There are tens of millions of people around the world who are enjoying tastier meals, richer conversations, and more confidence thanks to their dentures. But unfortunately, despite missing several or all of your teeth, you aren’t one of them. It has been so long that you worry if it will even be possible to get this kind of prosthetic. But thankfully, it’s never too late to restore your smile and reclaim your oral health.
Long-Term Tooth Loss & Dentures
When a person has been dealing with absent teeth for months or years, like anything else, they adapt and get used to it. So much time can go by that they don’t know if it’s “too late” for a denture.
Another factor that can complicate things is bone loss. When the teeth are gone, they don’t stimulate the jawbone like they normally would while chewing. As a result, the body naturally redirects nutrients and blood flow away from it to other areas. This causes the bone to naturally shrink and change shape, adding complications to fitting someone with a denture.
How Dentistry Can Turn Back the Clock
Even with that being said, the overwhelming majority of patients with significant tooth loss can be fitted with a denture that is both secure and looks great. It doesn’t matter how long the teeth have been gone, but for patients who have developed bone loss, a few extra preparatory steps might be required.
Typically, a few or all of the remaining teeth might need to be removed if they are damaged or decayed. This will create enough room for the denture. A patient may have to have their denture relined or replaced a little more often due to their ever-changing jawbone, but they will still enjoy all the benefits of having reliable and natural-looking teeth.
More Possibilities with Dental Implants
For patients who want to halt the bone loss in their jaw, they can choose to have a bone graft performed before receiving a dental implant denture. A bone graft involves a straightforward procedure where the jawbone’s thickness and strength are increased using bone from somewhere else in a patient’s body or donated tissue. Then, a denture is anchored to the jaw using four or more small titanium posts that act like new tooth roots.
Implant dentures are not only more natural-feeling and stable than traditional removable dentures, but they also stop the bone loss associated with tooth loss. Plus, they have been shown to last for 30+ years in some cases!
All this is to say that even if you’ve been missing teeth for a long time, it’s not too late for your smile. A dentist can offer you multiple options that allow you to speak, eat, and smile with complete comfort and confidence again.
About the Author
Dr. Krysten Jackson and Dr. Eric Parsons are husband-and-wife restorative and implant dentists who graduated from the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. Dr. Jackson completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency there, and Dr. Parsons is constantly training to use the latest technology to deliver the most comfortable and effective treatment possible. If you’d like to learn more about getting a denture or explore our other options for replacing missing teeth, schedule an appointment at El Reno Family Dentistry today.