Dentures: When Might You Need Them?
Dentures are used to replace missing teeth.
Losing a tooth may not be much of a problem as a child, as baby teeth are bound to fall out. However, losing a permanent tooth can be a severe problem.
Many people think that only the elderly suffer from tooth loss, but this is not the case. Although aging is one of the factors that increase the risk of losing a tooth, this problem can also affect young people. Periodontal disease or a direct blow to the mouth could cause a person to lose one or more teeth.
When some teeth are missing in a person’s mouth, it can significantly affect their dental health. Healthy teeth may move to fill the space of missing teeth, causing crooked teeth and bite defects. Also, the aesthetics of the patients is considerably affected when there are some missing teeth in their mouth.
To replace missing teeth, it is possible to perform dental implant surgery. Still, if the patient wants to receive a more straightforward solution, they may prefer to use a denture.
What are dentures?
Dentures (also known as “false teeth“) are removable prostheses used to replace missing teeth. Depending on the patient’s need, dentures could be partial or complete. Partial dentures allow you to replace a few teeth that have fallen out. In contrast, full dentures allow for replacement of an entire dental arch, either the upper arch, the lower arch, or even both.
Dentures can be made of metal or acrylic resin and are attached to the patient’s gum using a denture adhesive.
Types of dentures
There are three types of dentures:
Conventional dentures: these are the best known. They are used when there are no teeth in the patient’s mouth, and they are placed on the gums. If necessary, a dental adhesive can be used to fix them to the gum. They can replace the upper dental arch, the lower arch, or both dental arches.
Partial dentures: these are used when the patient still has some of their teeth. Partial dentures are placed on the gum in the missing teeth spaces, but they are also attached to the natural teeth that remain. These offer more stability than conventional dentures, but the teeth that support the denture end up wearing out over time.
Implant-supported dentures: these are also used when there are no teeth left in the patient’s mouth. The denture is fixed on two or four titanium implants previously inserted in the jaw bone. They offer more stability and security than other dentures.
How are dentures fitted?
In some cases, some damaged teeth may remain in the patient’s mouth. These teeth must be extracted before placing a conventional denture or an implant-supported denture.
In the case of partial dentures, these are fixed on the healthy teeth that remain and on the gum in the missing teeth spaces.
How to take care of your denture
Dentures are very resistant, however, it is convenient to prevent them from falling, or they could break.
Dental hygiene is also essential. At night the dentures should be removed from the mouth, cleaned with a toothbrush, and placed in a glass of water or denture cleaner. Also, after denture removal, patients should brush their gums and tongue with a soft toothbrush.
During the first few days, dentures can make it difficult to eat or speak properly; however, patients adjust to their new teeth in no time.
A denture may be the right option for people who have lost some or all of their teeth.
At FRESHDental, we have the right option for you if you are looking for a denture of the best quality and at the best price. Visit one of our dental practices near you, where our highly qualified dentists will help you find the solution to your teeth problems.