Dentures or partials?

I have been told that I will loose most of my teeth to include the front 4 (top and bottom) and the back 3 or 4 (top and bottom, both sides). This will only leave me with a few on each side. I am debating whether I should just have them all pulled and be done with it. With advanced Periodontal disease, I could face allot of work with the remaining teeth and end up needing them pulled too. Finances are also an important factor, but I'm not sure what the difference of cost is for partials and dentures. Is it worth the risk to go with partials, or should I just get it over with and go straight to the dentures.

Dentures or partials?
With periodontal disease you will probably need the remaining teeth pulled after a while and then your partials will be useless. I don't know how you can have the disease on top and bottom and yet a few teeth aren't involved. I'm going through the same thing. But all of my bottom are o.k. If I were you I'd go for the full dentures. In the long run you'll only be paying once as oppose to paying for the partials and then having to toss then and get dentures. It's such a scary thing, I'm so afraid to do it. I can't smile anymore and that's my motivator. My teeth don't hurt. I was quoted $1575 for a full upper denture. The oral surgeon wants $120 per tooth for extraction and $400 to put me to sleep. Good luck to you.
Reply:If the few teeth you will have left are well cared for, my money would be on keeping them and getting partials. Dentures are a royal pain, and the lowers are usually too loose to chew with safely. This is especially true if you have little or no gum ridge for the lower plate to adhere to, which is seen in patients who had bad periodontal disease.


In addition to the chewing issues, your sense of taste will be diminished. Biting into an apple or ear of corn, or chewing a bagel or steak will not be as easy (or is impossible) as it would be with partials.


You will spend a fortune on getting dentures relined and on adhesives that taste AWFUL.
Reply:I was given the same option several years ago. I went with the partials, but I only have them on top. Had many problems with getting them to fit right and tight, so now I "paste 'em in" every day with Fixodent. I also have a very bad gag issue whenever the dentist has to work in the back of my mouth. He suggested I go with partial, whereas my DH wanted me to get a full set on dentures. No way, ho-say!