Why Do People Suffer From Loose Dentures?
Many people who undertake dental implants in Richmond do so because they can no longer stand the feeling of loose dentures. Clearly dentures aren’t initially fitted to move around in the mouth and instead they’re normally snug and comfortable. So why do people suffer from ill-fitting dentures?
Time
In most cases and given a period of time, dentures have a tendency to become a little ‘sloppy’ as the denture plate begins to move around in the mouth. This can cause problems when eating and speaking as well as confidence issues as denture slippage can occur at the most awkward or inopportune moments.
The issue is that while replacement teeth are undoubtedly better than no teeth at all they can’t halt the bone loss process that occurs naturally after tooth loss. When tooth roots are removed or naturally fall out, the gum ridge starts to shrink in a process known as bone resorption. A shrinking jaw therefore is not what you need when you have close fitting dentures.
Wear and tear
Aside from natural jaw shrinkage, because dentures sit on the gum line they can also cause excessive wear and tear on the jaw too. When a gap where a tooth once was has been left empty it undermines the strength of the jaw making it prone to cracking and chipping. When you then sit a prosthetic plate on top (in the form of a denture) and expect it to take the weight of normal chewing action, it’s easy to see how it can cause additional wear and tear on the jaw making it weaker.
Continual adjustment
These reasons are primarily why once ‘snug fitting’ dentures become loose. The only way to counteract this is by having them periodically adjusted. Even though doing so will make your dentures fit the ever-changing shape of your jaw, there will come a time when your dentures can no longer be adjusted. For this reason they will need to be replaced and is usually anywhere between 7 and 15 years depending upon the degree of bone loss. If you are insistent on dentures as a form of teeth replacement, although they have all the qualities of other forms of teeth restorations, be aware that they are relatively high maintenance and you may need several sets of them during your lifetime, meaning costs can mount up.
For this reason dental implants in Richmond provide a perfect alternative in the form of implant retained dentures. Titanium implants are inserted directly into the jaw bone and this very practice not only provides a super firm platform that can help to take the support of a full arch of dentures, it also halts bone loss in its tracks! This means that wearers can experience a partial of full denture that never moves and never needs to be adjusted. How’s that for low-maintenance?
To find out more about alternatives to conventional dentures then make an appointment with Sheen Dental today. To book yours either do so via our website at www.sheendentalimplants.co.uk or call us directly on 020 8876 5277.