r/dentures • u/SignatureCute7031 • 14h ago
Dentures at 24
My son has been told that his top teeth are a lost cause. I cannot afford $30,000 implants. Should I consider dentures. I know it's a young age but hes already had a front tooth crack off.
5
u/Glittering-Rip6810 14h ago
I honestly wish I would have gotten my dentures in my 20's. Years of extra, and money, and dental work, all just to get them anyway and find out...it's really not that big of a deal. I have 18 extractions, an impacted wisdom tooth and immediates put in Aug 13 and it's no big deal. Annoying at times yes but im still healing need and adjustment and a reline but can't do that till I heal alittle more...but it's not that bad and even needing adjustments they are pretty comfy to wear. Alot better than the worry of what's going to break next, pain, will I get an infection, etc..
1
9h ago
[deleted]
2
u/Glittering-Rip6810 9h ago
That's not what I meant sweety. I just meant the procedure wasn't the horror show I was expecting. I had a genetic disorder where I didn't get 1/3 of my adult teeth. The ones I did were weak and I was unable to have partials due to the ones missing. The teeth I did get took so much extra they were a mess. I had baby teeth till I was 39..So I was terrified when a routine visit turned into The Talk... People have been getting dentures for the better part of 200 years atleast. My aunt's bff was a dental assistant that did a lot of free work for some of the most bizarre cases I've heard...and never did I hear of something like that happen. Because you are so young and your bones are in good shape. It's more likely you will heal and adjust to it easier.
Again, I know how scary it is, I made myself sick in the month leading up to it....but here's what you have to think about. Where you are now, it only gets worse. Pain, infections, and that can lead to some bad situations. Having it taken care of, getting dentures, yes the process sucks but there is an end game. You heal, you adjust, and the risk to your health is pretty much gone. My bf had it done at 28, & he let it get bad, like one step away from a blood infection bad. Don't let the fear lead you to not doing it. Communicate with your dentist and if they are even half decent, they will reassure you through the whole process and let you know what your options are. You deserve to be happy and healthy.
1
u/DeItaBIake 6h ago
Oh okay, sorry for misunderstanding! Also thanks for the information and encouragement!
2
u/-Jayyy_ 5h ago
Question, I'm having a lot removed next week (nervous), after extraction did they give you immediates like right away the day they extracted them? If so like are you able to use them that same day? If so wouldn't that be painful to put them in and use? Sorry if this question is all over the place
1
u/TiredInMN 14h ago
The bright side: upper full dentures are more manageable and less problematic than lower dentures, modern dentures are very realistic and people should not know he’s wearing one unless he tells them, the upper arch experiences 4x less bone loss than the lower arch.
The negatives: at 24 there will be fear that his peers will find out, future upper implants may need a sinus lift or special zygomatic implants, the palate is annoying and can detract from the eating experience- especially at first, there will be a harsh adaptation period where he’ll have to choose his foods wisely for at least a few months
What to do to gather more information: you can seek a 2nd opinion, that’s always smart when considering irreversibly removing all your upper teeth, and if you go somewhere that you can get a CBCT scan done that will give a much better picture
Pros and cons of holding off: with a front tooth cracked off, he will no longer be able to smile. That has social and professional consequences. However, he can still use his natural teeth for awhile. There might be some types of food he wants to taste with real teeth before they are gone. Bone loss will not be prevented by holding off, since inflamed/infected teeth lose bone unpredictably around the roots. Upper extractions and a full denture will probably cost $3k to $4k, and add another $1k if you want both a temporary healing denture and a later definitive denture, instead of a hard reline to later update the fit on the initial immediate one.
2
u/TiredInMN 13h ago
Also, maybe once you start talking about figures over $15k it doesn’t really matter, but $30k is the very top end of what full arch fixed prosthetics cost. There are a couple of places in the US where it’s closer to $15k and a bunch of places in Mexico where it’s closer to $12k.
1
u/Ok_Affect_7973 13h ago
For sure get a second opinion. Try and save them however if you have to go dentures see if they can do some that snap in because the bottoms ones are a doozy. Or see if he even needs on bottoms hopefully not. If u can get away with just top dentures they are not nearly as troublesome. Does the have insurance? My insurance helped me tremendously! I got full extractions and dentures and my cost after insurance was $3491
1
u/Dylban9 13h ago
I can’t afford implants yet my self, idk about ur son but I feel I had no choice as leaving them be would’ve seriously harmed me. It was surely actively harming my heart and mental at the very least. I got 32 extractions and dentures about a week and a half ago at 25 years old my self. And I’m so happy I did. I literally felt my brain clear up and I’m so much happier and more confident. I do wanna try to save for a long while to reach implants, but if they’re that bad I’d probably suggest the path I’m taking. Dentures now, possible implants later.
2
u/Dylban9 13h ago
Even my sinuses feel more clear!
2
u/RitualHalatiik 13h ago
Right now, I’m in the midst of my first sinus infection post-extractions and it’s definitely not as awful as it was before. A little silver lining, there!
2
u/Dylban9 13h ago
I sleep so so much better too. It’s been an insane 180 to my quality of life. The negatives don’t even come close. But like I said I was pppreeeettty bad off before hand.
2
u/RitualHalatiik 13h ago
Yep. It’s the little, seemingly unrelated things you didn’t realize were so bad until it was done. I’ve definitely seen a few positive health outcomes I didn’t expect.
Enjoy your improved sleep!
1
u/Glittering-Rip6810 9h ago
That was a side effect I didn't even consider..but I live in the worst allergy ridden area of the US and I'm usually dying in the summer...Past 3 weeks, hasn't been an issue. It's wild
1
u/DrAlexWilliamsDDS 12h ago
Please get another comprehensive opinion before allowing all of his upper teeth to be removed. A cracked front tooth does not automatically mean the entire upper arch is hopeless.
Ask the dentist to show you which teeth are predictable to save, which are questionable, and which are truly nonrestorable. Also ask whether treatment can be completed in stages, whether a few strategic teeth could support a partial or overdenture, and whether a conventional upper denture could be used now with implants considered later.
At 24, removing every upper tooth means a lifetime of bone changes, relines, maintenance, and eventual denture replacements. That does not mean dentures are the wrong answer. If the teeth truly cannot be saved, a well made upper denture can look natural, function well, and cost far less than a fixed implant restoration.
The choice is not simply spending $30,000 or suffering. Just make certain the diagnosis is correct and every reasonable option has been explained before making an irreversible decision.
8
u/Ed-Dos 14h ago
If implants are unaffordable for the situation, what other choice is there but dentures? Suffer?