Losing some or all of your teeth can be a painful and embarrassing experience. Whether it is due to a dental trauma or simply the result of tooth decay, it is important to replace missing teeth as soon as possible. One option is to have dentures or a partial denture fitted by a Chepstow dentist. Although dentures will take some getting used to and can never compare to real teeth, modern dentures are more lifelike and comfortable than ever and are a more than sufficient replacement for your original teeth. A well-fitting set of modern dentures should not prevent you from doing anything you could ordinarily do with a set of real teeth.
Dentures work by using a flesh-coloured acrylic palate base that sits over your gums. Attached to the palate is a row of realistic and healthy looking artificial teeth. Each set of dentures will be custom made according to moulds taken of your gums and manufactured in a dental laboratory. A well-made set of dentures should fit comfortably around the gums and be held in place by suction alone. Patients with ill-fitting dentures often resort to using denture adhesive gels and strips to secure their dentures, but these can often be messy and frankly more fuss than they are worth.
It is important if you do wear dentures to have them regularly relined and rebased to fit the changing structure of your gum tissue. Loose fitting dentures can cause painful and damaging gum erosion that cannot be reversed. It is also important to take good care of your dentures to increase their lifespan.
Having to wear dentures may not be the ideal situation, but with the appropriate dental advice, care and treatment a set of dentures can be just as effective and comfortable as real teeth.
Losing your teeth at any stage of your life can be an embarrassing and traumatic experience. The two most common reasons for tooth loss are dental decay and head trauma, and both can be the underlying cause of further physiological and psychological conditions if not addressed. For example, missing teeth can cause facial muscles to sag and sink making the patient look much older than they actually are. Missing teeth can also be the cause of increased gum disease because it is hard to clean in hollows left by lost teeth. Missing teeth can make the patient very embarrassed and can lead to a loss of self-confidence and self-esteem.
For these reasons and others it is important to replace the missing teeth as soon as possible. If only a small number of teeth are missing it may be easier to replace them with dental bridges or implants, but if the majority or all the teeth are missing then it may be necessary to fit a set of dentures. This restores the cosmetic appearance of a full set of teeth and also protects the remaining gum tissue from further erosion.
Many denture wearers are anxious that they are going to fall out and resort to wearing dental adhesive strips or gels. A well-fitting pair of dentures should require nothing more than suction to stay in place so denture wearers require regular check ups from a dentist.
Alternatively, more and more denture wearers are opting to have mini-implants fitted to which the dentures can be snapped on and off. This provides the desired level of security without the need for messy adhesives. This can be very reassuring to denture wearers especially when eating certain foods.
Dentures have come a long way to escape the stigma attached to them. Modern dentures feel more like real teeth than ever before. If you have suffered from multiple tooth loss and want to restore a smile to your face, ask a Bristol dentist about having a set of dentures fitted.
Call Today On 0117 973 1910 Email info@cliftonsmiles.co.uk
Dr Gerrard is a Bristol based Cosmetic dentist with many years of experience and is one of only a small number of dentists accredited by The British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry