Multiple Reasons to Reconsider Dentures

Although millions of satisfied Americans wake every morning and insert a pair of full dentures, millions more may dread that daily ritual on account of problems with their "false teeth." More than half of all denture wearers encounter problems such as excessive or sparse salivation, decreased chewing ability, mouth sores, cosmetic damage, speech impediments, and dramatic dental procedures may all be reason enough to encourage non-denture wearers to seek alternative treatment before resorting to complete removal of all of one's teeth.

A simple issue, but perhaps the first noticeable for many patients, is a newly acquired habit of excessive salivation, or a thoroughly lacking presence of saliva. This is brought about by an inability of the mouth to determine the difference between food and the replacement teeth until nearby tissue becomes used to the presence of dentures. Dry mouth is often a greater concern due to the fact that moisture typically provides a securing seal between the palates and dentures, and thus, a lack thereof can cause failed adhesion. Once again, the process of becoming "used to" the dentures will take months, and, while these issues are often simple, they may not resolve themselves immediately.

While not technically a medical issue, seeing as how it does not directly harm one's health, another negative aspect of wearing dentures that many patients will notice is a dramatically decreased chewing ability. This is often limiting on the types of food one can eat, in addition to requiring an individual to take twice as long to chew his or her food. In any case, it is advisable to always eat a varied diet, as limitations caused by masticating ability (often before dentures, with heavy cavitation) can eventually lead to malnourishment. Besides a "natural" or "perfect" fit, multiple denture adhesives are available to increase mouth-to-denture grip and thus encourage chewing of foods that may have been previously inedible for the wearer.

One medical caused by dentures that should worry wearers, though, are mouth sores, which develop as a result of rubbing between the denture and palate, or foods (such as small seeds) that get caught between the palate and denture. These sores are often painful and recurring, in addition to the ever-present possibility of infection. (After all, such sores would be contained in a moist mouth in a bacterial breeding haven). Considered another issue that develops as a result of loose dentures, readjustment is probably the best solution. Remember, every readjustment costs cash, which is, of course, another added hassle.

Cosmetic concerns are often forgot about in the face of orthodontal treatments, however, many will notice a deterioration in some facial characteristics as the facial bones and tissues adjust to the absence of real teeth. For instance, non-supporting dentures may cause advanced aging characteristics to appear, such as above and around the lips, or at the corners of one's mouth. Such problems can often only be fixed through professional readjustment. Also concerning appearance, speech impediments may develop with the acquisition of false teeth, though often easily remedied through oral exercises to correct speech issues, such as reading aloud.

Finally, the complete removal of all of one's teeth is a daunting prospect, especially in light of the fact that those who may need such drastic dental treatment typically suffer the greatest incidents of odontophobia, or a fear of dentistry. For that reason alone, many may want to reconsider acquiring dentures, and instead seeking alternative treatments. Most dentists agree that such are almost always a possibility.