Replacement Of Missing Teeth
Teeth can be lost for a variety of reasons, the most common being through dental decay, or an accident or injury involving an impact to the mouth.
What are dentures?
Dentures are an artificial set of teeth and one of the most common and efficient solutions to missing teeth. They primarily aim to restore the overall function of your natural smile and achieve a natural-looking smile. They also help maintain skills such as speech and chewing, and overall keep the facial muscles and jaw structure in harmony.
What happens if I don’t replace missing teeth?
If you don’t replace missing teeth, the bone in your jaw will start to shrink and your face will start to sag. You may also start to experience difficulty speaking and chewing. It can also increase your risk of bone atrophy; a far more complex facial condition that can be entirely avoided by replacing missing teeth.
What is bone atrophy?
Bone atrophy is the wasting away of bone tissue. This can happen when teeth are missing, as the bone will no longer be used to support the teeth in the mouth. When this happens, the facial muscles and jaw structure may start to sag, and you may experience difficulty speaking and chewing.
What types of dentures are available?
Namely, there are two primary types of dentures.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are a removable form of denture that is used to replace one or more missing teeth. Partial dentures are created using resin or metal materials and artificial teeth.
Complete Dentures
Complete dentures replace all your missing teeth and can be created in one of two ways: conventional or immediate.
Conventional dentures are fabricated only after the gums have healed following the removal of all the teeth inside the mouth. The healing period can last up to twelve weeks.
Immediate dentures are placed as soon as the teeth have been extracted. Over time, the gums shrink as they heal and compromise the fit. Thus, the immediate denture is replaced with a conventional denture later down the line.
The type of dentures most suitable for you will be discussed during your consultation.
What are the benefits of replacing missing teeth?
The benefits of replacing missing teeth are numerous. They include:
- Maintaining facial muscles and jaw structure in harmony
- Preventing bone atrophy, which can lead to a more complex facial condition
- Restoring the overall function of your natural smile
- Achieving a natural-looking smile
- Maintaining skills such as speech and chewing
- When compared to dental implants, dentures are far more affordable
With any surgical or invasive dental procedure, there are of course risks such as potential issues with the fitment, irritation to the gums and other factors. The risks and potential limitations will be discussed during your initial consultation.
Dentures Dentist in Macquarie
If you’ve been putting off the dentist for a while or are ready to book your routine visit with us, contact us today to schedule a consultation and find out which treatment is right for you.
We can’t wait to welcome you into our state-of-the-art Macquarie practice.
General dentistry involves diagnostic and preventative services for your teeth and overall oral health. Our philosophy is that prevention is better than a cure.
Our aim is to provide our patients with the best cosmetic dental results possible. We utilise the latest modern technological advances in dentistry to ensure that our patients receive unparalleled care.
The Macquarie Dental team ensures patients with existing or arising dental issues are given a thorough treatment plan to achieve the best possible results for their long term oral health.
The Macquarie Dental team takes an educational approach when catering to children, to ensure the whole family feels fully informed about any dental issues that we’ve expressed concern about.