I can’t say in strong enough language how much I hate my dentures. I feel like I can barely chew. They just sit there in my mouth and I live in constant terror of them falling out. I tried those adhesives so I’d feel some security, but they feel so disgusting. I know it’s too late to do anything about my teeth but is there anything to make dentures better?
Angie
Dear Angie,
Implant overdentures solve the problems inherent with dentures
Believe me, you are not the only denture patient to feel this way. While some patients adjust to having dentures, many do not. This is because dentures have many problems inherent with them.
Disadvantages of Dentures
Even the best fitting dentures reduce your chewing capacity by 50%. You can adjust them as many times as you want, it won’t get much better. Because the top is held in by suction and the bottom just rests on the ridge of your jawbone the move and will slip around. Eventually, they will start falling out. This is because of the worst side effect of dentures—facial collapse.
When you removed your teeth, your body began to reabsorb the minerals in your jawbone. This causes your jaw to slowly shrink. In about 10-20 years, you won’t have enough bone left to retain your dentures causing them to constantly fall out.
Implant Overdentures—The Solution to Denture Problems
Before we talk about the best solution in your situation, I want to express concern that it doesn’t appear like your dentist either told you of all your options in replacing your teeth or warned you about the danger of facial collapse. If that is accurate, you need a new dentist pronto!
I posted an image of implant overdentures above. These use four to six dental implants on each arch and anchor your dentures to them. Doing this, completely stabilizes them. Not only that, because the dental implants serve as prosthetic tooth roots, you will never have to worry about facial collapse.
I hope this helps and gives you some hope.
This blog is brought to you by Atlanta Periodontist Dr. David Pumphrey.
