Comprehensive Guide to Dentures: Types and Benefits of Dentures

Tooth loss is among the leading dental problems in the world. Even with good oral hygiene and care, sometimes tooth loss is inevitable. Common factors to blame for tooth loss include old age, cavities, periodontal disease, dental trauma. When it comes to teeth loss, you have several options to consider. These include dentures, dental implants, and dental bridges. For this article, we’ll focus on dentures.

What are Dentures?

Essentially, dentures are artificial teeth that are used to replace missing teeth. In most cases, dentures are used to replace all or a few missing teeth. By replacing lost teeth, your oral functionality and appearance are restored. Similarly, it prevents potential complications such as teeth shifting, jawbone deterioration, and facial sagging.

Compared to alternative restoration treatments such as dental bridges and implants, dentures offer a simple, quick, and affordable solution to missing teeth. If you’re missing a few or all of your teeth, you should consult your dentist for dentures. Before booking you for the treatment, the dentist will review your oral condition to determine whether you are a good candidate for dentures. For partials and full denture services, contact Newburyport Family Dental.

Types of Dentures

Depending on the number of lost teeth, you can have any of the following major types of dentures:

1. Complete Dentures

If you’ve lost all of your teeth, you can benefit from complete dentures. These dentures replace all teeth and are worn over the gums. They are easy to put on and remove. Complete dentures should be removed before sleeping and cleaned well.

2. Partial Dentures

These dentures are ideal if you still have some of your natural teeth left. These dentures replace a few teeth on either or both jaws. Like complete dentures, they are easy to place and remove.

3. Immediate Dentures

If you have diseased teeth that have not been extracted yet, your dentist can recommend getting immediate dentures. These dentures are placed immediately after the extraction of the natural teeth. Both tooth extraction and placement of the denture are performed in a single appointment.

4. Implant-Supported Dentures

With implant-supported dentures, an implant is surgically attached to the jawbone of the missing tooth to support the denture. Compared to other types of dentures, implant-supported dentures feel more natural, stable, and long-lasting.

Benefits of Dentures

1. Restores Bite Function – Teeth are important for eating food. If you’re missing several teeth, it can be difficult to chew properly. This can keep you from enjoying your favorite foods, limiting your diet. By replacing your teeth with dentures, your bite function is restored, allowing you to eat and chew comfortably.
2. Improved Speech – Teeth are not only essential for chewing, they also aid in speech. The empty gaps in the mouth can cause words to slip through, affecting your speech or causing a whistle. Dentures will close the empty gaps, restoring your ability to speak and talk normally.
3. Improved Facial Appearance and Confidence – Teeth are important for your facial appearance and can impact social relationships. Teeth brighten your smile and maintain your bone structure. If teeth are lost, the underlying jawbone deteriorates and weakens, affecting your facial muscles. This leads to facial sagging and premature aging.

Replacing your teeth with dentures lifts your face, improving your appearance and smile. On the other hand, improved facial appearance restores your self-esteem, improving your lifestyle and social relationships.

Easy Maintenance

Caring for dentures is easier than dealing with empty sockets. Dentures are easy to put on and can be removed as needed. However, to serve you well, they require proper care to keep them clean, stain-free, and long-lasting. Proper denture dental practices and care tips include:

• Removing your dentures after eating. Rinse them thoroughly with running water to remove food particles and other debris.
• Cleaning your dentures every night with a denture cleaner and soaking them overnight
• Never soaking the dentures in hot water
• Handling your dentures well and placing them in their rightful container to avoid accidents
• Cleaning your mouth after removing the dentures when sleeping and before wearing them again in the morning.
• Scheduling regular dental check-ups and cleanings
• Notifying your dentist immediately if your dentures are damaged.
• Avoiding abrasive cleaning materials as they can damage the dentures

Are you considering dentures, or would you like to learn more about dentures procedures? Contact Newburyport Family Dental for more information.