Confident with dentures!

Teeth replacement is an art in which missing teeth are replaced by artificial teeth or dental prosthesis which can reestablish or even improve a person’s appearance, writes Dr Anand Raj

In the past few decades, tooth loss has continued to be a major public health problem globally. It is often considered one of the major indicators to gauge an individual’s oral health and their approach to dental hygiene. Tooth loss may be quite distressing — and is considered a serious life incident that necessitates substantial social and psychological change. Teeth replacement is an art in which missing teeth are replaced by artificial teeth or dental prostheses and there are many reasons why it’s important to replace one’s missing teeth:

Sporting a full set of teeth can make you more self-confident.

When teeth are lost, the area of the jawbone that held those teeth starts to reduce in size.

A prosthesis supported by a dental implant benefits in preserving the bone and the shape of your jaw.

Losing teeth can lead to changes in speech.

Tooth loss affects how well one can chew and what foods one can eat. It is seen that difficulty in chewing usually leads to food avoidance — therefore, some people who have missing teeth have poor nutrition, which can affect overall health.

Missing teeth can alter the ‘bite’, the way your teeth come together and result in problems with your jaw joint.

There are many dental prosthesis/teeth replacement options available and a dentist/dental expert advises individuals on the best option for him/her. However, dentures are one of the most affordable removable dental prostheses in the market and are, by far, the most common way that most individuals choose to replace their missing teeth. Today, one in every seven adults above the age of 45 years wear a denture in India. These dentures can be complete or partial.

Complete denture: Complete dentures are prepared using a plastic base that is coloured to resemble gum tissue and provides support to a full set of plastic or porcelain teeth.
Partial denture: Partial dentures are made using a plastic base or a metal framework that supports the number of teeth that require to be replaced. It is supported in the mouth by using clasps and rests around the natural teeth.
Implant-supported denture: An implant-retained overdenture is a detachable dental prosthesis supported by the residual oral tissues and uses dental implants for retention.

Dentures can reestablish or even improve a person’s appearance and be virtually unnoticeable. However, it takes some time to get adjusted to dentures — for example, finding the best way to insert and take out dentures, or for gums to adapt. It is important to visit the dentist often during the first few weeks of denture fitting so that the parts of the denture that are irritating the oral tissues can be adjusted.

Denture fit can differ from person to person and some denture wearers with heavily resorbed ridges may have to face unease and worry due to their ill-fitting dentures. A denture fixative or adhesive offers a good denture fit and comfort to denture wearers. Denture fixatives/adhesives are agents that stick readily to both the tissue surface of the denture and gums.

When saliva mixes with adhesive material, it expands and covers the space between the denture base and gum tissue — thus providing a good retention force.

Denture fixatives or adhesives result in the following:

Ensure that the denture stays in the correct position and helps improve chewing.

Increase in maximum biting force, retention, stability.

Better oral hygiene for denture wearers by reduction or prevention of dental plaque.

Prevention of mucosal irritation due to reduced food entrapment beneath the denture.

Improved confidence and comfort of the denture wearer.

Age, sex, occupation, socioeconomic background and literacy are some of the factors which determine the need for the dental prosthesis from patient to patient.

However, replacement of teeth is only successful when the patient is motivated and made aware of various prostheses available, their use and maintenance.

Everyday maintenance of oral hygiene, cleaning and proper use of dentures, use of denture fixative/adhesive are all lifelong commitments.

While it might sound a bit tedious, these simple steps can give denture wearers confidence to get on with enjoying life every day.

(The author is a Nagpur-based prosthodontics.)