Why Should I Replace Missing Teeth with Dentures?

As a local dentist, we provide dentures for patients on a regular basis. This is a time-tested solution that has been in use long before George Washington ever became the first president to wear them. However, over time, they have gradually become more user-friendly, more natural-looking, more durable, and more comfortable. This means that even today patients can benefit from using a solution that is hundreds of years old.

When should I replace my missing teeth with dentures?

This is a good question considering how many dental products are on the market today. While in the past dentures were the only logical solution, now they're one of many. To determine whether or not this is the right solution for you, we encourage you to visit our dental office for a consultation and examination. During your appointment we are going to conduct a physical examination and take x-rays so that we can look at the position and the density of your jaw bone, as well as any of your remaining teeth. There are several things that we are going to look for when determining if dentures is a good solution for you, including -

#1 The density of your jawbone.

This is an important factor when looking at dental prosthetics because after you have lost teeth, your jawbone is naturally going to lose density due to resorption. In fact, in the first year after tooth loss you could lose up to 25% of your bone density. If your jawbone has already suffered extensive resorption, a procedure like traditional dental implants may be unavailable without the addition of a bone grafting procedure. In this case, patients could be looking at multiple surgeries, prolonged recovery times, and at great expense. This is not always a viable solution based on time constraints or budgetary constraints. In a situation like this, it is often more affordable and convenient to replace missing teeth with dentures.

#2  The health of your remaining teeth or gums.

It is critical that your gums are in good health and that you are not suffering from any existing infections or decay prior to undergoing something as significant as oral surgery. If you are regularly suffering from infections or have gum disease that is not yet controlled, it would be wise for you to replace your missing teeth with dentures until these issues are resolved. At that point in time you could be a candidate for dental implants or mini-dental implants.

#3  The likelihood of whether or not you are going to lose additional teeth.

If it appears to us that you are going to experience full and complete tooth loss in the near future, we will probably recommend that you wear dentures on a temporary basis as we go through the process of either extracting your remaining teeth or they fall out on their own. Then, we can consider more secured and permanent solutions such as implants-supported dentures.

 #4 You like them.

A lot of patients simply prefer to wear dentures because they like this solution. If this is what you are used to, we are happy to provide dentures. However, we want you to know that if you are wearing a set that is ill-fitting, loose, or uncomfortable, we can replace them with one that fits you perfectly and comfortably. It is possible to wear dentures and have a fantastic experience doing so. We can help to make sure that happens.

Call today to discuss your options for a dental prosthetic.