Posts Tagged ‘partial dentures’

Loosing some or all of your teeth can be a very traumatic experience. Whether it happens due to tooth decay, gum disease or even some kind of head trauma it can be painful and very embarrassing. Missing teeth can also have further consequences for your health. Some missing teeth can cause remaining teeth to lean, altering the bite of the patient. This can cause complications with the jaw joint and lead to a painful condition called TMJ. Gaps left by missing teeth are also breeding grounds for bacteria and infection leading to further dental problems. Teeth act as rigid supports for facial muscles, which will be inclined to sag and hollow if they are missing. This can cause patients to appear older and unwell and can be irreversible if not corrected in time.

If several or all the teeth are missing, the best option is to have a denture fitted. Dentures, or partial dentures, act as a genuine alternative for real teeth. They are specially designed to fit your mouth and appear like your teeth. The days of ill-fitting and unrealistic dentures are in the past and with recent advancement in dentistry no one need ever know that they are not your real teeth.

Most modern dentures are made form acrylic resins and can be constructed to a stunning degree of accuracy. A well fitting set of dentures should require no further support than suction alone but many patients opt to use denture adhesive or strips for extra security. A loose denture can be a cause of great anxiety for patients who are worried they might become dislodged, but there is no reason this should be the case. Dentures that are prone to falling out are dentures that do not fit properly and need to be refitted. Many patients recently have opted to have mini-implants attached to their jaw to which they can solidly fix their dentures. This provides an extra degree of security and can put their mind at ease. It also means that some foods which are a problem for normal dentures, can be eaten without anxiety or mess.

Patients who wear dentures should make regular visits to their dentist as they can suffer from gum erosion. After years of denture wearing the gums tend to disappear, which can often be the cause of a loose denture and gum irritation.

Dentures can last a long time if properly maintained and kept clean. They should be removed at night and cleaned twice a day with a regular toothbrush. Visit an Everton dentist if you have any questions about having dentures fitted or if you think you might need your existing set adjusted.