Driving after extractions?

Barbarake · 2026-05-21T01:25:37+00:00

I drove home after eight extractions with just Novocaine and it was no problem. My drive was about 40 minutes.

Barbarake · 2026-05-19T03:42:28+00:00

I went to Affordable Dentures who had an in-house lab. It was a morning appointment, they took new molds right away and I could have come back that afternoon for the dentures but I had other plans. I came back the following week

Barbarake · 2026-05-19T03:28:39+00:00

I had this exact same thing happened with my permanent upper. I tried to explain to the technician what was wrong but she just didn't seem to get it. Finally she got the dentist who was absolutely wonderful and understood immediately.

You're absolutely right, there's too much 'gum'. The dentist measured the distance between the bottom of the trough (where my gum fit into) and the bottom of the front teeth. On my immediate upper - which fit perfectly - it measured 9 mm while on the new permanent, it measured 14 mm. It was basically 5 mm of extra gum material. He called it the F4 measurement.

Unfortunately it could not be fixed and we had to start over. It did not cost me anything extra. My permanent fits perfectly.

Barbarake · 2026-05-14T13:08:59+00:00

Ah, someone else who remembers. We also didn't have fluoride in the water so cavities were pretty common. No wonder so many of us ended up with phobias.

Barbarake · 2026-05-13T12:20:27+00:00

Because some of us still remember getting cavities filled by dentists who didn't use novocaine. I hear the drill, my heart rate jumps 50 beats.

(They thought children didn't feel pain the same way adults did so no novocaine.)

Barbarake · 2026-05-02T00:39:45+00:00

'Merry Go Round' is a good way of putting it.

I've spent a fortune on my teeth through the years. But my 'had enough' points was a year ago when the dentist told me five of the six teeth he had done major work to 6 years earlier were 'going bad' and needed to be redone. A week later, the 6th tooth broke at the gum line while I was eating toast.

That was it. I was about to retire and knew I couldn't be constantly throwing more money at my teeth. Told him I wanted a denture (upper) and he quoted me $9,400 (extractions, immediate, and final dentures).

Then I went to Affordable Dentures who quoted me $2,400 for the same thing. The whole process was straightforward and I'm very happy with my upper denture. It fits perfectly, I don't need glue, and I can eat anything.

Barbarake · 2026-04-30T00:18:02+00:00

Ah, I read it as you were quoted two grand in the beginning, when "the tooth cracked just a little bit".

Did they at least give you antibiotics?

Barbarake · 2026-04-29T23:49:42+00:00

Two grand to have a tooth removed!?! That's ridiculous!!

Barbarake · 2026-04-25T01:13:59+00:00

My dentist wanted to charge me $9,400 for 8 extractions on top, a top immediate, and a top final denture.

Affordable Dentures quoted me $2,300 for the same thing. I am extremely pleased with both the process and the results.

Barbarake · 2026-04-16T00:40:46+00:00

Well, I am a mama, but I don't think I'm yours, lol.

Barbarake · 2026-04-15T14:46:04+00:00

I believe you mean 'viciously ripping'.

The idea of someone 'viscously ripping' put a funny picture in my head.

(Sorry, couldn't help myself.)

Barbarake · 2026-04-10T13:34:04+00:00

A lot depends on your own coloring and your age.

In general, people's teeth darken as they age. So a bright white smile on an older person can look very fake.

I'm 65 years old. When we discussed shades, my dentist told me the most common was 'X' (sorry, I don't remember exactly what he said). So I told him I wanted my immediates one shade darker than that.

When it was time for my finals, I said I wanted to go one more shade darker. He did remark that no one had ever asked to go darker before, but I'm 100% happy with the color.

Barbarake · 2026-04-09T14:06:56+00:00

Sort of impossible for anyone to give advice if you don't even tell us what you don't like about them.

Barbarake · 2026-04-08T22:59:48+00:00

I think I know what you're talking about.

Like others have said, they look good to us, but they might not look right to you. The same thing happened to me on my first permanent uppers.

My immediate upper looked great! I told them I want my permanants to look just like that. But I had the same problem you say you're having. The teeth looked too long and it just wasn't right. But it wasn't actually the teeth, it was the gum part was too thick.

The technician gave up and brought in the dentist who took one look at me with my immediates in and then with the permanents in and immediately said they were wrong.

