.

Dentures

Dentures are used to replace missing teeth. They can be used to replace just one or a few teeth in the case of partial dentures , or they can replace all of the missing teeth on the top or bottom jaw. Dentists typically recommend that full Dentures be used as only a last resort for several reasons.

Drawbacks of Full Dentures

• These require all the upper teeth (or lower teeth if it‚’s a lower plate) to be removed. As soon as the teeth are removed, the bone will start to be reabsorbed by the body. This can cause a person to look older faster as the structure that actually supports the facial muscles is shrinking. After a number of years, people who wear full dentures can have a sunken look because of this shrinking
• Full dentures can make eating difficult. The force you can put on food when you chew with your real teeth is many times harder than the force you can exert with dentures. Dentists estimate that you only have between 5% and 15% of your normal bite force with full plates. Food may be difficult to taste because the upper palate is covered.
• Full upper plates can cause a gag response in many people because the plate has to cover the upper palate. While many people get over this response in a few days to a couple of weeks, some people never do and end up not wearing their dentures because of it.
• Talking can also be more difficult, especially right at first. Most people who can adjust to the dentures get used to talking with them after a few days to two weeks.
• Lower dentures can become difficult to wear with time, as more of the bony ridge is absorbed into the body leaving nothing to hold them in place. Implants may be required just to hold the plate in place.
• These require all the upper teeth (or lower teeth if it‚’s a lower plate) to be removed. As soon as the teeth are removed, the bone will start to be reabsorbed by the body. This can cause a person to look older faster as the structure that actually supports the facial muscles is shrinking. After a number of years, people who wear full dentures can have a sunken look because of this shrinking.
• Full upper plates can cause a gag response in many people because the plate has to cover the upper palate. While many people get over this response in a few days to a couple of weeks, some people never do and end up not wearing their dentures because of it.
• Talking can also be more difficult, especially right at first. Most people who can adjust to the dentures get used to talking with them after a few days to two weeks.
• Lower dentures can become difficult to wear with time, as more of the bony ridge is absorbed into the body leaving nothing to hold them in place. Implants may be required just to hold the plate in place.

Lower dentures can become difficult to wear with time, as more of the bony ridge is absorbed into the body leaving nothing to hold them in place. Implants may be required just to hold the plate in place.

There are cases where the problems are so severe or have gone on for so long that full dentures are really the only option. In those cases they‚’re a good choice as long as you maintain contact with the dentist to ensure that your dentures fit properly at all times.

Many people, however, opt for dentures even though there are other options. They may not want to wait for braces to straighten their teeth, they may not want to get a crown or an implant for a tooth or teeth that need to be extracted, and they may not want to have several cavities filled. But if they have some good teeth, there is another option.

Partial Dentures

Bridges are false teeth placed between healthy teeth and bonded in place. But partial dentures are removable like full dentures, but don‚’t require covering the entire palate and are much more stable than full plates because they clasp onto healthy teeth to hold them in place. Gagging and difficulty chewing are rarely problems with partials, while they still provide a good appearance. These can replace one or several teeth unlike full dentures, which replace them all.