Dentures

Effects of Missing Teeth

To get a feel for your denture candidacy, consider the effects of missing teeth first. You’ll then see how restorations could (or would) benefit your smile.

Note that tooth loss can stem from a great many factors. For instance, someone could lose a few teeth due to cavities and infected tooth pulp. Another person might have a tooth fall out from gum disease, which can loosen one’s pearly whites. A few could even suffer knocked-out teeth due to injuries or accidents.

In contrast, the effects of tooth loss are fairly stable and consistent. The most obvious one is likely that missing teeth make eating, speaking, and smiling very difficult. Smile gaps can also make remaining teeth tilt, cause jaw erosion, and serve as breeding grounds for harmful bacteria. Untreated tooth loss is thus a serious problem that deserves your immediate attention.

What Qualifies You for Dentures?

It doesn’t take much to qualify for modern dentures; almost any adult with missing teeth can get them. Still, there are three points about candidacy you should know.

The first is that dentures depend on good oral health. These prosthetics don’t decay like natural teeth, but they do require strong gum and jaw tissues for stability. Weak gums and jawbones lack the strength necessary to keep dentures in place. (Sensitive or decayed teeth aren’t disqualifiers, though; dentures can replace them.)

Secondly, how many teeth you’ve lost impacts which dentures you need. Those who only lack a few will most benefit from a partial model, for example. Others who lack a whole arch will require a full denture instead.

Last but not least, finances play a key role in the overall treatment. Dentures cost much less than dental bridges or dental implants, but they work well regardless. They’re thus well-suited for patients with limited budgets.

Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options

If you don’t qualify for dentures, there’s no need to worry much. Melrose Dental Group offers other tooth replacement options to choose from. In particular, these are:

• Dental Bridges – Unlike dentures, a dental bridge is a fixed restoration that consists of two crowns fused to an artificial tooth. A dentist must alter your nearby teeth to place the device, which can replace up to four adjacent teeth at once.
• Dental Implants – Dental implants are small titanium posts placed in your jaw’s empty sockets. Once correctly set, they fuse with your jawbone and act as highly secure prosthetic teeth.