I knew I wasn't going to be one of those people with a perfect smile when my
adult teeth came in. My family didn't have the money for me to have one of those great
smiles. They didn't think such things were worth spending money on. Our town didn't have
fluoridation either, so it was of no great surprise to visit the dentist, first time in
eighteen years, to hear that most of my teeth were shot. Evidently gum disease and tooth
decay ruled my mouth for many years. I ignored my dentist's advise back then, and sure
enough, one by one, my teeth were falling out. I spoke funny, and had one heck of a time
chewing most foods. And still, what I had learned as a kid was still with me, I placed no
importance on my smile - or lack there of.
My wife passed when we were in our early fifties,
and about two years later I met a nice woman that I really wanted to catch the eye of. It
hit me all at once at that time, just how embarrassed I really was. She had pointed out
that I didn't smile much, and I couldn't bring myself to tell her why. So back the the
dentist I went.
Even implants were not likely to work out well for
me, so he mentioned the word my parents had used so many times, dentures. I couldn't
believe it, and at my age! But the shock was short lived when I really thought about. And
when I thought about having a perfect smile, even of false teeth, I knew this was for me.
I had it done, and find myself smiling all the time. It's funny, people thought I was
happy all of a sudden, but it was just that I could smile without feeling shame. Oh, and
yeah, I caught that woman's eye, and we've been married now for six years.
Kevin, Indiana
Next: Denture discussions
- Introduction to denture section
- Dentures - an overview
- When are dentures a possible solution?
- Procedure description: Dentures
- Dentures & false teeth - different types
- How much do dentures cost?
- Things to consider - Pros and cons of getting dentures
- Before and after photos - dentures
- Personal stories from people who have dentures
- Discuss dentures on the cosmetic dentistry message board
  
A guide to dentures for missing teeth. |
