The Problem With Dentures

Some people believe that their dental problems will be solved if they have their teeth removed and get dentures.  However, as many denture wearers have found, this is just the beginning of a new set of problems.  Some of these problems include difficulty eating and tasting food, gagging, sore spots, loss of jaw bone,  the need for ongoing denture adjustments and fabrication of new dentures to replace worn dentures, and changes in facial appearance.

Eating takes longer with dentures because you can only apply a fraction of the biting pressure that you can apply with natural teeth.  This makes many foods more difficult to eat, particular high fiber foods like fruits and vegetables which are essential for good nutrition.  Tasting foods is also a problem, particularly with upper dentures which cover the taste buds on the palate.  Gagging is also a problem because many people gag when the back of the palate is touched making the upper denture difficult to wear.

Sore spots occur from the transmission of biting pressure from the denture to the tender gum tissue pinched between the base of the denture and the bone beneath the denture.  Gum tissue was never meant to assume the role of chewing that the hard tissue of the teeth was designed to support.  The most serious problem is the loss of jaw bone from the pressure of the denture on tissue.  Natural teeth are suspended in a ligament that applies tension to bone during chewing to stimulate the growth of bone.  Without teeth, the direct pressure applied to bone by a denture causes the recession of bone.  After many months of denture wear and bone recession, the denture will need to be relined.  After many years of wear and refitting, the dentures will need to be replaced with a new set.

Bone recession and ill-fitting dentures is a particular problem with the lower denture.  The rim of bone supporting the lower denture is narrower to begin with.  The lower jaw moves during chewing and speaking and the tongue moves through the middle of the denture.

The loss of jaw bone also changes your appearance.  Your nose gets closer to your chin and your lips lose support of the teeth and gums and collapse.   This causes wrinkles and makes you look older.  When you  add up all the costs, dentures can be more expensive than the cost of treatment to save your natural teeth.  The cost of dentures include removing your teeth, making the dentures and the periodic relines and cost of new dentures every 8 - 10 years.

For all these reasons, Dr. Dulski recommends that you choose treatment to keep all of your natural teeth.  You will look better, feel better and be more confident.  Visit Adult Dentistry of Rochester to learn how we can help you keep your natural smile.

Tags: Dentures, Preventive Dentistry, Restorative Dentistry