Do Dentures Work If You Haven’t Had Teeth for a While?

You likely know that dentures are great as replacement teeth. After all, today’s versions use high-quality materials and techniques! However, what if you haven’t had real pearly whites for a while? Can you count on dentures for your persistent tooth loss? Thankfully, there’s no cause for concern – treatment could still restore your grin in this case. If you’d like to learn why, just let your Dallas dentist explain. To that end, here’s how dentures can work when tooth loss erodes your jaw.

Extended Tooth Loss Shrinks Your Jaw

Normally, you should get dental restorations soon after losing teeth. Untreated tooth loss weakens and erodes your jawbone with time.

For better or worse, your jaw needs a full smile for stimulus. It relies on the chewing from teeth to maintain its bone tissue. Given that fact, losing a tooth or two (or more) deprives your jawbone of vital stimulation. From there, the lack of stimuli will cause it to erode and lose density.

Unfortunately, some tooth replacements don’t work if your jaw erodes too much. For example, dental implants depend on a solid jawbone to support themselves. They won’t fuse with your jaw correctly otherwise.

Dentures are Still a Good Option

Thankfully, a weak jaw doesn’t have to prevent denture treatment. Getting these prosthetic teeth is possible even if you suffer jawbone loss.

Firstly, some dentures don’t need a strong jaw to work. Full kinds that replace entire arches of teeth are one such type. Unlike other models, they adhere to gums with a strong suction force. This design lets them stay secure even if the jaw is weak.

Furthermore, a dentist can help you qualify for other dentures. They could, for instance, perform a bone graft that restores your jawbone. Your jaw would then be strong enough for implant dentures, which use implants to secure themselves.

The Benefits of Dentures

Replacing long-missing teeth with dentures can be complex, but treatment is worth it. Your new teeth would offer perks like:

• Natural-Looking Results – Modern dentures can give you a full, life-like smile thanks to their advanced materials.
• Restored Speech –  It’s hard to talk when you’re missing teeth. With dentures, however, your speech is restored enough to speak clearly.
• Boosted Nutritional Health – Dentures help you chew and eat food. As a result, they give you more dietary options and improve your nutrition.
• Cost-Effective Care – Compared to implants, dentures are often inexpensive. They’re thus ideal for patients who’re operating on a budget.

Ultimately, you can trust dentures for persistent tooth loss. Therefore, talk to a dentist about getting the appliances soon!

About the Practice

Kessler Park Dental is based in Dallas, TX. Led by Dr. Jayme Martinez, our practice takes a personalized approach to each patient’s dental care. In particular, we provide preventive, cosmetic, and restorative services tailored to your unique smile. Naturally, our team can even provide you with custom-made dentures that’ll effectively restore your grin. For more details or to book a visit, you can reach us on our website or by phone at (214)-303-9969.