Dentures - New thread

[DandyDon]

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH TODAY'S DATE...

I started to post this on an old dentures thread of mine, but there is so little about this on SB, thot this deserved a new one.

The following is a PM exchange between another member and myself - as the subject is seldom discussed here, and I was one of the few he could find with Search who admitted having them. Yeah, I wouldn't post about mine either for a while, but hey - George Washington had them at an earlier age. Having already lived almost twice as long as the human body was designed to last, indeed almost twice as old as the average life expectancy a hundred years ago, I guess I'm in good shape.

I did a search on Scubaboard "Dentures" and you had a posting.

Sadly it looks as though I'm soon to become toothless and I'm scared to death that I won't be able to continue diving.

Top and bottoms - yech.

Are my diving days over ?

The official advice from our Staff dentist is to dive without them - just put them in a secure place while diving. I am very dependent on my bifocals, but leave them behind, then put them back on after the dive. This is not a bad approach.

But I I just use a lot of denture adhesive, tho, and either way - a Manta mouthpiece: http://www.manta-bite.com/

The wings fold back for insertion into your mouth.

Hope this helps you some...??

Thank you for your quick reply !

How is the mouth piece ? Comfortable.

I spend alot of time in the water. I'h hoping they can save a tooth or two for something to hook a partial to - but at the moment I don't know.

Just a bit freaked !

Oh yeah, I don't notice it. No biting, it's just in. I had a newbie GF order one even tho she had no dental problems as they're just great, and since she freaks easily, asked her to just put the mouthpiece in her mouth and wear around the house for a few hours before attaching it to her reg. No problem.

Do have to caution buddies: DO NOT try to grab the one in my mouth in a OOA panic. You have the grab the Octo.

Nah, dentures are no biggie. You wanta try freak, see my thread from diving with a clogged vein in my leg, then going to the doc. :11: But that's another story. Like many things, you just do it.

I just got off the phone with DAN and that was very encouraging ! They said that after the healing process and well fitting dentures there should be no problem even with a regular mouth piece. I'm not a biter on the mouth piece anyway. I will most likely buy the mouth piece you suggested, but hopefully a normal mouth piece will be OK. Anyway after paying for all this, no dive trip probably until next winter anyway- pleny of time to heal and get use to them.

I've also been reading web sites about wearing dentures for the first time - seems a bit hard actually.

Oh well, played hockey for many years and never lost a tooth - I guess time's caught up to me and time to pay my dues.

Geeze if I couldn't dive or ride my bike, all that's left is work - yech.

Yeah, still get the Manta, as the adhesive does break down sometimes.

Denture - Update

Well Thursday is the big day - out with the old and in with the new !

After all my research on the internet, PM to you, call to DAN, I'm much relieved !!!

My girlfriend says that our messages should be posted in an area where others facing the same circumstances and fears may benefit - can you do this ?

I have learned that usually the tops have no problem staying in, but the bottoms tend to "float" and make them harder to get use to. If this presents a problem diving, after one year's time (healing), I plan to have posts that clip into the dentures implanted into my jaw.

Boy, I've gone through "You can't dive with dentures" to "it's going to be OK"

I'll keep you posted as to my progress and experiences.

BTW - planning for December to T&C on the Explorer II. With all the teeth stuff - no $$$$'s for travel until then.

Thanks again for your help and encouragement.

Anyone else with dentures wanta comment. If you don't want to post under your own name, PM me and I'll post it for you...

 

[DandyDon]

I just received this PM from another member...

Hey DD,
Read your post about dentures. Dentures are a "relative risk" according to the handout from Padi for the physical waiver. I have had full dentures for approx. 3-4 yrs. as has my brother (family history reasons). Today's dentures are not like yesteryears. I've just completed my CW dives without problems, minus trading an airlink (not enough hose; wants to yank my dentures out). I kept my dentures in as the reg wasn't comfortable without them. I checked out the Manta link and may give that a try for extra security. Be sure anyone you dive with knows not to yank the reg out of your mouth as teeth may also follow. I was actually wearing and eating with my dentures 2 days after having 28 teeth removed at one time. It didn't take long to get used to them and I eat everything I used to; steak, corn on the cob, apples, etc. I leave caramel and gum alone. There are many good adhesives on the market, but I don't use them; as technique is the bomb. Good luck to ya, and hope a speedy return.

 

[DandyDon]

Got this PM from the member in post #1...

Update

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thought I'd send you an update and probably keep a running account of my experiences for those in the future facing the same situation.

Last week I had 26 teeth extracted, that went a lot easier than I thought and not too much discomfort after. I wasn't gassed - went the novacane route. So far pleased with the process.

Yesterday, I got my new teeth (temporary uppers and lowers). At the moment the uppers fit very snug and am not too concerned about diving with them and having them come out. The lowers however "float" a bit. Which, according to the dentist and readings is normal. I'll definatly glue them in.

