It’s a surprising stat that over 60% patients didn’t expect to get full dentures when asked about artificial teeth during a recent survey. They only thought of dentures for other people before they had to get these artificial teeth to replace their own missing teeth.
Over 19% American adult women wear dentures. At the same time, over 37 million adults are expected to get dentures in the near future.
If you are thinking of getting full dentures, it’s important to learn some fact about dentures. You should know about the red signs and understand how dentures could improve your life. That will help you make an aware decision that would benefit you and your oral health.
They resemble real teeth
You will have artificial teeth that resemble real teeth. They are not real teeth and therefore they will not always act like the real ones.
They look just like natural teeth and provide almost the same level of comfort and usability. You can exert about 15% of the force that you would normally put on your natural teeth. Although enough to eat soft foods, it is still a big difference. It’s something that patients notice after having artificial teeth.
If you put more force on your dentures, they might get loose and the dentures might come off.
Your face will age rapidly
Dentures contribute to rapidly-aging faces and that’s something a lot of people don’t know when they decide to get dentures.
Dentures are artificial teeth that will replace your natural teeth. They look just like natural teeth but they don’t work like them. That’s the reason the bone supporting natural teeth resorbs into the body after some teeth when you replace your natural teeth with dentures.
Once the bone starts resorbing into the body, your face will age quicker compared to people with natural teeth. Your cheeks and nose shrink. As a result, your face shape will change, making you look aged.
Dentures don’t last for a lifetime
Dentures are durable and they can easily last for up to 7 years with proper care. But they don’t last forever as some of you might think.
It means you will need to replace your dentures after 5-7 years. Not only that, you also need to reline your dentures every 2 years. If you ignore and your dentures become shift from their original place, they will cause a lot of oral problems.
Regular dentist visits
Once you get full dentures, you have to visit your dentist regularly. Ideally, you should visit your dentist every six months to ensure that your new teeth remain in place. Similarly, you will need reclining procedure after every 2 years.
Reclining is not only required to keep your artificial teeth in place, it also helps to minimize the aging effect that comes with dentures.
When your teeth loosen over time, they will cause pain and lead to infections and bone loss. They may shift remaining natural teeth over time and change your face shape.
With all these considerations, you may want to consider alternatives to dentures. Luckily, some options are available such as removable partial dentures (RPD). They can be placed when a minimum of two teeth remain on the arch. It’s important to consult with your 7 Day Dentist before you make a final decision. Your dentist will help you pick the best option for you.
Dr. Chuck Le
7 Day Dental Owner
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