Dentures vs Natural Teeth
Dentures vs Natural Teeth:
If possible, Remaining Natural is Recommended
It’s common for seniors with poor dental health to consider dentures over constant visits to the dentist for bridge work, root canals, cavity filling, and the like. The expense and aggravation can become too much to bear, so the question arises, “Should I just have all my teeth removed and get dentures?” As long as a person is in good general health, they can have their teeth removed and dentures made. The real issue is whether this is the right decision for the individual person; a decision they’ll want to discuss at length with their dentist.
Usually, people considering dentures need extensive (and expensive) dental work, and they figure that dentures are an easy fix. After all, dentures seem like a no-brainer. No cavities, no root canals, no bridges, etc. No expense of going to the dentist every six months, no insurance worries when the dentist says a root canal and crown are needed, etc. But there’s no real substitute for natural teeth.
It’s a myth that we lose our teeth as we grow older. If one takes proper care of their teeth over their lifetime, seniors can age with all of their teeth in place. Of course, there are situations in which a person’s teeth are in such poor condition, there’s little option but to choose dentures. But here we’re talking about those who have a number of dental issues and are considering dentures as a fix over continuing to have their natural teeth worked on. In this case, most dentists say one should keep their natural teeth for as long as possible.
Given a choice, dentists feel that a mouth of healthy natural teeth is preferable to even dental implants. Natural, healthy teeth are far superior to dentures—dentures, should be viewed as a last resort.
For one thing, the bite force with natural teeth is somewhere around 200-250 pounds of force. With dentures, the bite force is about 50 pounds of force. That’s a significant drop off. That’s the difference between eating a steak, and eating oatmeal.
The reason for this disparity is that natural teeth are set solidly in the jawbone. Rigid and strong, they handle chewing food with efficiency. Dentures, on the other hand, rest against the gums. They can be fixed with gels and the like, but the fact is, it’s not a strong base. There’s just nothing behind the bite, so to say. Especially on the bottom teeth, where the denture is largely held in place by gravity and the mouth muscles.
Plus, dentures are rife with other issues.
Below is a list of some common problems associated with full dentures on the upper and lower arches:
- Because it’s a hard piece of plastic (the denture) pressed against delicate gum tissue, there will be pain.
- Dentures get loose as the bone and gum underneath shrinks and realigns.
- Upper and lower dentures often make a clacking noise, which can be embarrassing to some people.
- Food does not taste as good since the palate is covered by the upper denture.
- Sore spots develop at different places as the mouth adjusts to wearing the dentures.
- They can look artificial.
- They must be taken out for cleaning, and in some cases, possibly left out overnight to give the soft tissues of the palate rest from the trauma of a rubbing denture.
- When dentures are out, the face looks older as the point from the nose to the chin decreases in height.
- A lower denture is very difficult to keep stable since there are no natural undercuts to the lower jaw.
The above problems are the most common complaints among people wearing dentures. In this age, keeping your natural teeth as long as possible with three-month cleanings and careful examination by a dentist and hygienist is certainly the way to go. If tooth loss occurs, permanent bridges or implants are a more natural option as they are most similar to original teeth. The idea of wearing anything removable, whether it’s a full or partial denture, is not the best alternative and thus not recommended by most dentists.
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BLOG Date: Thursday, March 31, 2016
Writer: Ryan Allen