Dr. Stephanie Murphy, DDS
Dear Dr. Stephanie,
I saw your ad in the Shepherd Express. My father’s dentist thinks he needs new upper dentures. His current dentures are 20 years old, and they don’t fit in his mouth that well anymore. He keeps “playing” with the dentures in his mouth and sometimes removes them during the day.
Over the years, he has lost a few teeth, so the “new” dentures would be a full set of dentures that would cover his entire upper mouth. He already has lower dentures, which remained unchanged.
At my dad’s age (93), is it really necessary for him to get new dentures? He is in assisted living and is in the late stages of Alzheimer’s disease. I hate to think of him spending $2,000+ for something he may only use for a year or less. Isn’t there another solution for someone that age? He is in good general health overall, considering the Alzheimer’s. He also has two terminal cancers—prostate and multiple myeloma. He is in remission for both of the cancers.
- Anne
Dear Anne,
I can understand that you are in a difficult situation; adult children are increasingly faced with making decisions for parents whose health may be failing, and dental care is no exception. I am assuming, based on your description, that it is not possible to ask your father if he wants a new upper denture. While I certainly can’t tell you what’s best for your dad, I hope I can at least offer some suggestions as to how you might weigh the pros and cons of treatment for him. It sounds as if he has a partial denture; partial dentures are held in the mouth by metal “clasps” that attach to the remaining teeth. If he has lost the teeth that hold the partial in place, then the only other option is to have a full denture made. A full denture covers the entire roof of the mouth and is held in place by suctioning to the gums. This can be a very different feeling for anyone, but I do worry that, in the advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, it could be a particularly difficult adjustment.
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The primary functions of our teeth are chewing, speech and aesthetics. If it were my father, I think that I would consider each of these areas as they relate to his quality of life, how they are affected by his current appliance and the possibility that a new denture might improve/disrupt them.
Is he concerned about the cosmetic appearance of a partial that doesn’t fit well or that he is easily able to take in and out of his mouth? Could the looseness of his current appliance eventually become a safety concern as it relates to choking? Do you feel that his ability to speak is being negatively impacted by the poor fit? Is he having difficulty chewing his food? Is he able to adjust to new things (as I mentioned before, a new full denture will feel like a
foreign object at first)?
I hope this is helpful. As I said earlier, I know it must be a difficult decision. Best wishes to both you and your father.
Submit your questions at drmurphy@stephaniemurphydds.com.
