The “Hidden Dangers” of Dentures

The “Hidden Dangers” of Dentures and Missing Teeth?

Replacement of missing teeth is essential to maintaining the structure of the jawbone. That is why a tooth should be replaced swiftly after it is lost. In the absence of a restoration, more of the jawbone disintegrates over time due to lack of use, until it becomes quite difficult to place an implant restoration. Dental implants are man-made replacements for natural teeth. The actual dental implant substitutes for the root of the missing tooth, missing teeth glen ellynserving as an anchor to which a replacement tooth or several artificial teeth can be secured. Implants enable replacement of missing teeth without harming the natural, healthy teeth adjacent to the gap. This reduces the risk of future decay under the crowns and the potential need for root canals.

Psychological Significance of Tooth Loss

Losing teeth can have a greater effect than simply making it harder to chew – it can also be a blow to the patient’s quality of life and self-esteem. People tend to feel older, less attractive, and less strong and vital after they’ve lost teeth. This is especially true of young people, who tend to view tooth loss as “abnormal,” but the same is true for patients of any age. Here are just a few of the ways that losing teeth could impact your lifestyle, each of them a very good reason to get replacements as soon as possible:

20% of edentulous (without teeth) patients don’t wear removable prostheses all the time.
7% of edentulous patients are unable to wear their dentures at all.
88% of denture wearers have some trouble speaking.
50% of denture wearers avoided foods they would otherwise have eaten.
Ill-fitting dentures can chafe the gums, causing lesions or painful sores.
Many people who have lost teeth avoid eating at restaurants or even with friends and family.
Statistics indicate people wearing dentures have less self-confidence or sense of well-being.

This is another reason why Dr. Gibbs is dedicated to providing the best dental care modern science can offer. Though assessing or treating the psychological impacts of tooth loss lies outside any dentist’s legal “scope of practice,” it’s also a widely know, commonsense fact that anything that compensates for tooth loss, like dental implants, helps you win back your quality of life and self-confidence. Tooth replacement doesn’t just work at a medical level, it also makes you feel better about yourself and enjoy life more!

Other Health Risks of Dentures

If any more reasons were needed to seek out one of the constructive, highly effective modern alternatives to dentures, the health problems they can cause make it even more urgent to rid yourself of them and get better oral treatment based on implants. There are many studies that indicate negative health impacts from missing teeth and dentures that extend far beyond the mouth, including the following:

Possible increases in dementia among those with dentures.
Lessened lifespan due to poorer nutrition, loss of mobility, and systemic stress, with declines of up 10 years possible in the absence of proper treatment.
Up to 32% drop in chewing efficiency, leading to poorer digestion and malnutrition.
As much as 40% to 60% bone loss in the jaw within 3 years, and 1% more annually thereafter.
Potential zinc overdose and copper depletion from excessive denture cream application.

All of these problems can be avoided, or at least partly corrected if they have already started, by exploring one of the exciting alternatives available thanks to advances in modern dentistry. Please feel free to talk with us to learn more about the choices open to you.

Watch our video on the Hidden Dangers of Missing Teeth – This is information you should know!

Call (630) 326-5811 or make an appointment with Dr. Gibbs to learn more.

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