May I ask for some personal stories and opinions on dental issues?
Wednesday I am scheduled to have all my teeth pulled and get dentures. Scary scary stuff from getting the procedure done and adapting to life with dentures.
My teeth are strong but I have gum disease. I didn't have money to take care of it for a couple years, I was taking care of health issues. Only so much money so I had to hold off. I could have gotten partials in the back, but it has progressed. The dentist said that she could do partials and then four times a year get a special cleaning that costs so much more. I figure it would be a couple thousand a year. I am minimum wage employee. She said that she could do the partials and hope the cleanings would save my front teeth but a year or two down the road, I could just be spending more money for complete dentures.
That bill two years ago, with insurance was going to be over 5k.
I decided to just get it all done now and that is costing 7k, with insurance picking up the rest. Quality dentures, top of the line and a package that will take care of future care.
I talked to my father who has dentures and he convinced me it was not the end of the world and the procedure was doable. I was talking to a friend and she told me the horror stories of dentures and everyone is living a hell with them and go Holistic and spend money.
Can you all give me the reality and do I want to go the option of partial and try to save most of my teeth? I still have a couple days to decide. Like I said, my teeth are strong but the gum disease has caused so much damage.
Anyone want to help me out, I would appreciate it. Thanks.
= new reply since forum marked as read
however you decide to go forward. 
I personally would try to hang on to as many of my own teeth as possible. In November or December, enroll in Spirit Dental which covers implants as long as the teeth are lost while you are covered. You can get on the plan now, and it will cover 25 percent. If you join in November or December, January will be year 2 and you would be covered at 50 percent. I have the plan that pays up to $3500 after a lifetime $100 deductible. This plan uses the Ameritus dental network and I have discovered it has wonderful dentists! The monthly premium in our area is $46 for that coverage. You can purchase less coverage, $1500 for $29 month. My other insurance from the job I retired from pays the other 50 percent for most major work. You may have to have a bone graft for implants if there is not enough bone to support implants. You might want to consider an other insurance plan that should cover the cost of special cleanings. It is a difficult choice. Good luck! Many of us have had these issues, and send our support. 
So I have what my dentist calls a "bridge" on each side. It's not a denture, but a tooth that's attached to the remaining tooth. I have had gum issues, too, but my dentist has done root planing to help with that and a water pic helps and gets rid of debris that flossing doesn't reach. I recommend keeping your teeth if you can - my grandmother was very proud of having all her teeth and passed that down to us. When she was hospitalized, whenever she was asked if she needed anything, she requested getting her teeth "cleaned." 
I offer you much, much sympathy.
When I was twelve years old I fell face down on ice and broke a front tooth, which led to many years of dental problems. I'll spare you all the details, but not long after the local dentist thought he could do a root canal on that tooth without any anesthesia. Is it any wonder that sixty years later I still avoid dentists?
I will offer the opinion that saving as much as possible of your own teeth is a good idea. I will also offer the example of my own mother, who had terrible, soft, crumbly teeth, and had them all extracted by the time she was 40 or so. She went toothless for several years, and then got dentures. We are talking the 1950s, when this sort of stuff wasn't as sophisticated as now. I do recall that she spent at least a year, perhaps more, getting those dentures right. Many fittings, many adjustments. In the end, her dentures lasted about 45 years, until she died. She could eat anything and everything she wanted.
So I will also point out that dentures can be truly wonderful, but it eventually depends on the dentist and how well he works with you.
I sincerely hope you end up with a good result.
It's clear from the many posts here that there is not one simple solution to a problem like yours. I very much hope that all of what's been posted is helpful to you.
I wish there were an "I love you" emoji here. since there isn't one, I'll settle for this. 
I’ve found not a few of these myself. You’re most fortunate as I’m certain you know!
In honor of those you helped.....THANK YOU, THANK YOU, AND THANK YOU....
and my dentist ALWAYS said keep your own teeth as long as you can. JMHO. Lower dentures are always problematic because they move, uppers don’t move. I’m hoping you can live through it all and hope only the best, good luck. 
