Time for a new smile! Without teeth, you miss so much in your smile and life. From dental problems to old age, you can lose your teeth due to many reasons that can compromise your health and vitality. Imagine going in public with a toothless smile, even the imagination is scary. You can lose one, multiple, or all your teeth that not only compromise your oral cavity, but also change your facial structure, making you look years older. Okay, that is too many scary things in a few words. Let us stop and look at the brighter side. Due to the constantly evolving dental treatments, replacing a missing tooth or teeth is no big deal. From removable to fixed, partial to complete, cheap to expensive, the world of dentistry has multiple solutions such as dental crowns, dental bridges, dentures, and dental implants to cater to all your dental needs!
Dentures- What Are They?
Many of us might already be familiar with dentures because one or two elderly in every family wear them and remove them while sleeping. For those who do not know what dentures are… A denture is a removable dental prosthesis used to replace the missing tooth or teeth and its surrounding tissues, such as gums in the oral cavity.
Types of Dentures:
To accommodate teeth in the mouth according to anatomy, dentists have come up with many kinds of dentures to ensure perfection.
Conventional or Traditional Dentures: These are widely used and preferred the best options for elderly who have bone loss and are forgetful. As traditional dentures are removable, they navigate easy cleaning. Conventional dentures can be partial to replace one or multiple teeth or complete when all the teeth are completely missing in one or both arches.
Implant-Supported Dentures: Patients who are young, committed to their oral hygiene, and have adequate bone structure are ideal candidates for a fixed implant in which a dental implant is the foundation over which a denture securely sits. Usually, four implants are used in each arch. Albeit expensive, they are the best way to replace missing teeth, as they are long-lasting and similar to natural teeth.
Over Dentures: A removable dental prosthesis that sits on top of soft tissues (gums) and the bone on a firm support provided by either natural teeth (treated) or dental implants. It can be placed on the upper or the lower jaw, depending on the patient’s needs. The overdenture is also removable.
Immediate Dentures: At times, patients insist on getting a prosthesis right after their teeth are extracted, as they cannot survive a day without teeth. Hence, immediate dentures are placed on the same day as the teeth are removed.
Dentures- Why Do You Need Them?
Only one thing can rock at a time; either your denture or you! Now you know what dentures are, the next question popping in your mind should be, what are the reasons you need them? Dentures are beneficial for your oral and overall health, and here is why.
*Dentures are comfortable and restore the function of natural teeth and the anatomy of the oral cavity.
*No more eating restrictions, you can eat whatever you use to with natural teeth, however, be careful with the instructions your dentist will give you.
*No more social awkwardness, dentures let you smile and speak with confidence, with no more words getting mispronounced.
*Without teeth in your mouth, your bone perishes with time. Dentures will stop that from happening.
*Dentures also restore facial aesthetics because, without teeth, the facial skin starts to sag, causing wrinkles and making you look years older.
*Removable conventional dentures allow easy handling, the patient quickly learns its insertion, removal, and cleaning.
*Dentures are cost-effective and do not break the bank, hence people can easily afford them.
Given all the benefits, there are no reasons that you should not get your teeth replaced.
Dentures- What Are The Setbacks?
With pros come the cons, there are a few problems associated with dentures, many of which are solely due to mishandling. Thus, if you are careful with the dental prosthesis, they will last you longer.
*Dentures wear down over time due to constant usage hence needing replacement.
*Getting a denture is a long process, with multiple visits to the clinic.
*Dentures can easily break if they fall when it is removed for cleaning.
*Over time, dentures can cause shrinkage of the jawbone.
The benefits of a denture overcome its setbacks, and they are worth your smile.
How Should You Clean A Denture?
It is crucial to maintain optimal oral hygiene with or without a dental prosthesis anyway to save yourself from more dental problems. After you get a denture inserted, the dentist will satisfy you with every aspect of it, and then once you are happy with the results, the dentist will instruct you on how to use it and clean it.
Instructions After A Denture Delivery:
*The denture might need several adjustments before it fits comfortably.
*The dentist will practice reading aloud in the clinic and instruct you to do so for a few days.
*The dentures should ideally be removed every night or a minimum of six to eight hours a day to give your tissues rest.
*The dentist will instruct you to remove and thoroughly clean the denture at night and then put it in a container filled with denture cleaning solution or water.
*Food particles can get stuck under the denture causing sore spots, ulcers, or inflammation, for which you can lightly brush the tongue, palate, and even your gums after taking out the denture.
*You may experience some discomfort at first which is normal, but if the pain worsens or the denture is ill-fitting, visit your dentist.
*The best way to elongate a healthy life of the denture; brush and floss regularly, use mouthwash, always handle it carefully once out of the mouth, and put it in water or a clean solution.
New Smile, New You!
A denture is a great option to replace the missing teeth in your oral cavity, as it allows easy handling and is cost-effective. However, to discuss and learn about more options, you can always contact your dentist.
