Dental partials - any experience?

beat_truck

Addicted Member
I am feeling very ashamed right now. I just went to the dentist today for the first time in 20 or so years. Between bad teeth running in my Mom's side of the family, not taking care of mine as well as I should have, and them just being a crooked mess to start with, several of them have to come out. I'm only 34 years old.:oops:

I know I should be thankful that I'm generally healthy (physically at least, mentally I'm questionable), and they have never been infected or caused me any pain, but it's still not fair. I've known many people, including my Dad, that have admitted to having poor dental hygiene and have hardly ever even had a single cavity.

Anyhow, how bad are partials to wear? I know nothing at this point. It's going to be in place of my upper front 4 or maybe 6 teeth, depending on which ones they can and can't save.
 
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They didn't say anything about implants. My insurance isn't the greatest and may not cover them.
Worth having if you can afford them, insurance notwithstanding. Dental insurance is usually the worst insurance there is, paying little. Implants would be better than any appliance, if applicable to your case and you could accommodate them.

Rich P
 
Anyhow, how bad are partials to wear?
I've had a lower back partial since my 20's. Feel weird at first but you get used to them quickly and they work pretty well.
I recently got a implant for an upper tooth. It's close to a real tooth, but the process takes months, and they are very expensive. Your entire partial will cost half of one implant.
My insurance pays 80% of bridgework, but only 50% of implants, up to my annual limit. A good dental office will be able to spread the billing out over two benefit years, maximizing your benefits.
 
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Worth having if you can afford them, insurance notwithstanding. Dental insurance is usually the worst insurance there is, paying little. Implants would be better than any appliance, if applicable to your case and you could accommodate them.

Rich P
Well, if I could afford them I would try go that direction, but there's just no way. Especially if they are as much as jimbofish says. Whatever my insurance pays for is it.
 
Hang onto your natural teeth, for some, the only natural teeth they have are chewing their asses.
 
I'm in a similar situation. Had one fail, get painful, and had it extracted, and put off the decision about partials vs. bridges (side-by-side crowns with filler for the missing one).
Then I had another one (other side) crack off.
I hounded my dentist's billing person for particulars on insurance coverage, and finally managed to pry out of them that IF my record shows two extractions, they will not cover a bridge, only partials. (She felt 'bad' about sharing their 'secret insider info' with me, and didn't want to encourage me to 'play' the system...and this is one of the better dental insurance companies!)
(No coverage at all on implants, which are not even on the same planet as my wallet).
So, I'm saving and pinching pennies to try to get the first extraction bridge work done first, and then go back and have the cracked off one extracted, and then have a bridge done for that. It'll still be thousands of dollars, but will also save me several thousands (for bridges) if I can pull it off.
The cracked off one is not causing me any pain, and so far hasn't caused any gum line issues, so it's kind of race between my meager wallet and the eventual rot of the cracked off remnants.
Partials are a LOT cheaper, for sure. My 'poor' dentist is just livid that decent dental coverage is hard/expensive to get, and Medicare doesn't cover anything, so I gather the most common 'evolution' is partials, followed by complete extraction and dentures.
Having bridges (or implants) makes it a more complicated path to that 'end'.
Bah. Don't like to think about it, but the various posts here on the topic have been helpful...even the stuff I can't afford!
Not looking forward to 'gumming' my food. Gah.
Good luck!!
Ahhhh...PS. I started using Livionex dental gel, which is supposed to reduce plaque. I have noticed a reduction in gum line issues subsequent to using it, but YMMV.
 
I've had an upper and a lower partial for over 20 years due to a face plant. (Don't ask if drinking was involved!)
Initially, they feel weird, but now they just seem part of me. I did get my dentist wound up a little when I got out my carbide grinder and "adjust" them a little, but in the end he was ok with what I did.
That metal they are made of is some tough stuff!;)
 
If your dentist did proper impressions, I bet they'll look great too!
Also, don't be so hard on yourself, you're not alone and
I have only this advice: DO NOT go to the dental college to have work done!
 
One of my former lives was dentistry. It's a quality of life question and partials are fine, go for it.

My best bud was a dentist, and also uses the "former life" qualifier.

I've had troubling teeth since my early teens, and dumped a ton of money into them over the years. But I recently gave up and had all the top ones yanked and an upper plate made. Over the years, every dentist and hygienist remarked on what wonderful gums I had, and that I would be great candidate for implants. At my age, i couldn't justify the expense of implants.
A couple sockets still, after 10 weeks, haven't closed up, and I can squirt coffee up through them and let it dribble out my nose. You can't do that with implants, so go for the partial.
 
My experience ended mid-late 1980s, so am not up to date on the implants, so cannot comment on them.
 
If your dentist did proper impressions, I bet they'll look great too!
Also, don't be so hard on yourself, you're not alone and
I have only this advice: DO NOT go to the dental college to have work done!
If you are talking about gum impressions, OK, but not impressions of current teeth.:no: They are crooked/crowded as all hell in the front. I think that's why the problems started so early.

It's hard not to be hard on myself. My teeth have an embarrassment since the adult teeth came in. I got made fun of in school a good bit. Kids can be dicks, especially the rednecks/white trash around here.

My dad actually worked at WVU in the dentistry department as a computer database programmer. That's where he always got his teeth worked on. I imagine he got a good deal, or it may have been free.
 
FWIW: I have never had partials, only a bridge and a couple of implants. Implants were expensive and took nearly a year due to needing bone grafts first.

My dad had a partial that was no trouble at all, but when he finally needed full upper and lower plates, he had repeated troubles with the fit.
 
Although I think you'll be fine with a partial, at your tender age implants would be awesome if there's any way at all you could swing it. I mean, if you could sell an expensive fancy car or truck, and drive a beater for a couple years...I think the implants would be a better "quality of life" investment, as @Pio1980 says.
 
It's hard not to be hard on myself. My teeth have an embarrassment since the adult teeth came in. I got made fun of in school a good bit. Kids can be dicks, especially the rednecks/white trash around here.
I feel for ya. I know how bad teeth can make life miserable. My front teeth were always fine, the problems were with the back teeth. Some real horror stories there. No one else could see it, but I was painfully aware of what was going on.
When I got out of the Army in '71, the GI bill gave me free year of dental care. I found a dentist that I was comfortable with and he came up with a plan to restore everything for a fresh start. After a year of nearly weekly appointments, the relief I felt at being able to eat like everyone else was well worth all the effort.
You'll like the partials and they can be made relatively quickly at a reasonable cost. Implants can always be done later when you can afford them.
I hounded my dentist's billing person for particulars on insurance coverage, and finally managed to pry out of them that IF my record shows two extractions, they will not cover a bridge, only partials. (She felt 'bad' about sharing their 'secret insider info' with me, and didn't want to encourage me to 'play' the system...and this is one of the better dental insurance companies!)
Any dental office should be willing to submit the proposed procedures to the insurance company for pre-approval so you know exactly what is covered and what your cost will be. You'll get a copy and so will they They can also waive some costs or accept the amount the insurance covers. Don't be afraid to ask. Costs for some procedures can vary considerably from one office to another.
And, most importantly, YOU must be comfortable with your dentist and the support staff so you're confident they are looking out for you. If not, ask for a different dentist or go elsewhere for a second opinion.
 
When I was looking for a dentist, I came out and asked my insurance company what they would cover. Cleanings, extractions, fillings, partials, and one set of dentures were covered. Everything else, no. Being that I am on medical assistance from the state, it's a wonder they even cover dental at all, so I consider myself lucky.
 
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