Tuesday, August 4, 2009

HELP, swelling after complete mouth extraction for dentures.?

Someone, please... I had all my teeth pulled out on June 12th. I have had awful dental problems do to medication taken over my 38 years. My question is, I went the day after all extractions for a check-up. My dentist told me to start keeping my dentures out at night to "let my gums breathe." HUGE, HUGE mistake. I listened and by the next morning the swelling was soooo very bad my dentures would not fit on my gums! I was mortified. I still am. I can't leave my house or let anyone see me. I can't talk even close to correctly (not that I could with the new dentures yet) but my goodness. At least I could leave the house. I called the office and was told to keep cold (ice or veggie bags) on it. I did that and it only took the swelling down a tiny bit. Not enough to get these dentures in. My gums are way too big for the dentures. Most of all on the bottom. Any advise.Anyone, please.Help!
Answer:
I just went through the same thing, had 15 teeth extracted on June 6. I have a complete upper and 2 partials on the bottom.. My dentist told me the bottom is very difficult to get use to. I kept some of the bottom teeth thank god. I was told NOT to take out dentures first night. I kept them in and bled terribly. The whole thing was a nightmare. But its been 8 days now and I'm getting better. I was really swollen too, with two huge bruises on each side of my face. Looked like I was beat up. My face is still alittle swollen and my jaw is stiff but everyday its gets better. I've been back to the dentist everyday since I had it done for adjustments. I'm going today in an hour. The immediate dentures that we got need to be adjusted everyday just about because of the swelling. I was told to put cold packs the first day then heat. I used a heating pad with a towel and kept it on my face twenty minutes on and off. It helped alot. My dentist told me to do the same thing yours did. Call him and go today and let him adjust the dentures. You'll feel better soon I promise. I still can't keep the bottoms in, they still hurt and its so hard to talk. I keep them in for a few hours a day and I practice reading outloud. Its the hardest thing I think I've ever done and I've had children and surgeries in the past and I've lived everyday with a chronic pain deasease for the past 9 years, this is something else. It changes your whole life for awhile. Try to think positive and keep doing the rinses and go back to your dentist everyday if you have to. I don't sleep with mine at night and they say this is good. Your gums need a rest. Good luck and if you feel like talking you can email me.
You need to be checked by your dentist to make sure you don't have infection settling into your extraction sites causing some of the swelling.
But continue with the ice to your gums.
Good luck.
could be a sign of gum desease go to your dentist
You have had all your teeth out and now your mouth is swollen? Usually one should keep the dentures in initially and only take them out twice a day to clean; but it's too late for that. I would be concerned about infection. Examine your gums carefully, perhaps you have an infection that needs to be treated. Take an anti-inflammatory for the swelling and pain, keep rinsing with salt water, keep up with cold therapy, and consider seeing a doctor to check if they are infected. Ibuprofen is good.
You are okay, that swelling you are having now is part of the healing process and will go down. Your dentures won't fit right away and probably won't fit for about a week.
Patients are recommended to wear the denture the first day after extractions because the denture acts like a bandaid allow the sockets to clot over. Taking out the dentures after the first night is highly recommended and believe it or not will allow the gums to heal fast than if you left the dentures in all this time. Don't forget your mouth had some major work, having teeth taken out, especially if your dentist had to work to take them out, or if there were several teeth involved is trauma to the mouth. If you have ever bumped your lip, and it swells, you know what I mean, the swelling takes a while to subside. Use the ice packs 20 minutes on 20 minutes off. If you left your dentures in for more than the first night, the gum tissues would look like a bandaid left on too long while under water and the areas would not heal nearly as quickly.
Once the clotting is acheived (usually after the first 24 hours) you may want to start with warm, gentle salt water rinse, but ask your dentist about when to start that before doing it. The salt water will also reduce swelling and speed healing. Hang in there, you have made it through the worst part, now it just takes some patience and some time.
Once you are able to get your dentures in you will develop sore spots with those dentures that is also part of the process, call your dentist as soon as sore spots start to develop so you can also minimize the sore spots and allow the areas to heal that much quicker. Some people have a lot of sore spots and some have only a few. You may have quite a few until all the swelling is out of your system. Hang in there! :o)

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for this information. I just had all my uppers taken out. Full dentures on top and partial bottoms. My face swelled up and I actually looked like someone punched me in the eye, with black and blue bruises on left side of face. Simply, I was looking for reassurance that this is basically normal. Now I can rest at ease, knowing I will soon be fine. MJW

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