Some patients come in because of a tooth ache and when they find out that they need a root canal therapy and a crown for the tooth that is hurting in order to save it, they opt for taking the tooth out. This point is the begining of the road to dentures. Once a tooth is lost, the balance in the mouth is lost because the neighbour teeth tilt over towards the empty gap that is created, they lose their vertical axis and they become vertically overloaded. Being overloaded make them more prone to break. Once another tooth breaks, we are back to the initial problem needing a crown and possible a root canal. And this is how this cycle repats itself and more teeth are lost one by one.
When a patient misses enough teeth, he/she needs partial or complete dentures.
What are the side effects of partial dentures or complete dentures?
1. Gagging
Because of their big basis, the dentures extend close to the throat and behind the tongue making some people gag.
2. Speech Impediment
Because of the same reason, the dentures impede the tongue and lips to move around enough for proper speech. Some letters are really hard to pronounce, especially some T’s and D’s.
3. Poor chewing, testing and eating.
It is very hard to bite, chew, taste and swallow with dentures. The maximum biting force that a patient can use to bite is 15% of the normal biting force if the patient had natural teeth or dental implants. Bacause of that, the patient can only have processed food which is lower in nutrients and vitamins ending being malnourished. The apetite is low because the patient cannot properly taste the food.
4.Loosening of the remaining teeth
If the patient still has some teeth left and is wearing partial dentures, the existing teeth are going to be become loose because of the up ond down trauma created by the dentures when go in and out.
5. Accelerate bone loss
Because the dentures still move, they constantly rub the gums and they irritate the underlying bone making it resorb. The bone doer nor resorb the the patient has teeth or dental implants. When enough bone is lost, it is difficult to place implants.
6. Poor Estetics
Some dentures really look bad. You can tell from across the street that the patient has dentures. Also when they get old, they start having stains on them, they smell, they break, become more and more loose as they lose bone underneath.
Read more on Unwanted Side Effects of wearing dentures part 2.
If you wear dentures, you are tired of having them loose in your mouth, tired of avoiding intimacy, tired of breaking them or loosing them, tired of not eating what you want, etc… please call my office in Washington Township, NJ, Sewell Dental Arts at 856-582-2220 to schedule a free consultation. I will be happy to meet you and help you. And I promise that you can eat a dish like this and you will never have to take any “teeth out”. Dr. Pastiu