Befores & Afters

The first 3 nights after getting my hybrid dentures installed, 
I was abruptly awakened by my mouth dropping open
with excruiating pain in the bottom area of my lower jaw!
EEEOOWWW!
It even hurt to touch the area, although I couldn't see any redness or bruising.
I decided to stick it out until seeing the Prosthodontist in less than 2 weeks. 
These strange occurrences suddenly just stopped!
YAY!
Apparently, a 'side effect' when your mouth, tongue and brain are all trying to get used to permanent structures in your mouth!

I also bit the hell out of the inside of my cheek 
in the early days following installation of my hybrid dentures.  
This happened while I was sound asleep!!
Talk about WAKE YOUR ASS UP QUICK!
Yet, another quirk in the process. 
I haven't bitten myself since...thank God!

The Prosthodontist did, however, file a couple of areas to adjust my bite.
I had more pressure on one side, but once he filed several back teeth, 
my bite is level now! YAY!
Also, one of the eye teeth (canines) was protruding further out than the other one and it was catching the inside of my lip.  
I was constantly pulling my lip away from it. 
He reduced the roundness and filed the bottom of it a little bit 
and that did the trick!

Remember, 
things need to feel right and BE RIGHT 
in order for you to enjoy your new teeth!

I'm beginning to accept my 'new look'. 

I don't look like myself,

but a friend offered great advice and told me to stop looking in the magnifying mirror and pin pointing all of these itty bitty flaws that only I would see.

I'm slowly becoming not so critical of myself.  

Although the best look of all is to smile...

I can't go around constantly smiling - with a smile plastered to my face. LOL!

So, I need to get used to the 'new look' I have.

Here are some photos to show you what I mean.
Granted, I'm 3 years younger in the photo on the left, 
but if you look at the area above my lip,
it's very obvious how bulky hybrid dentures are. 
They actually made my lips fuller.
I even experienced about a full week of chapped lips
& finally figured out why!
Parts of my lip were being exposed to air that hadn't been before. 
Interesting!

Now for Before & After smiling photos:
WOW!
What a huge difference!
I'd choose the hybrid dentures ANY day!

I'm very grateful and blessed to have been able to go through this process 
because the chronic gum disease that I had was awfully painful 
and very damaging to my health. 

There is a direct link between gum disease and heart disease 
because of the harmful mouth bacteria that travels thoughout the bloodstream.
I often wonder if my 3 heart attacks (all before age 50)
were at least partially caused by my gum disease. 

With that behind me, 
I can now move forward with enjoying, 
and being ever so grateful, 
to be able to chew again!

I'm even eating a bit healthier these days. 
Loving my homemade salads and Honey Nut Cheerios.