Dentures
When we say "dentures," we are usually talking about a replacement for
teeth that is removable. There are two kinds that are referred
to, full and partial.
Full or complete dentures
should be a treatment of last resort. After the
patient has lost any desire to save his or her teeth, they give up on
them, get them extracted, and have a complete set of
false teeth made.
Some patients view this as a matter of economics—they can't afford to
maintain their teeth any more. I once calculated the cost of a complete
set of false teeth, upper and lower, including the cost of the
tooth extraction surgery and the additional surgery required to prepare the
patient's mouth for the denture. Instead of getting the dentures, if the
patient were to put all that money into a mutual fund that earned a modest
8% annual return, they could have routine checkups and cleanings and a
filling or two every year on the dividends. At the end of ten years they
would still have their own teeth and still have the
full original value of the mutual fund.
Complete dentures can be more economical if the teeth otherwise need
extensive work.
A lower denture just
rests on the bony
ridge. Gravity holds
it in place, and it tends
to move around
during use |
It is a fallacy to think that complete dentures mean the end to
troubles with your teeth. Surveys show that
about three-fourths of the people who have lower dentures are unhappy with
them. They usually aren't as vocal as the people who are happy with their
dentures, which can give you a false picture. About half of those with
upper dentures are unhappy with them. They may not
complain much to their friends because they may feel
embarrassed that they made such a poor decision. |
Other useful information:
 | "Cosmetic
dentures" is a term used to refer to false
teeth where extra attention is paid to their appearance. When they are
done by an expert cosmetic dentist,
it can make a big difference in their appearance. |
| When all the teeth are extracted, the
jawbone will shrink. When a
patient is young, say in his or her thirties, and has all the teeth
extracted at that young age, by the time he or she reaches the age of fifty or sixty the jawbone will be so thin
that the patient may end up being a dental cripple who can't wear a
denture comfortably. |
| Soft dentures can
be an answer for these people with a shrunken jawbone. The soft liner
makes them more comfortable and a little more snug. Read about the pros
and cons here. |
| When your dentures
need repair, it's important to see a dentist right away. Home repairs can
make it more difficult and more expensive, or even impossible for a
dentist to make the permanent repair. These repair procedures are
generally not very expensive - much less expensive than a complete new
denture. |
| Oral yeast infection can occur under your plates if you never take them out. |
| Immediate
dentures are placed in your mouth on the same day your teeth are
extracted, so that you don't need to go for weeks with no teeth. They
work very well, and are generally recommended for all patients. |
Read Dr. Hall's blog posts about
dentures, where he answers
questions from visitors.
|
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