Tooth loss can have devastating effects on your confidence and general quality of life. Tooth loss occurs for various reasons, including genetics, tooth decay, facial trauma, gum disease, and systemic conditions. Whatever the cause of the tooth loss, you should replace the teeth immediately to avoid long-term consequences, such as jawbone resorption, more tooth loss, shifting of teeth, and a change in facial structure.

There are a number of advanced tooth replacement options available; one of the most common options is dentures. Dentures are detachable prosthetic tools, which may be used to replace a few teeth or all the teeth. If you are planning to undergo the treatment, it is important to consult your general dentist to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the treatment with respect to other advanced tooth replacement options.

Weighing the Advantages and Disadvantages of Dentures

Before choosing dentures for your missing teeth, it is advisable to understand why you need the treatment and the long-term benefits of choosing this treatment option. Additionally, you need to understand the disadvantages of choosing the treatment and why you should explore other modern alternatives.

You should not select dentures just because you want to fill in the spaces left by missing teeth. You want to select the treatment because it fits your budget, lifestyle, preferences, and oral health needs. Your unique needs and budget will determine whether dentures are suitable for you or if you should explore other options to improve your smile and tooth function.

The best way to determine whether dentures are suitable for you is to explore the benefits and drawbacks of the treatment.

The Practical Pros of Opting for Dentures

When discussing denture treatment with your cosmetic dentist during your first appointment, it is essential to explore the practical benefits you will derive from the treatment, based on your oral needs, budget, and lifestyle. The common pros of dentures include the following:

Enhanced Tooth Appearance and Functionality

Patients seek denture treatment for several reasons. You can wear them if you have missing natural teeth, so that you do not put excessive pressure on the remaining natural teeth. If you put more pressure on the missing teeth, the remaining ones will likely be lost over time or shift towards the open socket.

Similarly, patients with gum disease, loose teeth, and tooth decay all have problems with the appearance and functionality of the teeth, especially if the teeth are damaged beyond repair. Under these circumstances, you can remove the damaged teeth and replace them with dentures.

When you receive dentures for any of these reasons, you will observe instant improvement in your appearance. These prosthetic tools are designed to mimic the appearance of natural teeth. Therefore, when they fit perfectly in the mouth, one cannot tell them apart from natural teeth, giving you a flawless smile.

Additionally, dentures improve your chewing and speech. When you fail to replace missing teeth for a long time, the adjacent teeth begin to shift towards the open sockets, causing misalignment. Alignment issues trigger bite and speech problems. Dentures protect the remaining natural teeth from excessive pressure during chewing, improving your bite. With an improved bite, you can enjoy various foods, especially the hard ones that you could have otherwise avoided if you had not replaced the missing teeth.

Teeth, especially the upper front teeth, are crucial in the pronunciation of certain words. If you are missing these teeth, you will develop speech problems. Fortunately, replacing the missing teeth with dentures can restore your speech, giving you the confidence you need to socialize or speak in public.

The Results are Instant, as the Treatment is Non-Invasive

If you have been avoiding dental clinics to replace missing teeth because you were afraid of the painful and invasive restorative treatment options, fear no more. The traditional dentures are non-invasive and do not require surgery. All you need to do is book an initial appointment with your dentist for a thorough examination of the gums and the jawbone to determine your candidacy. Sometimes the dentist will take dental X-rays to provide a more detailed image of your bone structure and gums.

After the dentist determines you are a candidate, they will take an impression of your teeth and gums. Also, they will measure your upper and lower jaws if you need a full denture. After you select the size and shade of your dentures, the dentist sends them to a dental lab for fabrication. The dentist will then customize the dentures and build a base using your material choice. They will then attach artificial teeth to the denture base and polish the prosthetic for final placement.

The last step involves positioning the denture to achieve a perfect fit. Throughout the process, there are no incisions or stitches, making the procedure painless and suitable for patients seeking a non-invasive restorative solution with no recovery time.

If your dentist uses CAM/CAD technology, denture fabrication can be completed on the same day, providing instant results. This is unlike dental implant-supported restorations, where you undergo surgery to place the implants in the jawbone. Then you wait for months for successful osseointegration, after which the prosthesis is placed. You end up waiting months and having several dental appointments before you achieve your desired results.

The non-invasive nature of dentures also makes them suitable for patients who have been ruled out as dental implant candidates. Dental implants are not suitable for candidates with systemic diseases, such as diabetes or a deteriorated jawbone. You need a strong jawbone with enough mass to anchor the surgically placed implants. If you have a weak jawbone structure, dental implants will fail. So, if you were initially considering implants but were ruled out because of low jawbone density, traditional dentures are suitable for you. You can use dentures to replace the missing teeth while you undergo a bone graft treatment to strengthen the jawbone. If you were ruled out of the dental implant procedure because of gum disease or smoking, you can wear dentures to replace the missing teeth while you await qualification for implants as a long-term solution.

Dentures are Highly Affordable When Replacing a Full Arch

When replacing a few or all your teeth, dentures are much more cost-effective than implants. The conventional dentures will cost you 70%-80% of what dental implants will cost you, whereas the difference in results and functionality is minimal. If you are on a low budget and cannot afford dental implants or bridges to replace missing teeth, traditional dentures are a suitable solution.

