Reasons Why Dentures are a Great Solution to a Missing Teeth

Tooth loss can cause other numerous problems, such as facial sagging, poor bite function, jawbone resorption, and shifting of the adjacent teeth. Whether you’ve lost teeth from periodontal disease, severe tooth decay, or dental trauma, you can restore your normal dental function and appearance with dentures.

Unlike alternative restoration procedures such as bridges and dental implants, getting dentures is easy, cost-effective, and less invasive. When considering dentures, it’s essential to understand the different options you may have and the benefits you’ll enjoy from the treatment.

The first step to getting dentures is to visit your dentist for an exam. The dentist will review your condition and determine the best solution to your problem. Molds or impressions of your teeth are taken to prepare custom-made dentures based on your specific oral condition.

4 Basic Type of Dentures

Depending on your preferences and specific condition, your dentist can recommend any of the following types of dentures:

1. Complete Dentures
Complete dentures or full dentures are removable dental appliances that replace a patient’s entire set of teeth. These dentures sit on the gums, as opposed to bridges, which are anchored to the adjacent healthy teeth. Typically, these dentures are ready to be fitted within 8-12 weeks after extraction.

2. Partial Dentures
These dentures are perfect for patients who still have some of their natural teeth. The denture is supported in place by a base attached to a metal piece. Like complete dentures, partial dentures are removable, meaning that you can remove them as needed.

3. Implant-Retained Dentures
Also known as overdentures, implant-retained dentures are held by dental implants. These dentures are commonly used to support multiple teeth or an entire set of teeth. Since an implant supports the denture, they offer increased stability, chewing ability, and looks more natural.

4. Immediate Dentures
With immediate dentures, the denture is placed on the same day the teeth to be replaced are extracted. To qualify for these dentures, you must have a healthy jawbone and gums. These dentures are commonly used to replace broken or severely decayed teeth.

8 Benefits of Dentures

After getting dentures, you’ll enjoy the following benefits:

• Improved smile

When missing teeth, your aesthetics can be affected, making you self-conscious about your smile and appearance. Getting dentures will replace the missing teeth, providing you with a realistic and natural-looking smile. Dentures also support the facial muscles, preventing wrinkles, facial sagging, and premature aging.

• Boost Confidence

Dentures give you a new and natural smile, thereby helping you to regain confidence in your appearance. You can now smile in public without feeling embarrassed or fearing what other people have to say.

• Improve oral hygiene and health

Even missing a single tooth can cause multiple dental issues, including gum disease, jawbone resorption, and poor dental health. Replacing your teeth with dentures restores your oral function, greatly reducing the risk of these problems.

• Improved bite function

While dentures don’t offer natural teeth stability and strength, they still provide enough strength to chew comfortably. You should avoid sticky or hard foods as they can cause the denture to slip or fall out.

• Long-lasting

With proper dental care and practices, dentures can last for an average of 5-10 years. If your dentures loosen or get damaged, you should take them to your dentist for readjustment or repair.

• Cost-effective

Compared to alternative restorative treatments such as implants and bridges, dentures are considered a more cost-effective option.

• Custom-Made

Dentures are custom-made, meaning that they fit in your mouth perfectly. This restores your oral function and appearance. Poor-fitting dentures can cause harm to the nearby gums, bones, and teeth. They can also affect your speech and bite function.

• Easy to maintain

Because dentures are removable, you need minimal effort to care for them. You only need to clean them every night before sleeping, along with your natural teeth and gums. This helps to remove any trapped plaque or bacteria that can lead to cavities and gum disease.

Schedule an Appointment Today

Are you interested in denture services, or do you need more information about dentures and other replacement treatments? Contact Wellesley Dental Arts today to book your appointment.