|
Author |
Topic:
Survivors
With Dentures |
Rob
Member
Member # 480
|
My Mom had half of her tongue removed, 15% of the floor of
her mouth grafted, and a large neck disection on March 5,
2002. She underwent 6 weeks of radiation. She recently completed
the series of visits to have new dentures fitted. (She doctors
at Mayo Clinic).
Even though the dentures fit well, she still has a lot of
trouble chewing, eating, and swallowing. Any one out there
with a similar situation? Would appreciate any input.
Posts:
1 | From: LeCenter, MN | Registered: Dec
2002 |
|
|
Dinah
Platinum Member (100+ posts)
Member # 203
|
Rob,
If your Mom is in dentures already and is doing any chewing
and swallowing...she's doing really good.
I have upper and lower partials after 14 teeth being removed
and there are still some things that are tough to chew - and
a lot that are tough to swallow, due to lack of saliva and
still sensitibe throat. My radiation was over Jan 25th.
As you read the board you'll see that everyone is different
and there are still people on their PEG tube only and others
that are eating almost everything.
Everyone's body heals at a different rate.
Thing such as meat loaf and soups were my first items...everything
with gravy and butter. Pastas work because of the soft and
sauces. Rice doesn't work for me, but might for others.
From your description I have a feeling she is doing well,
be patient and try different things.
Take care,
Dinah
Posts:
113 | From: Texas | Registered: Jun 2002
|
|
|
Brian
Hill
Administrator
Member # 4
|
Full dentures, even in people with a healthy mouth which is
free from treatment induced trauma, are problematic for most
who have them. The maxillary denture is usually the most stable
since it can be held to the roof of the mouth with suction.
But the mandibular denture has no way of being really stabilized
in position. The muscle attachments in the floor of the mouth
and of the tongue frequently work to dislodge it. The movement
of the tongue itself does the same. Even the forces of mastication
will dislodge both dentures if the occlusion (the chewing
surfaces) is not correct and balanced. As patient gets older
the bone of the mandible, and the maxilla to a lesser extent,
becomes smaller in size from pressure recession caused by
the loads of the dentures on it. This also causes the dentures
to be less stable. You do not mention if the dentures are
new to her, or if she has worn dentures before these treatments.
Also whether the dentures are causing her any discomfort as
she attempts to eat. If she is new to dentures it can take
sometime to get used to them, and what you can and cannot
eat using them. New denture wearers in general have a learning
curve when it comes to chewing, and getting the bolus of food
to the rear of the mouth, since the dentures eliminate the
propreoceptive feelings that we all have as the food contacts
different portions of the interior of our mouths. We actually
know from feel were the food is, denture patients have to
relearn this. It is hard for me to imagine someone with delicate,
recently healed tissues doing well with any set of dentures.
Even those of us with regular dentition have numerous eating
issues after treatment. Full dentures are seldom thought of
by those who have them as anything other than a very poor
substitute for the teeth they used to have. In all my years
of dealing in dental prosthetics, I have only come across
a handful of people who have said they are satisfied with
their full dentures. If you find that the stability of the
dentures is one of the problems, the mandibular denture can
be stabilized by having two implant placed in the anterior
region of the mandible. These can then have a variety of attachments
added to them, from snaps to a bar and clip system that will
allow the lower denture to remain more fixed in position during
function but still removable. If she was not radiated in this
area, which many oral cancer patients have not had done, she
may be a candidate to have the implants placed. Denture patients
with fixed/removable lower dentures have significantly better
function that those with conventional implant free dentures.
--------------------
Brian, stage 3 oral cancer survivor. OCF Founder and Director.
"The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.
The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a
servant."
Posts:
367 | From: Laguna Beach, CA | Registered:
Mar 2002 |
|
|
|
