Everything You Need to Know About Dentures

The uses of our mouth are just too many – from talking and eating to kissing, yawning, and catching our breath, there are several other activities. And all these activities just require healthy gums and teeth, however, most people these days complain of dental cavities, gum disease, tooth erosion, and sensitivity, cracked or chipped tooth, etc. Although people know that brushing twice daily and flossing regularly is the first and best advice doctors give, despite that nobody takes it seriously and end up whining and moaning in pain at nights after eating nuts or stiff bread.

While getting a root canal treatment, a tooth replacement, teeth cleaning, and putting a tooth cap are suitable solutions for some, getting removable dentures is also advisable to those patients who have lost most or all their teeth. As per a detailed report published by Research Dive, the global dentures market is predicted to generate a revenue of $1,585.70 million and grow at a stable CAGR of 6.5% during the 2021-2028 forecast timeframe.

What are Dentures and How are They Beneficial?

Dentures are removable dental appliances that effectively replace missing teeth and are generally worn by patients who have lost all their teeth due to a disease, an accident, or tooth decay. Many people think that dentures require high maintenance and would be uncomfortable. Although people take some time to get used to dentures, the numerous benefits they offer outweigh all the temporary discomfort people may experience.

Here are a few benefits of wearing dentures:

1. Dentures bring back your confidence while talking and chewing and perform all the functions of natural teeth to make you feel comfortable.
    
2. With dentures, you don’t have to restrict yourself to only specific food items and can enjoy eating everything you used to eat earlier.
    
3. The loss of teeth makes your facial muscles to sag and so, dentures are highly effective in supporting your face and help in maintaining your facial appearance.
    
4. The loss of teeth also causes your oral bone structure to perish and this rate can be easily decreased by wearing dentures.
    
5. In case you have some remaining teeth and use partial removable dentures, excessive wear and tear on your natural teeth is greatly reduced since the chewing forces are evenly distributed.
    
6. Since dentures are removable, it allows for proper cleaning and maintenance.

Types of Dentures

There are two types of dentures -- complete and partial, and as the name suggests, complete dentures are worn when a patient has lost all his natural teeth, while partial dentures are used when you still have some natural teeth remaining.

1. Complete Dentures

These are further classified into conventional and immediate and are mostly worn after the gums have healed. Mostly, complete dentures are ready to be placed about 8-12 weeks after the teeth are removed. Unlike conventional, immediate dentures are positioned as soon as the teeth are removed since they’re made in advance. Moreover, the patient need not be without teeth during the healing period. However, gums and bones shrink with time during the healing phase after teeth removal. Therefore, this poses a major disadvantage for immediate dentures since they’d need more fittings and adjustments and would mostly be considered a temporary solution until the conventional ones are made.

2. Partial Dentures

A partial denture has replacement teeth attached to pink gum-colored plastic base that are sometimes attached to a metallic structure that keeps the denture in place. A fixed bridge is put that replace one or more natural remaining teeth and crowns are put on either sides of the bridge. Artificial teeth are then applied to the bridge which is later cemented into place. Partial dentures not only fill in the gaps caused by missing teeth but also prevent other teeth from changing their position.

Side-effects of Wearing Dentures

While wearing dentures is a conventional and cost-effective option for patients who have lost their teeth, wearing them for the first time can be quite challenging for many. Here are some difficulties one might face after wearing dentures:

1. Speech difficulties
2. Unable to eat favorite food items
3. Blisters and mouth sores
4. Diminished sense of taste

The Cost-Effective Solution

Dentures are a cost-effective solution that can revive your confidence and fill in the gaps caused by missing teeth. Dodging your dental problems and popping some painkillers are temporary solutions that pretty much worsen the situation. Wearing dentures can be a wiser option that supports your facial muscles and also prevents your oral bone structure from perishing.

About the Author(s)

 

Niti Pawar

Niti Pawar is a creative writer with almost 2 years of experience in the industry and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology from Pune University. She is extremely passionate about writing and is keen to gain significant experience and expertise in the same field. Niti aspires to become an accomplished editor and a linguist in her upcoming years. Besides work, she actively participates in recreational activities like trekking, badminton, singing, and travelling.