Many people suffer the consequences of tooth loss, severe tooth decay, and gum disease. Dentures can help by restoring their teeth or giving them a way to chew safely.
Dentures are more than just a set of false teeth. Dentures can help you eat, chew, speak and smile. If you are a candidate for dentures, read on.
1.What are Dentures and How do They Work?
Dentures are a set of false teeth that fits over the worn out or missing natural teeth, and can be removed to clean, or be fixed permanently. Dentures are typically made of acrylic plastic, porcelain or metal alloys.
You can get a full set of dentures, or dentures for your upper or lower jawbone.
2.What is the Average Age for Getting Dentures?
The average age for getting dentures will depend on the patient’s cleaning, dental habits, and the state of their oral health.
In general, young people do not need dentures as strength and durability is a characteristic of young teeth. Usually at the age of 40, some people start having issues with their teeth or begin suffering from periodontal disease.
If we consider full dentures, which is a complete set of teeth for the upper and lower jaw, it is more common for people over the age of 45. This type of denture is used for patients who have lost most or all of their teeth.
On the other hand, when it comes to partial dentures that replace only some teeth, the average candidate could be below the age of 45. But, some older people may need partial dentures, as well.
3.When Should you Consider Dentures?
Dentures are used when you need to replace a full set of teeth, or when your teeth are in such bad state that they all need to be removed.
However, if you only have a feww missing teeth you can opt for other treatments such as partial dentures, bridges or implant.
4.Who Do I Choose a Denture Specialist?
The first thing you should do is to see a specialist or Prosthodontist. Prosthodontists are specialized professionals trained to place restorations like dentures or implants in the most skillful and professional way.
In other words, if you have only one tooth or multiple teeth missing, a prosthodontist is the specialist who will give you the right treatment.
Treatments will vary according to each patient’s needs. For example, if you only have one tooth missing, the right course of action will be a partial denture, a bridge or an implant placement. It will be less invasive, less expensive, and more effective.
On the other hand, if you have many missing teeth, or all of them, dentures will be a good solution to improve your dental health.
So this is what you need to consider before undergoimg dentire treatment:
- Missing many teeth
- If you have loose teeth
- Having swollen gums or advanced periodontal disease
In any case, you should always see your prosthodontist to have a general checkup and a medical opinion before making any decision.
5. What Is a Denture Arch?
Before explaining what a denture arch is, it is important to know the definition of a dental arch.
A dental arch is either the top or bottom set of teeth inside a mouth. In other words, a dental arch is the curved shape where our teeth are aligned in the mouth. The set of teeth on the upper part is called the upper arch. The ones on the low part is the lower arch.
So a denture is the appliance made to replace a full set of teeth on one or the two arches.
A single arch denture is used to replace just the upper or lower teeth. However, full arch dentures replace both the upper and lower arches.
These arch dentures consist of a base which is designed to fit around your gums. This base, which has the set of acrylic teeth integrated to it, can simply be held by friction, or can sometimes require the use of denture adhesives to improve the hold.
6. Will Eating With New Dentures Be Difficult?
Dentures will make your life and smile nicer. Having less teeth, or no teeth at all, prevents you from feeling comfortable, from socializing, and most important, from eating solids.
However, having dentures doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want. There are many foods you need to avoid in order to take proper care of your dentures.
Take a look at the following suggestions:
- Avoid too much coffee, tea or red wine as they lead to stained dentures.
- Dentists recommend not biting or chewing on hard foods such as ice or hard candies to prevent dentures from breaking, chipping or cracking.
- Try not to eat potato chips, chewing gum, or eating gummy bears. As you need to chew on them so many times, particles tend to get trapped in your dentures
- When eating popcorn: If a kernel gets stuck under your dentures, this can cause irritation.
- Be ware of chewing on big pieces of hard steak. This can cause gum pain and irritation.
- When biting an apple, a raw carrot, nuts, or seeds: This can dislodge the dentures and cause lots of pain.
- Avoid sticky foods. Candies, gummy bears, lollies, dried fruit, marshmallows and caramel are some of the sticky foods you need to cut down on. They can cause dentures to dislodge apart from being difficult to remove.
7. How Do I Care for Removable Dentures?
Every night dentures should be cleaned and stored not only to let the gums rest, but also to have clean and comfortable dentures the following morning.
According to the American Dental Association, the best way to store your denture is in clear water or a denture cleaning solution. The second option has the advantage of reducing the bacteria and germs that live in dentures and preventing unfriendly odors. Keep in mind that you always have to rinse your dentures under clean water before putting them back into your mouth.
Correct storage will prolong your denture’s life.
What you can never do, is to leave the denture on top of your night table and just place it again in the morning. If the denture is not moist for a long time, it can lose its shape, dry and even crack.
8. How Much Do Dentures Cost? Does Insurance Cover Dentures?
The cost of dentures will depend on different factors. First, the material used. Porcelain dentures will always be more expensive than acrylic ones. Second, if the dentures needed are full or partial.
