Although removable dentures have been around for a long time, many people don’t know that there are a lot of problems associated with them. In fact, few people with removable dentures are completely happy with them.
The Most Serious Problem with Dentures
Among the problems denture wearers complain about, the most serious is bone loss. Whenever we lose a tooth, the body reacts by beginning to absorb the minerals in the jawbone that once supported that tooth. This isn’t so serious if we’re talking about a single tooth, but if we lose all our teeth, this absorption of bone minerals can shrink the jawbone to such an extent that, over a period of 10-20 years, we experience facial collapse.
Facial collapse can make it nearly impossible to wear a denture comfortably. The upper jaw flattens out and it becomes much more difficult to create the suction that should hold the upper denture in place. The lower jaw can become pencil-thin and the ridge often becomes sharp, reducing the area available to support the lower denture and increasing the pressure on this limited tissue, leading to chronic sore spots. Chewing efficiency is so dramatically reduced that we can end up relegated to eating only soft foods. This understandably undermines our health as we are unable to obtain proper nutrition. In addition, the face develops an aged, sunken-in look.
Other Problems with Dentures
Among the less serious but still annoying problems with dentures are lessened chewing efficiency, rubbing, and embarrassing slipping. Upper denture arches cover the entire upper palate and are held in place by suction. The lower arches are held in place by your tongue and cheeks, and it takes some practice to train your muscles to keep them steady.
As a result, many people find it difficult to enunciate words, and the dentures can slip or even fall out at awkward times. In addition, sores can be caused by the denture material rubbing against the soft tissues of the mouth. More importantly, even with a new, well-fitting full set of dentures, chewing efficiency is cut by as much as 50 percent. And this problem only grows worse as time goes on.
Dental Implants and Dentures
Dental implants can help alleviate all of these problems. Having even a few dental implants to support your dentures can make all the difference. Chewing efficiency is much better because the dentures don’t move around in the mouth. Speaking is eased because implant supported dentures do not need to cover the entire palate. And the dentures no longer cause sores or slip out.
But most importantly, even a few dental implants can prevent bone loss, because when implants are inserted, the body responds by bring more bone materials to the site to integrate the implant, actually reversing the bone loss process.
If you would like to find out how implant supported dentures could help you, call us or request an appointment.
