Teeth trouble

[irishgal]

Due to scleroderma and sjorgon syndrome my back teeth have cracked and i have lost 5 from the top row.i am self conscious of this and am thinking of getting them replaced has anyone had any dental work done or knows if it is possible due to my conditions I am afraid of getting work done and ending up with constant pain any advice will be appreciated thanks

[MissusTee]

I have sjogrens and scleroderma, and have had to spend a lot on my teeth. My mouth is extremely dry, and I have a fissured tongue. My front teeth were crumbling and I have had to get them crowned, and composite fillings on my lower front teeth, as the dentyn was exposed. About £1500 in all, but they do look better.

[cpns]

I have very similar problems to you & am similarly self conscious about it. Sadly I have no answers for you, but am empathising with you & will be following your post in the hope that someone has some answers for you - which might also help me!

(How cheeky is that !!)

[MFC911]

Hi,

I know from first hand experience what you are going through.

What you need to do is: 1). Get a referral to your local dental hospital (I know it sounds like; "Run away, Run away". Don't get worried, they are all great and put you at your ease). From your GP. Once you have seen the dental hospital, ask them for a report for you to give to your local "PCT"

That's; Patient Care Trust (please understand I'm not being patronising. I am assuming that you know none of this in order to convey the process to you in the most straightforward manor). The PCT control the NHS budget for your area. Once you have the report, you need to apply to the PCT for individual funding specific to your condition. They will take into account your age, your overall general health and your financial circumstances.

If they feel that you fit the criteria then they will fund implants. DO NOT allow them to bully you into having dentures. Dentures cause a problem due to the fact that once they are taken out at night due to lack of saliva your gums will shrink and you will need a crowbar to get the dentures in again.

So, in short; you need implants to replace broken teeth. Implants are expensive and the NHS will pay if you kick up enough. If not the full cost then a substantial chunk. The fact you are female will help you as they understand that cosmetically you are more concerned about your looks than perhaps a man would be.

Good luck, I hope it goes well for you and once it's all done you can look in the mirror and smile again.

Regards. Mark.

[irishgal]

Thank you mfc911 for your advice I wasn't aware you could do that and will be making an appointment with my gp will keep you posted

[Patatie50]

Your info is interesting. I am having terrible dental problems too. Dentist wants to do a root canal on my two upper front teeth. I think this would be a wrong move as they are already sensitive and loaded with cracks. Root canal will kill whatever nerve endings in my teeth Once they are totally cut off from any blood supply, what will happen to these teeth. I don't want them pulled either. It has never been clearly established if I have Sjogrens. I was tested many times for scleroderma, anti-phosphoidlipid tests always show up as borderline (or on the cusp). I have been taking an estrogen (Menest 0.3 mcg) for many years that treats my missing estrogen. IT also helps with my incontinence. My Rheumatologist wrote the scripts for the medication. When he retired, there was no one to write the prescription for me. My PC decided last week on a whim that he wants me to stop taking Menest, with no other explanation than I don't need it because I already have Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis so it won't help. That statement was totally wrong: I was taking it for the osteoporosis. I am especially sensitive to many medications, and react negatively to many. My former Rheumatologist was extremely cautious when introducing a new medication to my list. New Rheumatologist won't give me the meds because it isn't in her field to do so. Since stopping that little pill, I have developed trouble walking, cannot sleep unless I sit up straight in a chair and my teeth are breaking off in little chips. I was told by one doctor that I had Gout but later, after losing the tip of one finger and severe ulcerations of the rest of my fingers and toes, hands turning purple, that I have Raynaud's. Can't find anyone who will care for my Raynaud's either. I am in terrible pain, OTC treatments for osteoporosis do not work. Rheumatologist wants me to get one of those yearly Osteo shots (like Fosemax, Prolia, etc). My former Doctor once told me I should never take those slow drip infusions because of all my other problems which I don't have time to mention here. Someone on this site once suggested that I go to Dartmouth,NH for treatment, but I can't drive that far and get horribly lost if I travel outside of my familiar area. I don't know what to do. I trust neither my PC, Rhum. or Dentist. PC has given me alternative medications just because he doesn't want to prescribe a former doctor's medications. Why change medications when they have been proven to work and kept me healthy?

[8whitetoes in reply to Patatie50]

Do you have to be indigent too qualify ????

If you are working , own a home, do they say ""no you have means too pay fully"" .... Just because you work ,own an old car, an a house ?????

Seriously living paycheck to paycheck....

[Dtascone]

I’m in a similar position and don’t want to have implants may have to go with partial denture.