No diving this weekend - still some open wounds in mouth, but I'm planning on diving in two weeks. (DDS rec.) Nothing intense, just try out the new "equipment".

I did order a MantaBite on your recommendation and plan on diving with both a regular mouth piece and a MantaBIte the first few times to see which I'm most comfortable with.

Future consideration is having posts implanted into my lower jaw that the dentures will clip in to - but that's 9 - 12 months down the road.

 

[DandyDon]

Just received this from the OP, and since there is so little info on SB about dentures, I am happy to offer this here, with my reply...

Well, yesterday was the big day - first time diving with my new dentures (top and bottom).

Like promised - here's the next installment of my experiences from the start to present.

I've had my dentures for two weeks now and in that time I've had time to try out a number of different adhesive products. MY personal conclusions:
a) Adhesive strips - waste of time. Although not as messy, I have absolutly no confidence in holding - (especially diving) at all. Therefore not recommended.
b) Fixodent - better than the strips, but JUST better. No real confidence for diving, especially for an all day outing.
c) I have a four day adhesive product - but I'm scared to use it at the moment. Like I said, I've only had my dentures for two weeks and I'm not up for them being in for four days at the moment.
d) Polygrip - pink or white extra strength. Definatly my choice. This product really glues those teeth in and is good (at least for me) diving all day ! No problems at all yesterday. I'm even sure that if someone were to grab my mouth piece in an out of air emergency, the new teeth aren't going out along with the second stage. But, I'll always make sure that my buddy knows only to take the octopus, just in case.

I di two morning dives with a combined total of 90 + minutes underwater. Then had lunch, filled tanks and two afternoon dives with a like amount time underwater. The first dive, I started out cautiously, but in no time at all was envoled with the normal stuff we do underwater. For all four dives I used a standard mouth piece with no problems at all.

I should mention that the mouth piece did feel a bit different in my mouth than before, but this will only be a matter of getting use to.

When all this started, I was afraid that my diving days were over. The nondiving dentist recommended no diving at all - DAN opinion was the opposite. Now that I've had all my teeth out and replaced with dentures and have gone back in the water, the thought of not being able to dive again is the least of the worries.

If any new problems or experiences arrive related to dentures and diving - I'll be sure to let you know

Thanks for your help and encouragement !

Good to hear. I'll add this to that thread.

Odd that you didn't like Fixodent - thot it was the same as Polident? I bought a tube of the 4 day adhesive once, but don't want to leave them in that long, so never have used it; just found it, so I might try it. I normally use the generic from walmart...

 

[TSandM]

Don, thanks for posting these. There IS very little on SB about dentures, and a lot of people have them. At least you're educating people as to what questions to ask.

 

[DandyDon]

Don, thanks for posting these. There IS very little on SB about dentures, and a lot of people have them. At least you're educating people as to what questions to ask.

Well, if you had them - would you want to post that information on this board? I didn't for a long time, but decided I was silly for worrying about it.

Not likely I'm going to get any kisses from SB anyway.... :silly:

 

[crazyTomato]

Well, if you had them - would you want to post that information on this board? I didn't for a long time, but decided I was silly for worrying about it.

You’re right, not many would have posted on this topic at all. I have to applaud you for being brave enough to post on this topic. It’s difficult to throw off the shackles that society places on us….of course, in the end we make a choice whether to give in or rise above it.

 

[DandyDon]

Hehe yeah. I'll chat with a lady online sometimes and she'll tell me she has all of her teeth. "Me, too - paid cash for them...!"

 

[DandyDon]

New message from my fellow denture wearer...

As promised - here's another mile stone in my adventures of "Denture Diving"

Ok, it's been eight weeks now and I've added almost six hours to my dive clock and so far, no problems.

During the past weeks since my extractions, my gums have been healing and shrinking (normal). So in this time, my new dentures have started to become very loose. So, I went back to the dentist yesterday and he added a soft liner that is permanent and really made the dentures fit tight again ! (it may be possible to dive with them now without adhesive - we'll see) This healing and shrinking process will continue for nine months to a year and I may need to go back periodically to have the soft liners replaced.

I've come to really like my new teeth and am happy with the decision my dentist made.

Great! I need to talk to my dentist about a liner to take up some slack. Never heard of that, but makes sense.

I will continue using the adhesive, tho - for total seal and all. Keep particles from getting under, and if you search dentures - you'll see where someone found some diving...!

[-]Also mentioned in an addicent report. I need to read that....[/-] Those were my posts...

 

[Jim Ernst]

Don.

I busted all of my front top teeth out in a bike accident and through all the years of differant patials and metal clips damaging the rest of my upper rear teeth I to recently had to have all of the uppers replaced.

My dentist did a fantastic job and then also fitted a Sea-cure mouth piece to the new chompers and all works great, and look at the bright side no more pain of broken teeth and no more cavities !! It all is working great and I have had NO problems diving!!

It is a bit of a touchy subject to discuss in public though! lol