Benefits of Dentures
Whether it be age or improper dental hygiene, everyday people experience tooth loss on a regular basis. However, tooth loss of any kind is generally not a welcome experience for your average American.
Beyond the undesirable physical appearance of missing teeth is the fact that tooth loss can impact one’s ongoing health functions related to the mouth. Missing teeth can have an impact on the way we feel, look and function, whether subconsciously or intended.
Tooth Replacement Options
If you suffer from tooth loss, you will most likely be looking at a few options for repair. Generally, the top option (and most expensive) will be dental implants. A dental implant is a procedure that involves the process of implanting of a fake tooth that should serve as a permanent replacement for a lost tooth.
Another option that is often more affordable for people with severe tooth loss is dentures. Dentures are a removable appliance that is inserted into a person’s mouth to provide the look and function of real teeth. Usually made to closely match your real teeth that are still healthy, dentures can come in full sets or partial sets depending on the patient’s needs. Sanford Dental Excellence a dental office in Sanford on the subject of dentures adds that dentures come in many forms such as implant retained dentures.
Beyond the cost aspect of dentures1, there are many benefits that potential denture patients should consider before proceeding with any particular treatment route.
Benefits of Dentures
Why do so many people choose to get dentures over other options? There are many beneficial reasons for having dentures made to replace your lost teeth. Here are just a few of the many reasons some choose to use dentures:
Functioning Teeth
In general, a properly made set of dentures should serve that same functional purpose as a real set of teeth. Meaning a denture owner should be able to eat, speak, smile and do all the other things that you would normally use your teeth for.
Cosmetics
As previously stated, a good set of pearly whites is often found to be more attractive to others vs a mouth with several missing teeth. Beyond what others think, the patients themselves need to consider how they feel about their own appearance before committing to dentures. If the patient desires a nice set of teeth, getting dentures would serve the benefit of achieving this goal. Additionally, dentures may lead to a boost in confidence for the patient if they appreciate their improved appearance.
Proper Diet
When a person loses teeth, there are certain foods that may avoid due to difficulty chewing. While the option to blend up these foods for dietary needs is available, the truth is that many will likely just avoid the extra work needed to consume the foods. With a nice set of dentures, the patient will once again be able to chew up and consume any type of food that a person with a full set of teeth would be able to chew.
Long-Term Solution
While dentures may not last as long as implants, they will still generally last around five to ten years. Given the difference in cost between implants and dentures, dentures may be a more reasonable long-term solution for the average dental patient. When they do break, you can work with your dental provider to see if a whole new set or a simple repair is required. Even if a new set is required, you can usually afford to get a new set without breaking the bank too much.
Lifestyle Adjustments to Dentures
After understanding the various benefits of dentures, you also need to do your research to be aware of the lifestyle adjustments you will need to make after getting dentures.
For example, you will be living with a removal piece of oral equipment. With that comes certain interactions between the way the equipment and your mouth interact. As such, it may take some time to adjust to the way you talk, chew and smile. At first, you may find that your mouth moves “funny” compared to how you might expect.
Additionally, you will need to adjust your lifestyle slightly with the time spent caring for your dentures. Regularly cleaning the equipment similar to you would your real teeth is important. In many cases, the reason for tooth loss is improper care of the permanent teeth. For this reason alone, it is even more important that the denture patient try to fix the lack of care issue and pay more attention to the daily care of their dentures.
Consult your Dentist
If you have done your research and believe you are ready to proceed with dentures, now is a good time to schedule a consultation2 with your licensed dental provider. Ask the questions you need answered and make sure you are comfortable with the various outcomes before proceeding.
Resources
Blog Post Author
Contributed by DentalROI
DentalROI provides relevant dental content to help providers educate patients. The statements, services, and products referenced in this article have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, and they are not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dental provider with any questions or issues you may have. Specific recommendations may vary in different circumstances, so individual consultation is important.
Please login to publish a comment.
Comments (0)