!)
Another $12,000 to the station!!!
excuse my ignorance
but what exactly is a denturist?
Madeline Anafrid Bell
a denturist is someone who specializes in dentures
as apposed to a dentist who works with real teeth.
Denturist
A denturist is someone who makes dentures. If you go to a dentist, for false teeth, the dentist will extract what ever remaining teeth you have in your mouth and take impressions of your gums and send that impression to a denturist who makes the dentures. There are some denturists who will work independently from dentists.
There's a school of thought that has them making the impressions prior to the extractions and then the denturist with a fare amount of guess work will make the dentures so that the dentist can extract the bad teeth and fit the dentures immediately after so you don't have to get along without teeth. The problem with that approach is that when teeth are extracted there's always some swelling. And since the impressions were made with teeth still in the mouth the fit isn't exact. They then, after two or three week have you come back in and they then reline the dentures so that the fit is better. It is almost a given that you will need dental adhesive to keep your teeth from shifting around when you eat.
If you have your extractions done two to three weeks before the impressions are made the fit can be exact and odds are that you won't need dental adhesive. I went to a denturist so prior to having extractions so he could see what he was going to have to work with and he recommended a dental surgeon because I had a bad case of gum disease and my gums were already swollen and my dental surgeon recommended a month to allow my gums to heal before getting impressions done. I've had my dentures 35 years and have never needed dental adhesive. I can eat apples, corn on the cob and chew tough meat with out my teeth shifting.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann
gagging
i found that sitting up was normal with my dentist, but dropping my chin down onto my chest stopped the reflex from arising. my problem is my upper palate is almost smooth, so there is nothing for the plate to adhere to, even using a ton of the powder fixative, the plate broke free almost immediately and would fall out in my hands or lap at the slightest provocation, freaking some people out. $2500 out the window. check if they can leave a couple teeth upper and lower to anchor to, or inquire about implanted pivots to snap onto.
"Re-focus" & "Re-frame."
The whole day wasn't "a flop".
The only problem was your =properly functioning= gag reflexes delaying getting the top impressions.
On the plus side of your "ledger":
-- The bottom impressions are done.
-- You told us about it.
-- You've picked up a half-dozen or so ways to help your denturist get the 'top' done next time.
-- The rest of the day ... not likely a flop.
---
I may have already said this - look into dental implants. This is a technique where replacement teeth are permanently fixed into the jawbone.
My Mom had this done, and those teeth were never again a problem to her.
Agreed
In the UK this seems to be the modern way of doing dentures. Instead of just shaping them to the inside of your mouth they can be smaller and less uncomfortable while at the same time staying absolutely put.
The basic scheme - depending on what you need, of course - is to place implants at support points. For a whole bottom jaw, for example, I have seen (this afternoon!) diagrams with four implants: two right at the back and two nearer the front, where bite pressure would be greatest. The denture then fixes to these, presenting a complete set of lower teeth.
I had my two rear molars replaced with implants many years ago. (Fortunately, unlike my mother, I never needed dentures.) The molars were pulled out and the bone left to regrow for six months or so before the implants were drilled. Once the sockets were screwed in these were then left another month to settle before the new crowns were fitted.
I have seen schemes, usually in European parts, where they pull out teeth and screw implants into the root holes the same day. This must mean that the sockets don't go in straight but whichever way the roots had grown. From what I have heard it doesn't end well. If you go for implants make sure the dentist tells you what he will do and ensure your jaw has time to recover after the extractions.
Penny
Not only in Europe
About ten to twelve years ago (while I was still in Paraguay) I split a premolar on a small stone while snacking on shelled sunflower seeds. Basically almost half of the crown sheared of diagonally exposing the nerve inside. Though I do not remember all the details anymore, I will try to recall to the best of my ability. The dentist started with a root canal treatment for pain relief. He took a preliminary impression to help sculpt the replacement crown. The next session he extracted the stump and took and impression to have the implant made. After setting the implant a week later, he took another impression to make the crown. All in all it was about six to eight session over a span of almost three months. The only problem I have had with that implant, is that regular floss tends to get caught under the edge of the crown.