A Dentures Primer

People have been trying to replace missing teeth for as long as we’ve cared. That probably doesn’t include our attractive caveman days. Toward that end, dentures are nothing new. Their first use is traced back to the 7^th century B.C. when the Etruscans made partial dentures out of human or animal teeth and tied them together with gold bands. The Romans made even better dentures. The Japanese invented wooden dentures in the 16^th century.

The most famous denture wearer in U.S. history has to be George Washington, although he didn’t wear wooden dentures, as the mythology maintains. Instead, Georgie’s chompers were made with ivory from hippos and elephants, gold rivets, spiral springs, and real human teeth.

Most people seriously underestimate just how many people either wear dentures or should. One-quarter of U.S people over 65 have lost most or all of their teeth! Many of these people choose not to replace their teeth, either with dentures or a bunch of implants. Instead, they eat soft foods, avoid smiling, and suffer through continuing bone loss in their jaws. This is because teeth stimulate the jawbone, as bite force energy is transferred down through the teeth into the jawbone beneath. This energy triggers a constant regeneration of new bone cells to keep the jawbone healthy.

Not replacing missing teeth is a silly proposition, really. That’s kind of like the Red Wings trading for yet another washed-up old-timer, rather than going all-in on youth. Dentures, whether full or partial, can give you back a beautiful, functional smile. Dr. Egger offers full dentures, partial dentures, and implant-supported dentures. Although fully replacing teeth with implants is preferable, dentures can surely be a cost-effective alternative.

Partial or full?

This decision depends, of course, on if you have any remaining teeth. Partial dentures are preferred because we can use any remaining teeth as anchors. With partial dentures, crowns are put on top of the remaining natural teeth, serving as anchors for the artificial teeth in between. Partial dentures fill the spaces created by the missing teeth and also prevent the remaining teeth from moving into those open spaces. Partial dentures can be removable or permanent, depending on the number of remaining teeth.

Full dentures replace all of your teeth. To prepare for the full dentures, any remaining badly decayed teeth are removed. Instead of anchors, full dentures are held in place through pressure provided by the tongue and cheeks, and suction. Adhesive can be used to add stability. That’s why Dr. Egger spends a good deal of time getting the fit of your dentures exactly right.

Implants + dentures

A better solution, even if you’ve lost all of your teeth, is using dental implants to anchor your dentures. Implants are titanium posts that are inserted into the former tooth sockets. The jawbone is allowed to grow back around the implants, making them similar to natural tooth roots. The dentures attach to those implants, which are placed at various necessary support positions in the upper and lower jaw. Implant-supported dentures have several advantages:

• Dentures don’t move, rub, and cause irritation because they are anchored in place by the implants.
• The dentures don’t slip when speaking, biting, or chewing.
• Because they don’t slip, food debris doesn’t get stuck under the dentures while eating.
• The risk for bone loss is reduced, as implants maintain the normal downward pressure that stimulates the jawbone.
• Lower jaw dentures are more stable compared to traditional prosthetics.

Dentures are a great way to get your smile back. Call Dr. Egger at (989) 773-3560 and set up a consultation.