The initial cost of dental implants, especially when replacing several missing teeth, can be hefty. However, this is not a reason to avoid treatment, because with dentures, you can replace all your teeth at an affordable price and enjoy the benefits of tooth replacement. 

Consult your healthcare insurer to find out whether they cover dentures. If the treatment is covered, the insurance company will pay a portion of the cost, further reducing the out-of-pocket cost.

Partial Dentures Protect the Teeth

When you leave open sockets in the mouth for an extended period, you might experience several oral problems. One, the teeth adjacent to the socket start to shift, causing many oral issues. Your experience misaligns as teeth move out of position, creating bite and speech problems. Additionally, misaligned teeth are difficult to clean because the brush cannot reach all tooth surfaces, allowing plaque and tartar to accumulate. The sticky layer combines with harmful bacteria, producing toxic acids that corrode the enamel, causing cavities and decay. When acids come into contact with the gums, they can cause gingivitis, which can gradually advance to periodontal disease.

So, when you use dentures to replace missing teeth, you are taking an active measure to protect the remaining teeth and prevent future oral issues stemming from tooth loss.

Disadvantages of Dentures

While dentures offer many benefits, it is important to consider the challenges and downsides associated with the treatment. It is after you weigh the benefits and demerits that you can make the right choice.

The common disadvantages of conventional dentures include:

  1. Lengthy Adjustment Period

Dentists discourage patients from adjusting dentures on their own. Therefore, after placement, you will need a few follow-up dental visits to adjust the prosthetic to ensure a perfect fit. In the first few weeks or months of wearing dentures, they might feel loose or odd in the mouth because the cheeks and mouth have not yet gotten used to them.

Also, in the first few days, your gums feel sore and irritated. You will feel uncomfortable when eating, and the bulkiness can trigger excessive saliva production. 

Moreover, as you adjust to the prosthetic tool, you will have problems pronouncing certain words because your cheek and tongue need time to adjust or become used to the foreign appliance. If you have pronunciation issues, your dentist will encourage you to read the words aloud and repeat the ones that are difficult to pronounce. Also, the dentures could make clicking sounds when you talk. If you notice this, visit the dentist for an adjustment. You may have trouble adjusting to laughing or smiling with the new prosthetic teeth, as they may slip during those movements. You must learn to bite them down when laughing to hold them in place.

Adjusting to dentures takes time, and it is good to be prepared for this if you are considering the treatment or going for another option.

  1. Poor Stability and Function

Unlike dental implants, which are surgically placed in the jawbone to anchor the artificial tooth, dentures rely on the gums for support, making them less stable and less functional. The upper jaw dentures are held in place by suction, while those on the lower jaw are supported by the contours of your gingival tissue. Therefore, dentures easily slip when you cough or laugh. You need to bite down on them for these simple functions. The instability can cause social anxiety because you are afraid you will slip when you eat or laugh in public.

The poor stability also means you will have difficulties eating. Traditional dentures have a lower biting force than dental implant-anchored prosthetic tools, meaning that you must avoid certain foods that are difficult to chew to avoid damaging your appliances.

  1. Jawbone Loss

Your jawbone stays healthy and maintains its density because the natural tooth roots are embedded in it, offering stimulation. When you lose natural teeth, the jawbone lacks the stimulation it requires to maintain its density and strength. As a result, it begins to resorb or deteriorate. Even if you have healthy, natural teeth remaining, you could lose them over time due to bone deterioration.

Traditional dentures sit on the gum line and are not embedded in the jawbone, so they do not stimulate the bone. With time, the bone starts to shrink or lose density, which explains why dentures become loose. The jawbone resorption continues for the period you are wearing the dentures to a point that you could start to experience tooth loss with the remaining teeth or a change in facial structure that makes you appear older than your actual age.

However, when you opt for dental implants, the titanium posts are embedded in the jawbone and allowed to fuse through osseointegration. After successful healing, the artificial root substitutes the natural tooth root, providing the bone with the stimulation it requires to maintain its density. Therefore, if you want to avoid bone loss, it is wise to choose an implant-supported denture or bridge for stimulation.

Implant-Anchored Dentures as an Alternative to Traditional Dentures

Advancements in dental technology have led to the introduction of implant-supported dentures, which help address some of the problems associated with conventional dentures while still providing a solution for patients who wish to avoid permanent dental implants.

In the treatment, the dental surgeon uses a few dental implants to anchor dentures instead of replacing each tooth with an implant. The new dentures are therefore more stable, thus eliminating slippage. Additionally, the few implants stimulate the jawbone, preventing bone loss. With superior stability, you avoid bite and speech problems associated with conventional dentures. However, the downside of modern dentures is that their initial cost is high, and the procedure is highly invasive, as implants require surgery.

Find a Reputable Advanced Dentistry Service Near Me

Choosing the right restorative dentistry solution for your missing teeth is not a simple decision. Conventional dentures are cost-effective, proven, and non-invasive, providing instant results. Nevertheless, they are unstable and do not prevent bone loss, which can lead to serious future oral concerns. Before choosing dentures, weigh the pros and cons and consider your oral needs and lifestyle.

At Northridge Advanced Dentistry, we will examine your teeth to determine if traditional dentures are right for you. Additionally, we will explore other, more advanced alternatives, such as implant-anchored dentures, to ensure you select the right treatment. Call us at 818-701-3010 to schedule an appointment.