Dentures
These Dentures Are Amazing
These Dentures are amazing, said nobody ever. Why? Because nobody can give you what the Lord gave you.
Natural Teeth are fixed to the bone by the periodontal ligament and are very stable but also have some flexibility. Teeth are stable enough to bite through and tear food. Partial dentures have some retention by using the remaining teeth as support, but they are not fixed in place. If partial dentures are using too much of the natural teeth for support, it may affect those remaining teeth.
Complete dentures rely solely on soft tissue for support and retention, often denture adhesive is required to achieve some stability. Implants can be used to support dentures, but the cost can be substantial, and they are not immune to gum disease. Implants are not permanent and require a proper oral hygiene routine to maintain, otherwise they can be lost to peri-implantitis.
Dentures can be a good option to replace missing teeth for esthetics and restore some function, but they are never amazing. Preventative measures and maintaining your natural teeth are the best ways to have a healthy smile and to enjoy all your favorite foods in your senior years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Natural teeth are securely fixed to the bone by ligaments for stable biting, whereas dentures only sit on soft tissue. Because they lack the stability, flexibility, and natural feel of real teeth, patients rarely find them truly amazing.
Partial dentures get some retention by latching onto your remaining natural teeth, though they are still not fixed in place. Complete dentures have no teeth to hold onto, relying solely on soft tissue and often requiring adhesive to stay stable.
Yes, because partial dentures rely on your remaining natural teeth for support and retention to stay in place. If the denture places too much physical stress or load on those natural teeth, it can eventually damage or weaken them.
While implants provide excellent stability, they are quite expensive and are still susceptible to gum disease like peri-implantitis. They are not entirely permanent and can be lost without a strict, proper oral hygiene routine to maintain them.
The best approach is focusing on preventative dental care and diligently maintaining your natural teeth. Keeping your real teeth ensures you retain full biting strength so you can enjoy all your favorite foods as you age.