Growing up, we relished in simple moments such as tooth loss, looking up to the tooth fairy to leave us a few pennies and gifts. However, as you age, you may not have the same exhilarated spirit in your eyes every time your teeth get wobbly. Gum disease, a long-standing battle with oral cancer, or accidents out of the left-field can leave your confidence tarnished and your mouth short of a few teeth. With the invention of practical dental appliances such as dentures, you no longer have to worry about losing teeth and can confidently show off your radiant smile! Current statistics report that 15% of the edentulous population in the U.S. has dentures made each year. So, what is the appeal with dentures?
What are dentures?
Dentures are removable prosthetic dental devices that aim to replicate the feel and function of natural teeth by recreating the oral hard and soft tissue components and replacing the missing teeth. If you have lost your teeth due to uncontrollable gum disease or an unfortunate dental trauma, you are more likely to face problems performing regular oral functions such as eating and talking. False teeth in dentures can help you overcome these obstacles and help you get back to unproblematic eating, talking, and smiling.
Not only do dentures help regulate your daily activities, but they also help you get in touch with your overall and oral health. Experts emphasize that replacing your teeth is crucial to maintain your oral well-being. Individuals who have gone long without teeth may be familiar with a myriad of odd dental problems that are nothing but repercussions of not having replaced lost teeth. Gaps in your mouth due to tooth loss can act as a catalyst for the movement of the other teeth. Furthermore, dentures help fill out the appearance of your face and profile, says the American Dental Association (ADA). A quality denture can make you look youthful and vibrant, visibly taking a few years off of your appearance by tightening and uplifting your smile.
Types of dentures
Dentures make use of a gum-colored acrylic base plate that fits intimately over your gums and providing seats for artificial teeth in the mouth. The teeth provided are color and texture-matched to your own to give you the most natural-looking set of pearly whites!
Dentures may typically be of three types:
- Conventional full denture:
These full dentures are placed in your mouth on the premise of all the remaining teeth having been removed or lost. Once the tissues have healed, a full denture is fabricated. During the healing process (which may take several months), you will be without teeth. They cover the entire span of the upper and lower edentulous and sits atop toothless gums and ridges. This style of denture is great for people who have lost all their teeth to assist in restoring function and aesthetics.
- Immediate full denture:
This is also a full-mouth denture but the difference lies in its same-day delivery. They are inserted on the same day as the removal of the teeth. You will not have to go without teeth during the healing period but may need to have your denture relined or remade after your jaw has completely healed. - Partial denture:
A partial denture is a prosthetic device that can be removed on impulse. The denture rests on a metal framework that attaches to your natural teeth. This helps facilitates normal teeth functions when one or more teeth have been removed or lost, but not all of the teeth. They solely rely on the neighboring teeth for support.
Why get a denture?
Dentures are an affordable solution to tooth loss. However, that’s not all! Dentures deliver great aesthetic, functional, and protective assistance to the mouth and your overall health.
- Cosmetic value: Dentures offer great aesthetic benefits to your mouth by replicating the way teeth look and feel in your mouth. A shade guide is used to perfectly match the tooth color to the rest of your teeth; the same for the soft tissues.
- Preservation of oral health: With the use of dentures, the slow but sure gravitation of the surrounding teeth into spaces of lost teeth structures can be prevented. This helps maintain proper teeth posture and position and helps prevent unnecessary strain to your gums and other oral tissues.
- Functional aid: Dentures help you chew and bite into food that may not be possible without teeth. With sustained functionality, you will no longer have to worry about talking, eating, or smiling!
- Restoration of facial structure: Loss of teeth can make your face look saggy and sunken, much like the plug has been pulled out of an inflatable ball. Dentures help conserve your facial structure and uplift your face, making you look younger and healthier!
- Affordability: Dentures are the most cost-effective means of teeth replacement. Most Insurance in Chicago usually covers the cost of dentures.
How long do dentures last?
Dentures last a fair duration of time if you take proper care of them. However, over time they will need to be relined, remade, or rebased to properly fit your mouth. This means that they will need to be remade in such a way that they fit your current state of oral health and structural integrity.
How to care for your dentures?
As durable as they are, dentures will need to be taken care of in the proper way to prevent deterioration and destruction. Here are some tips to put together when you are caring for your dentures:
- Dentures are delicate and may break if dropped. When handling your dentures, hold them over a folded towel or a basin of water.
- Always put your dentures in a soaking solution or in plain water when not in use. Do not let them dry out.
- Do not put your dentures in hot water as it can cause the acrylic material to warp.
- Brushing your dentures daily is important to remove food deposits and plaque, thus preventing them from staining.
- Avoid brushing with dentures on. Brush your gums, tongue, and palate before you put in your dentures.
- Visit a dentist regularly to evaluate the fit of your dentures.
- If your dentures break, chip, or become loose, do not attempt to fix them on your own. See your dentist to fix your ill-fitting dentures.
Dentures can be great tools to help rebuild your self-esteem and uplift your smile. They provide an all-rounded dental benefit to your oral structures and can be great for your general health as well. If you are seeking to help reconstruct your lost smile, dentures can help you achieve that dazzling smile you are looking for.