Of course, getting only one denture arch will be less expensive than getting both, the upper and lower arches. Last but not least, the cost will vary depending on the treatment needed before you actually have the dentures done; for example, if you need any tooth extraction.
What is true, is that dentures are not cheap. So, if you have dental insurance, pay attention to the coverage and get the right information to know how much pocket money you will need to spend. Generally, depending on the type of plan you have, the dental insurance should cover at least a small percentage of the full amount.
Most dental insurance plans will offer a specific amount of money to be used in a calendar year. This means, that if you have already undergone dental treatments in a specific year, you will have less money available to pay for your dentures.
The Main Takeaway…
Dentures can improve your life quality in many ways. Of course it is a shared decision, between your dentist or prosthodontits and yourself. Mostly, the budget will always be the main thing to consider. However, never forget that in dentitsry, you shouldn´t take decisions solely on the basis of what is cheaper.
Most of the times, spending a bit more on a high quality tretment, perfromed by the best professionals will always be the best option when a person has many missing teeth. Your results can last a life time and you will avoid hundreds of office visits and spending a lot more money to solve problems due to cheap, low quality treatments.
What Is a Denture Arch?
Before explaining what a denture arch is, it is important to know the definition of a dental arch.
A dental arch is either the top or bottom set of teeth inside a mouth. In other words, a dental arch is the curved shape where our teeth are aligned in the mouth. The set of teeth on the upper part is called the upper arch. The ones on the low part is the lower arch.
A denture arch so, is the appliance made to replace a full set of teeth on one or the two arches.
A single arch denture is used to replace just the upper or lower teeth. However, full arch dentures replace both the upper and lower arches.
Arch dentures consist of a base which is designed to fit around your gums. This base, which has the set of acrylic teeth integrated to it, can simply be held by friction, or can sometimes require the use of denture adhesives to improve the hold.
Will Eating With New Dentures Be Difficult?
Dentures will make your life and smile nicer. Having less teeth, or no teeth at all, prevents you from feeling comfortable, from socializing, and most important, from eating solids.
However, having dentures doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want. There are many foods you need to avoid in order to take proper care of your dentures.
Take a look at the following suggestions:
- Avoid too much coffee, tea or red wine as they lead to stained dentures.
- Dentists recommend not biting or chewing on hard foods such as ice or hard candies to prevent dentures from breaking, chipping or cracking.
- Attempt to avoid ingesting potato chips, chewing gum, or eating gummy bears. As you need to chew on them so many times, particles tend to get trapped in your dentures
- Try not to eat popcorn. If a kernel gets stuck under your dentures, this can cause irritation.
- Check when chewing on big pieces of hard steak. This can cause gum pain and irritation.
- Be careful with the pressure when biting an apple, a raw carrot, nuts, or seeds. This can dislodge the dentures and cause lots of pain.
- Avoid sticky foods. Candies, gummy bears, lollies, dried fruit, marshmallows and caramel are some of the sticky foods you need to cut down on. They can cause dentures to dislodge apart from being difficult to remove.
Caring for Removable Dentures
Every night you must clean your dentures and store them. This not only lets the gums rest, but also keeps them clean and comfortable the following morning.
According to the American Dental Association, the best way to store your denture is in clear water or a denture cleaning solution. The second option has the advantage of reducing the bacteria and germs that live in dentures and preventing unfriendly odors. Keep in mind that you always have to rinse your dentures under clean water before putting them back into your mouth.
Correct storage will prolong your denture’s life.
What you can never do, is to leave the denture on top of your night table and just place it again in the morning. If the denture is not moist for a long time, it can lose its shape, dry and even crack.
How Much Do Dentures Cost? Does Insurance Cover Dentures?
The cost of dentures will depend on different factors. First, the material used. Porcelain dentures will always be more expensive than acrylic ones. Second, if the dentures needed are full or partial.
Of course, getting only one denture arch will be less expensive than getting both, the upper and lower arches. Last but not least, the cost will vary depending on the treatment needed before you actually have the dentures done; for example, if you need any tooth extraction.
What is true, is that dentures are not cheap. So, if you have dental insurance, pay attention to the coverage and get the right information to know how much pocket money you will need to spend. Generally, depending on the type of plan you have, the dental insurance should cover at least a small percentage of the full amount.
Most dental insurance plans will offer a specific amount of money to be used in a calendar year. This means, that if you have already undergone dental treatments in a specific year, you will have less money available to pay for your dentures.
The Main Takeaway…
Dentures can improve your life quality in many ways. Of course it is a shared decision, between your dentist or prosthodontits and yourself. Mostly, the budget will always be the main thing to consider. However, never forget that in dentitsry, you shouldn´t take decisions solely on the basis of what is cheaper.
Most of the times, spending a bit more on a high quality treatment by the best professionals will always be the best option when a person has many missing teeth. Your results can last a life time and you will avoid hundreds of office visits and spending a lot more money to solve problems due to cheap, low quality treatments.
