Dentures

Does anyone in your family wear dentures? Maybe you have a friend or neighbor that has a set? We likely all know or have known someone with a pair of false teeth, considering that nearly 1 in 4 Americans in the 65 and older category alone are completely without teeth. With advances in dental care, the introduction of fluoride and increased preventative measures over the last 40 years, we have managed to decrease the overall percentage of the population needing dentures. Technological advances have improved the quality of dentures being made today and have also simplified the process of making them. They are still foreign objects in the mouth, however, and will never be a replacement for a person's own natural teeth.

All too often, especially with younger people, I hear something along the lines of "I just wish I could get all my teeth pulled and have dentures". Mostly these patients have a lot of expensive work that needs to be done, although some are terrified of dental procedures and would rather not have to deal with root canals, crowns, fillings, and the like. In that way of thinking, it sort of makes sense - no more teeth equals no more dental visits, no shots, no cavities and no drills. To patients with this mindset, a set of dentures more or less allows them to hit the reset button on their teeth. What most people don't realize though is that the reset is strictly cosmetic - there is no real substitute for your natural teeth. Implants are the gold standard for replacing missing teeth, and crowns and bridges also come close. Dentures fall at the bottom of the list when it comes to replacements, and in my opinion should only be considered as a last resort.

Your natural teeth and their supporting structures allow you to bite with roughly 200-250 pounds of force. This force allows you to enjoy chewing through tougher foods such as steak, ribs, corn on the cob and apples. The biggest downfall with dentures is that they diminish your bite force by nearly 80%! That makes chewing anything but oatmeal and scrambled eggs much harder and take much longer.

The reason chewing is so much more difficult with dentures is that while your teeth are rigidly set in place within your jawbone, the denture sits on top of your gums and essentially floats there. Yes, there are products available to make them stick tight and feel solid as a rock but regardless, the denture just does not have a strong base. Oftentimes, people end up feeling like their dentures are just flopping around in their mouths and have a lot of difficulty keeping them in place. Because of this, eating and speaking are very tough to get the hang of once you get your first set.

In the elderly population, a damaging and sometimes dangerous side effect of wearing dentures is a lack of proper nutrition. Because older people may lose the muscular dexterity of their mouths combined with the lack of chewing strength, many elderly denture wearers are not able to ingest the recommended amount of fiber and nutrients which can lead to many diseases, including cancer, heart disease and cataracts. Lack of interest in eating due to decreased sense of taste can also affect nutritional intake.

It is important to acknowledge that for some, dentures are a necessity and can greatly improve a person's quality of life by providing some chewing capability, regardless of how limited it may be. That being said, I would highly recommend steering clear of dentures if at all possible. I understand completely that dental care is expensive and can be time-consuming, but even if you are uninsured, many dental offices offer flexible payment options and will work with you so that you can afford the treatment you need. There are few things in life as important as caring for your natural teeth, and in my opinion they are worth the investment.