The most famous denture wearer in North American history is Benjamin Franklin, who only had one remaining tooth when he was inaugurated in 1785 as President of Pennsylvania (contrary to popular belief, he was never president of the United States). Mr. Franklin’s dental issues are well-documented and there’s no question he endured significant pain throughout his lifetime as a result of ill-fitting dentures.
Dentures have come a long way since then. There are many advantages to dentures today, far beyond simple aesthetics. Many people take eating, drinking and speaking clearly for granted but these everyday activities can be severely affected if you have missing teeth.
Thanks to major advancements in technology, materials, and knowledge, dentures are more functional and comfortable than ever. Here are four issues today’s dentures help resolve.
Misaligned Teeth
Again, this is not just an aesthetic issue. Where there is an absence of natural teeth, the surrounding teeth lose support and can shift. This can cause excessive wear on remaining teeth, jaw pain, and increased decay.
Difficulty Eating
Missing teeth, particularly molars, can make chewing certain foods difficult, especially harder foods. Harder foods such as fruits, vegetable, nuts and whole grains are generally healthier than softer foods that tend to be processed. This has an effect on nutrition and physical wellness.
Cost Of Dentures
Dentures, whether partial or full, are a cost-effective solution to missing teeth. There are various other alternatives to dentures that may more closely resemble real teeth, but they cost significantly more than dentures.
Bone Loss
To maintain density, all bones, including those in your jaw, require stimulation. Where teeth are missing, the jaw bone begins to deteriorate due to lack of stimulation caused by the constant movement of teeth. If there are a number of teeth missing, the structure and facial muscles can sag, making a person look sunken and older.
And then, of course, there is the issue of appearance. Most people are self-conscious about their missing teeth, which affects their confidence and self-esteem.
Thanks to advancements in technology and materials, it’s relatively easy to replace missing teeth with either full or partial dentures. Full dentures are used when most or all of your natural teeth are missing whereas partial dentures are used for one or two teeth.
Today, in addition to being more functional and comfortable, dentures are far more natural looking and it is very difficult to tell if someone is wearing a denture.
Learn More about Dentures at Future Smiles
Dr. Vlad Dumbrava would be happy to discuss the wide variety of options available to you. To schedule a consultation, please contact Future Smiles at your convenience.
