Dentures

[4LgrLife_53 82]

I figured I'd ask this question in Post-Surgery's forum (although I am awaiting a 4 November surgery date). I have full dentures (top and bottom). Anyone out there that has lost weight post-surgery --- did you have a problem with your dentures after you lost weight? Was wondering if I will need to buy new dentures after I lose the excess weight. Do your jaw or gum-lines shrink with weight loss?

[Miss Mac 6,261]

i do not wear dentures, but when I hit the 50 pound mark, I had to get my glasses adjusted because they kept falling off of my face. Also, none of my shoes fit now. They are all way too wide, but I hesitate getting new ones until I get closer to goal. My rings are loose, too.

[ProudGrammy 8,322]

problem with dentures after you lost weight?

@@4LgrLife_53

wow - i've been on the board over 3 years

never heard that good question before

you seriously get a blue ribbon for asking a good, new question

nothing about gas or vomitting!! that we usually hear!

but of course those are great discussions too!!

talk to your dentist, surgeon

they are the guys in the know

in my "laymen" opinion

if that area does shrink or change

you "might" need adjusting/new set of dentures

give your dentist a call, surgeon too

people go through different experiences PO

as @@Miss Mac said - fingers and feet get smaller -

new one to me about the glasses situation

all sorts of different physical areas that we wouldn't/didn't think of get smaller as you lose weight

my poor hubby

he still waiting to see if my mouth gets smaller

at 2.5 years PO - don't think its gonna happen!!

did you know........

statistics have proven that November 4th is the best day for WLS!!

good luck

speedy recovery

kathy

Edited September 29, 2014 by proudgrammy

[JamieGirl 49]

I don't have dentures, but I do work in a dental office. Yes, as you lose weight your dentures may become loose. My suggestion to you would to frequent your dentist office and have them relined some dentist can do this in house or they can send it to their lab and have it returned to you the same day or early the following day. I would not fork out the money for a new pair until you have lost most or all of your weight. Another option to consider would to get implant retained dentures where they literally snap on and stay on without loss of suction or grip on your pallet. I hope this helps!

[4LgrLife_53 82]

Unfortunately, due to the nature of my facial injuries (from an assault) that necessitated the removal of my natural teeth, I was only able to get the regular dentures and not the implants because the dentist (and oral surgeon) told me I don't have enough bone to do implants (I also found out that the bone on one side of my jaw is so thin it wouldn't take much to bust my jaw, and it made me more guarded around my facial area). I wish I could have the implants, because I wind up using a lot of Fixodent, Poligrip, and the other pastes to keep my teeth in, and by the end of week I'm in agony from gum pain and soreness and I usually have to go a couple of days without them for things to quiet back down. My dentures are made at the VA Medical Center, but it takes forever to get in, and then about 4 months worth of wait for a new set. It's unreal, but I learned to eat soft foods. Most of my weight gain was from a lack of self esteem and psychiatric issues in years that followed the violent assault. Thankfully I am in a better place in my mind and can now pursue this gastric sleeve surgery to work to get the excess pounds off that have been a detriment to my physical health. I have a 4 Nov date with the surgeon for my Gastric Sleeve.

[auntiemel 275]

I'm sorry to hear all this. I had braces and jaw surgery a few years ago and was told that my jaw bone is very thin, but she was able to put screws and plates in without having to harvest bone from my hip.

Are there any other oral surgeons/dentists you could see? I'm wondering if bone grafts would help?

My grandma lost her teeth at a young age, I believe in her late teens or early 20s and she said that dentures are so painful. My sister is a dental assistant, I will have to ask what she thinks would help ????

[4LgrLife_53 82]

AuntieMel: Thanks. Would appreciate any feedback, and maybe I can pull a few teeth at the VA . Even though I am 100% service-connected disabled, I have a hard time getting referred to Specialists and basically have to take what I can get, not having traditional private dental insurance. I'm also on Medicare now after so many problems getting help with health issues at the VA. Medicare and my supplemental plan is taking care of my Gastric Sleeve surgery. I don't know if Medicare covers denture replacements or implants (I'm thinking not).

As an added note, I heard the VA is going to start offering Gastric Bypass Surgery thru the Omaha, Nebraska VA Hospital. Good luck to anyone who goes there.

[auntiemel 275]

Hey! I talked to my sister and she said if the bone is too fragile/thin to do implants in the normal way, you can get them implanted from the bottom of the bones which tend to be thicker.