Diving with Dentures

[JamesBon92007]

How many of you old geezers are diving while wearing dentures? If so, is it a problem? I'm 65 now and, even though I still have most of my teeth, it is something I think I need to plan for. Should I not worry about it or should I start saving up for implants?

 

[KathyV]

How many of you old geezers are diving while wearing dentures? If so, is it a problem? I'm 65 now and, even though I still have most of my teeth, it is something I think I need to plan for. Should I not worry about it or should I start saving up for implants?

I don't have any experience with dentures or diving with dentures, but I can tell you that we recently struggled with this question because a bridge in my husband's mouth had to be replaced with either a partial denture or implants.

We checked all our insurance policies and they would partially cover the denture but not the implants. He also got opinions and estimates from at least 2 dentists. Our usual dentist gave him a "senior discount" and another discount for paying in advance and he decided to go for the implants. He is super happy with them, and feels confident that he made the right decision, but they are very expensive.

If this issue comes up again for either of us, and it probably will, we will probably try to get implants; so I suggest that you (and us) should start saving now!

 

[ibj40]

I don't have any experience with dentures or diving with dentures, but I can tell you that we recently struggled with this question because a bridge in my husband's mouth had to be replaced with either a partial denture or implants.

We checked all our insurance policies and they would partially cover the denture but not the implants. He also got opinions and estimates from at least 2 dentists. Our usual dentist gave him a "senior discount" and another discount for paying in advance and he decided to go for the implants. He is super happy with them, and feels confident that he made the right decision, but they are very expensive.

If this issue comes up again for either of us, and it probably will, we will probably try to get implants; so I suggest that you (and us) should start saving now!

I just went through this very set of circumstances, but prevailed on my insurance carrier to partially cover my implants, which I accomplished by getting them to agree to spread the process across two plan years, using two different practictioners (one did the implants and the other installed the crowns).

 

[JamesBon92007]

It sounds like implants are the only choice

Our health insurance agent gets all of her dental work done in Mexico. Perhaps when we are on Cozumel we can ask around and find a good dentist there. This might cut down on how many boat dives I get to do.

I think I have partial coverage for root canals and crowns but if the current tooth-in-question can't be fixed it looks like I'd better start saving my pesos.

 

[KathyV]

I just went through this very set of circumstances, but prevailed on my insurance carrier to partially cover my implants, which I accomplished by getting them to agree to spread the process across two plan years, using two different practictioners (one did the implants and the other installed the crowns).

My husband also had 2 practitioners, one to install the implants and his regular dentist did the crowns.

 

[chrisch]

I knocked out my front three teeth many years ago. I learned with a partial denture and it never gave me any issues. Later had a bridge fitted and it never gave me any issues. Bridge broke a while back and now gone for implants and get no issues.

Problem would be if you lost the prosthetic due to it being pulled out with the reg for some reason. Take it out pre dive or insure it

 

[DandyDon]

It sounds like implants are the only choice

Nope. It's a fine choice, but dentures are no problem to dive with. Just use plenty of denture adhesive each morning. I make sure that I get there with plenty by packing a tube in checked luggage and another in my 3-1-1 bag for carry-on. Then I keep one tube in my room and the other in a pocket on my dive bag. I guess it can be purchased there, but I avoid shopping.

Perhaps when we are on Cozumel we can ask around and find a good dentist there.

I tried that years ago, but then they sent their lab work to Mexico City and would take longer than the week I wanted to spend there. I already had my uppers from a Texas dentist, but did the lowers with a Cancun dentist.

Many years later, I was wondering how many I had left on my original plates, so priced a new set with the same office - which had relocated from the market area to a shopping mall closer to the tourist island. The quote was cheap enough so I went with the new set. They even cleaned my old set which I keep as a spare even tho the fit was a little different. Wonderful staff, all very friendly and helpful, etc. I did have a problem in that this trip they required I come back for a second fitting totaling three visits, so I had to travel from Coz to Cancun and back missing a dive day - but they failed to warn me about that in advance. I could have handled that with the first night in Cancun, second fitting the second day of trip, then a third visit at the end of the trip to pickup the dentures at the end of the trip, or maybe they did tell me and I forgot? Couldn't ask for a nicer staff anyway. See Cancun Cosmetic Dentistry

 

[JamesBon92007]

Nope. It's a fine choice, but dentures are no problem to dive with. Just use plenty of denture adhesive each morning. I make sure that I get there with plenty by packing a tube in checked luggage and another in my 3-1-1 bag for carry-on. Then I keep one tube in my room and the other in a pocket on my dive bag. I guess it can be purchased there, but I avoid shopping.


I tried that years ago, but then they sent their lab work to Mexico City and would take longer than the week I wanted to spend there. I already had my uppers from a Texas dentist, but did the lowers with a Cancun dentist.

Many years later, I was wondering how many I had left on my original plates, so priced a new set with the same office - which had relocated from the market area to a shopping mall closer to the tourist island. The quote was cheap enough so I went with the new set. They even cleaned my old set which I keep as a spare even tho the fit was a little different. Wonderful staff, all very friendly and helpful, etc. I did have a problem in that this trip they required I come back for a second fitting totaling three visits, so I had to travel from Coz to Cancun and back missing a dive day - but they failed to warn me about that in advance. I could have handled that with the first night in Cancun, second fitting the second day of trip, then a third visit at the end of the trip to pickup the dentures at the end of the trip, or maybe they did tell me and I forgot? Couldn't ask for a nicer staff anyway. See Cancun Cosmetic Dentistry

Wow, thanks! That's great information and some things I may not have thought of. I avoid dentists here in the US that send everything out (including patients) but some lab stuff simply cannot be done in a typical dentist office. I can easily imagine spending a few months on Cozumel however Cancun is not exactly on my list of premier destinations.

 

[DandyDon]

I can easily imagine spending a few months on Cozumel however Cancun is not exactly on my list of premier destinations.

Not mine either, but it's a stop on the way to Cozumel. I prefer flying in and out of Coz, but sometimes Cancun can't be avoided, or just offers a better flight plan. Check with the Coz dentists, maybe you can find one that gets lab work done closer, like how much faster would it be if they used a Cancun lab - but check with mine too and see what they offer. They're only 10 miles from the airport. The cheapest way to get there is take the bus to downtown, then a taxi to the mall, unless you can get the drive to let you off at the mall. $5 or $10 should fix that.

I even got them to pay for my taxis to & from the bus station when needed. A lovely young lady would escort me to the street, knowing it's cheaper to hail one on the street than take one with a surcharge for being parked just off of the street, and pay the driver.

Oh, and ask about implants and other options, with both.

 

[JamesBon92007]

By "bus to downtown" do you mean the ADO to the downtown terminal?

I've yet to fly directly into Cozumel and so far always land at CUN so it sounds fairly simple.

Also, I sure would not have know about the surcharge for taxis parked off the street!