Dentures

by J. K. Hackbarth, DDS

It's an unfortunate fact that many people still lose all their teeth. Losing all one's teeth is a traumatic experience for most individuals. Wearing a full denture is still the most common solution for people who have lost their teeth.

While many actually look forward to the denture because they feel it will relieve them of the pain and infections they have suffered, or give them a smile they don't have to hide, they are soon faced with the reality that artificial dentures are not teeth and although they may look better, they sure don't function as well as teeth.

How dentures can be a pain.

Dentures may adversely affect a person's appearance, the clarity of their speech, the way food tastes, the ability to properly chew food for digestive purposes, and a person's enjoyment in eating the foods they like. Dentures may cause unpleasant mouth odors, make one's mouth sore, make eating a long and difficult process, or cause a person to feel like they are gagging. All this, as well as negatively affect a person's self image and self-confidence.

Many problems arise as a person wears a denture. One of the most serious is the loss of the bony ridge that supports the denture. The natural teeth support this bone--while you have teeth. Once the teeth are extracted, this bone begins to shrink. As the bone is lost, dentures become increasingly ill fitting. This causes the denture to begin to move which can cause flopping, displacement, clacking, and sore spots in the mouth. Even if the denture is relined (a procedure to improve the fit of existing dentures) or replaced, the missing bone is only partially compensated for. Each successive denture becomes less efficient in it's ability to restore the appearance and function for the individual. Worse yet, is the fact that ill fitting dentures cause accelerated bone loss, thereby making the problem worse.

So you can see, if you have to wear dentures, you want the very best one's you can have.

With all these possible problems, the best solution is not to lose your teeth, but if you are one of those who are faced with wearing a denture, there are things you can do to help make that necessity go as well as possible.

You should have your mouth and denture checked by a dentist at least yearly as well as any time you feel you may be having any problem with the denture. Modern denture techniques can help with improved materials for the impressions that measure the fit for the denture and also improved materials help keep a denture looking good for a longer period of time.

You should also ask about dental implants. I have many patients who have been greatly helped by implant support for their dentures. In fact, not one of the many people who have chosen this option would wish to go back to how they were before.

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