Are Dentures, in Reality, a Bad Idea?
Many people need replacement teeth at some point in their lives because they lose their permanent teeth due to tooth decay, gum infections, or injuries. The loss of a natural tooth encourages people to seek artificial teeth to maintain their perfect smile. Presently people don’t confront challenges when trying to find replacements for their natural lost teeth.
People with tooth loss have many options to replace their perfect smile. Even though it is not challenging to find appropriate tooth replacement solutions like dental implants or bridges, many people seek partial and denture treatment when they have lost a tooth or several teeth in their mouths. Implants and bridges are promoted as better solutions for replacing lost teeth. Does it mean dentures are a terrible idea to have in present times? Let us look at why dentures retain their popularity despite other options being available as appropriate tooth replacement solutions.
Dentures Are Time-Tested Artificial Teeth
Dentistry innovations currently make available alternative solutions to replace missing teeth with implants or bridges. However, there was a time when dentures were promoted in TV commercials with people enjoying the foods they love and living life blissfully with the dental appliances in their mouths. Dentures have been around for over a century and have lost none of their capabilities despite a set of disadvantages accompanying them.
It is mentioned that dentures make you lose 75 percent or more of your biting power because they are not anchored into the jawbone. Genuinely you are unlikely to have a similar chewing ability with your natural teeth with artificial appliances like dentures. Moreover, bone resorption is an occurrence that people with dentures often experience. It is because the jawbone doesn’t receive the stimulation it needs from the natural teeth to hold itself together. They need regular adjustments and replacements every five years making the patient a frequent visitor to their dentist.
Many other deficiencies of dentures are now mentioned by everyone, including dental professionals. Denture wearers can experience discomfort because they are prone to slipping and shifting the mouth. They can affect the taste of food, especially if a patient is wearing a full set of dentures in the upper jaw. However, dentures are the most affordable solution for replacing teeth, especially for people who cannot or do not want to have alternatives like implants or bridges. Therefore for many people, dentures may not be a bad idea in reality because they still remain an option considered by many throughout the world.
Deficiencies With Alternative Tooth Replacement Solutions
Alternative tooth replacement solutions, either with dental implants or bridges, also come with a set of deficiencies that people berating dentures must consider.
Dental bridges are anchored to the neighboring teeth and require sufficient tooth structure removal of the supporting teeth. The dental bridge is anchored to the abutment teeth made from dental crowns and is fixed in the mouth. They appear and function like natural teeth but are prone to tooth decay and need appropriate care when maintaining dental hygiene. Allowing plaque buildup beneath the bridges makes patients susceptible to gum disease. People maintaining excellent dental hygiene can rest assured the bridges will last them for over a decade. The cost of dental bridges also needs consideration.
Perhaps the best tooth replacement solution is available from dental implants. These are artificial tooth roots made from titanium and inserted into the jawbone surgically. The procedure for having implant placements requires six to nine months, and the option is permanent. People choosing dental implants to replace missing teeth can have artificial teeth that appear and feel natural. They also benefit from the lack of bone resorption, which is standard with solutions like dentures. However, dental implants are the most expensive and may not be within reach of many people.
Whenever people need to replace missing teeth, they must consider visiting the Mesa dentist for advice before choosing any option as suitable for their needs. All options available currently help people to maintain the structure of their face and have a perfect smile. Dentures cannot be promoted as a terrible idea merely because new dentistry innovations are better than the old ones. Some people may not be suitable for dental implants, and some may not prefer the idea of having their neighboring teeth ground down to support dental bridges. Many may not even be financially capable of alternatives that are promoted as better than dentures. It is for people with missing teeth to determine which option is best suited for their needs after a consultation with their dentist. If various reasons decide they can only have dentures instead of other solutions, it would be a better option than having no teeth at all.