The Trouble with Dentures

A person who loses a tooth is often distraught. Whether knocked out, pulled, or lost due to infection, the missing piece in the mouth can be a cause of major concern for both the patient and his or her dental care provider. For the patient, it is often about the loss of cosmetic appeal, especially if the new gap is near the front of the mouth. But, for the dental professional, concern lies elsewhere.

Once the tooth is gone, there is nothing there to prevent the neighboring teeth from moving into the gap. If allowed to do so, the alignment within the mouth could become askew and lead to additional problems. As a result, dentists will often recommend filling the gaps left by lost teeth with dentures.

There are essentially two types of dentures – permanent and partial.

Permanent dentures were once considered the very best option after tooth loss, but today, that is not really the case. These are built fit the mouth and create realistic replacements for missing teeth. The fakes act as space holders, which keeps natural teeth from shifting, but they also help with chewing and speaking. The downside of permanent dentures, however, is that they require numerous dental visits to ensure their proper fit, care, and use. Furthermore, dentures can slip when talking or eating and they don’t allow for eating especially sticky or chewy foods.

In order to skip out on some of those added dental visits, more and more patients are opting for partial dentures, which are anchored to existing teeth and will generally require only a single fitting. However, for the person who has only lost one or two teeth, or for someone that wants something a little more permanent that doesn’t require the potential weakening of anchor teeth, there is another option.

Dentures are not all bad. They are an affordable, workable option for many individuals. But, for something more convenient, permanent, and comfortable, many patients are now opting for tooth implants. Though more invasive at the start, these special rods, which are inserted under the gum are able to anchor a single tooth or a small bridge of teeth, providing a very realistic, permanent look.

Furthermore, because the dental implant is below the surface of the gum, it can actually slow the shrinking of the bone, which is a natural result of losing a tooth. As for the ability to continue enjoying life as if nothing ever happened, there are no worries. Dental implants provide a very sturdy hold for the faux teeth, which means that the patient can continue eating, brushing and speaking as usual, without the fear of slipping or shifting. They never have to be removed for cleaning, so the tooth care routine can go on as usual as well.

Dental implants are not cheap. However, in most cases, dental insurances will cover a large portion of the expense. So, for the healthy, insured patient, they can provide a natural, wonderful look without any of the inconveniences associated with dentures.