Dentures – Yes or No?

Filling the gaps left behind by missing teeth is essential for your wider oral health. It can also help to ensure that you are able to eat a varied diet and don’t suffer from malnutrition because you are unable to chew.

One option available to you is dentures, which can help to replace gaps caused by missing teeth across your entire jaw in one go. Before embarking on any extensive restoration work it is necessary to ensure that you have a full and detailed treatment plan and have fully discussed all the possible options and their advantages and disadvantages. 

In this article we are going to focus on the advantages and disadvantages of dentures.

What are dentures?

Dentures are artificial teeth that are held in place by a denture plate. This fits in the roof of your mouth for top arch restorations or over your gums for bottom arch restorations. It can be held in place by denture adhesive and suction, or you might choose to hold it in place with dental implants. Learn more about denture stabilisation here.

Dentures can give you a second chance with lost teeth, allowing you to eat, smile and speak without worrying about gaps in your smile. There are some limitations with dentures that you’ll need to consider, but these are balanced by many positive points.

Before choosing between dentures or another type of restoration, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of wearing dentures versus leaving gaps in your smile.

Advantages of Dentures

If you have been having problems with your teeth for a number of years, dentures can provide you with a fresh start. Dentures can help to make you look younger by plumping out your cheeks and reducing wrinkles. This can help to reduce the sunken appearance that is common with tooth loss.

They are also able to improve your confidence and self-esteem allowing you to smile without fear. Dentures can also be made with straighter and whiter teeth to further improve the appearance of your smile. Elderly people can often face social isolation due to tooth loss, so addressing your oral health issues with dentures can help to avoid this.

Dentures provide a low hassle solution to replace your missing teeth. They simply need cleaning twice a day and this is often much easier than cleaning your natural teeth. You can remove them and soak them in a denture cleaning solution to keep them looking fresh. This will also help to remove any bacteria build up that could lead to bad smells.

By having a full set of teeth, you will be able to eat a full and varied diet and will be able to talk confidently. It may take some getting used to, but once you are accustomed to wearing dentures there will be very few foods that are off limits. You may need to limit very crunchy or hard foods, but you will enjoy a more varied diet than if you were to leave gaps in your smile.

In order to create your dentures, the dentist will take impressions of the gums. This means that each set of dentures is completely custom made and should therefore fit comfortably in your mouth.

Dentures can also provide a cost effective solution to fill gaps caused by extracted teeth at a fraction of the price of implants and bridges. It can take some time to get used to your new smile but once you do you’ll be glad you decided to go ahead with dentures.

Disadvantages of Dentures

Dentures are not always a quick fix solution. If you have extractions prior to your denture being fitted, you may find that in time your denture will need to be relined or remade as your gums change shape and shrink. Alongside the initial cost of your denture, you should also consider the cost of maintenance should you need to have it adjusted or repaired.

For some people dentures can be very difficult to master. Prior to starting treatment, be sure to discuss the possible available options with your dentist. There are lots of options available when creating your denture. It may be that a lighter metal frame denture would be easier to tolerate.

If denture movement is an issue that prevents you from wearing your dentures regularly, you might consider a more permanent solution. Implant retained dentures to help fix your dentures to your jaw and reduce any movement. This treatment will take multiple months to complete and comes with a higher price tag.

What is the alternative to dentures?

Implants and bridges should be considered as alternatives to dentures and can also help to restore your smile, filling gaps caused by extractions.

To be suitable for a bridge, you will need to have some remaining teeth as they will be used to support the artificial teeth. This can make it a highly effective treatment for those missing just a few teeth.

Another alternative treatment to consider is dental implants. This is a permanent replacement for missing teeth where an artificial titanium root is placed in the jaw bone. This provides a solid anchor for a restoration which could include a single crown, a bridge, or a full-arch restoration.

Making the right choice for you

It can be difficult to know which is the right choice, which is why we recommend booking a consultation to learn more. During this appointment, you can ask questions about the treatments available and learn more about the treatment plan, recovery time and maintenance.

We’ll encourage you to consider not just the short-term impact, but also the long-term impact, of each treatment option. This will include factors such as the upfront cost and ongoing maintenance. To help ensure you make a choice based on health rather than budget, we offer monthly payment plans so you can spread the cost of more extensive treatment.

If you would like to discuss the possible options to fill gaps caused by extracted teeth, call Leigh Dental Centre on 01702 472929 and book a consultation appointment today.