You’ve spent your life taking care of your teeth and for the most part you’ve done a great job. Good for you. Perhaps however, you’ve experienced several bouts of periodontal disease or have had a root canal or other dental work that has failed for one or more of your teeth. If that’s the case, it might be time to consider dentures. Never fear however, dentures don’t have to be like your Grandma’s fake teeth that you grew up seeing in a glass on the bedside table. Today, dentures can be a custom made and natural part of your smile.
A denture is a removable replacement for a tooth (or teeth) that blends in seamlessly with your natural teeth. Partial dentures are affixed to either a pink “plate” or a gum-coloured plastic base that is then attached to a metal framework to hold it in place. Dentures can be either fixed or removable. In either case, your Dental team will work with your natural teeth, using them as possible supports to fill adjacent spaces.. A fixed bridge is, as the name suggests, cemented into place while a precision partial denture would be removable. In either scenario, the goal is to both naturally and seamlessly blend the partial denture with your natural teeth and the choice of which to use is based on several factors including patient preference and the degree of wear and tear on existing teeth.
People consider partial dentures for several reasons. Likely chief amongst them is the issue of appearance. Both self-esteem and confidence can improve when we feel good about our smile and how we present ourselves to the world. More importantly however, is that from a health perspective, dentures play an important role in ensuring food doesn’t get trapped in the space between teeth, potentially causing either tooth decay or gum disease. Finally, any gap in your natural teeth can also cause the teeth to begin to move and shift, affecting both your natural bite and appearance.
Taking care of dentures is also now easier than ever before. Patients don’t have to worry about “soaking overnight” and all the potentially unpleasant imagery that conjures up. There are a variety of products and methods currently on the market that specifically target “easy-care” for dentures and in our next blog we will explore these products in more detail. Helping you understand both what dentures are and how easy they can be to care for is important to us at Brinkley. Helping you have confidence in your smile is what motivates our team. If you have concerns about your teeth, mouth or gums for any reason, contact Brinkley Dental or your Family Dentist and remember, “Don’t forget to be a BFF with your mouth and Brush that SMILE!”