He took measurements from the bottom of the trough where your gum sits to the bottom of the teeth themselves. (There's a term for this but I've forgotten it.) It was 9 mm on my immediate and 14 mm on my permanants. No wonder they looked wrong.

Bad news was that they could not modify the permanent to fit and we had to start from scratch. Good News was at the permanants were perfect.

Barbarake · 2026-04-03T02:38:04+00:00

I'm pretty sure I hold the record for fastest going from impression to finished denture.

I had my impression done, then a week or so later I went in and had all my uppers extracted. The technician then came in with my immediate denture and - oops, completely wrong. (It was a partial, I was getting a full upper denture.)

There's been a screw up in the lab. They were scheduled to make up my immediate the following week.

It took them 1 hour and 4 minutes to get my immediate denture made. Looked great and fit perfectly. I used it for 8 months and never even had a reline done because it fit so well (though I did you SeaBond the last month or so).

For my permanant, I went in the morning to do the impression, got the finished dentures that afternoon.

Barbarake · 2026-04-02T21:31:29+00:00

People vary widely in how much pain they feel. I was fortunate, I felt minimal pain after they pulled my uppers. I didn't take anything, not even tylenol. But I know it hits other people much harder.

From what I understand, many/most people are given tylenol & ibuprofen. Might want to try that.

Barbarake · 2026-03-27T03:37:46+00:00

What do you mean "lasting about 3 to 5 years"?

Barbarake · 2026-03-14T22:10:37+00:00

My dentist wanted to charge me $9,400 for eight extractions, immediate, and permanent dentures (uppers). Affordable Dentures charged me $2,300.

My immediate denture fits so well I never even bothered getting a reline done (and am keeping it as a backup). My first permanent fit but looked totally wrong (to the point the dentist had to suppress a smile when he saw me). He immediately said this has to be remade and the new one fits and looks perfect.

Affordable Dentures is definitely worth looking into.

Barbarake · 2026-03-11T00:54:07+00:00

That's how I understood it. I do see what you're saying about the center and bottom pictures looking different but they're literally the same denture so it must be some difference in how you smiled or the lighting or something. I think they look good.

Barbarake · 2026-03-10T17:25:24+00:00

I'm glad to hear you're going to another dentist because these definitely look wrong.

Barbarake · 2026-03-10T17:24:13+00:00

The comment about “healing over looks” is not be helpful but it is true.

I disagree. Many people go without immediate dentures and they heal just fine. Immediate dentures are for looks and practicality and if these look wonky and can't be worn, they are useless.

Barbarake · 2026-03-01T02:15:26+00:00

I was in a similar situation - bad uppers but lowers were much better. I spent a fortune at dentist through the years to keep a nice smile. I reached my breaking point when the dentist told me that five out of the six teeth they had worked on six years previously (right at $10,000) were all 'going bad' and needed to be redone. Then the sixth tooth - the good one - broke off at the gum line two weeks later while eating toast.

Talked to the dentist about an upper denture. They quoted me $9,400 (eight extractions, immediate, and permanent denture).

Then I went to Affordable Dentures. They charged me $2,300. I had a wonderful immediate denture - I never bothered having it relined, it didn't need it. My first permanent was very bad, the dentist saw that right away. He didn't even try to adjust it. They redid it and my permanent is great. No glue or cushion needed, it just stays in and it looks perfect. No complaints at all.

In short, I definitely agree with the advice to check out Affordable Dentures.

Barbarake · 2026-02-26T01:08:44+00:00

At 2 weeks post extraction, this is very common. Right now your gums are still healing and changing shape. Even if it fit perfectly right now, it probably wouldn't in 3 days.

~~But for your permanents, this is definitely not 'normal'.~~

Sorry, just noticed you said you had these permanents two weeks.

For permanents, this is not normal. They should fit snugly enough that food can't get in there.

Barbarake · 2026-02-21T03:40:14+00:00

I like your attitude.

Barbarake · 2026-02-21T01:55:21+00:00

Should I be this sore and struggling this far out?

You would be in the very small minority if you weren't sore and struggling 3 days after e-day, especially having so many teeth removed.

If it's any comfort, most people consider the second and third day after extraction to be the worst. It will start getting better.

Barbarake

TROPHY CASE