Protecting Your Smile as You Age with Dentures

Dentures are, for many people, a regular part of getting older. As we age, we may find the need to remove certain structurally weak teeth and this leaves us with the need to use dentures, which are fixed or removable teeth that aid with appearance, speaking, chewing foods, and generally feeling more “normal.” Not everyone will require dentures, however. It is mainly people who did not have proper access to dental care growing up and thus are suffering from poorer hygiene and have the need to extract teeth that require dentures. Also, teeth may be damaged or weakened through sports and athletic injury. Whatever the case may be, a certain percentage of today's aging population will require dentures.

Receiving dentures in Dearborn is relatively easy and hassle-free. There are some common fears that need to be overcome. Many feel that dentures won't feel natural or may fall out during conversation or social engagement. There is also a common fear that eating foods such as steak and corn on the cob will prove impossible with dentures. The good news is dentures, nowadays, are made so sturdily that many of these fears are just simply unfounded. Modern dentures look and feel very realistic, and so the transition to getting dentures is often very seamless and easy.

There are two types of dentures. These are fixed and removable. A dentist in Dearborn can recommend one of the two types based on their appraisal of the situation. There are pros and cons to each type of dentures. Removable dentures are generally less expensive and cause less initial pain when they are installed. Also, with removable dentures, you can take them out to clean them several times per day and you do not usually wear them to sleep at night. They are crafted very strongly and usually indiscernible from normal teeth. It is important that good oral and dental hygiene be practiced with this type of denture. Fixed dentures are dentures that are grafted to the bone through a titanium implant. These dentures cost a little more money, and cannot be removed to clean or to sleep. There is some initial pain during and after the installation. As with removable dentures, keeping the dentures clean through regular brushing is extremely important to avoid replacements and complications. If there is not adequately solid bone structure to work with, a dentist in Dearborn will have to use bone grafts or may simply recommend removable dentures instead.

Many times a patient will come in to get assessed for dentures at a dentist in Dearborn and find out that they need to get one or more teeth extracted before being fitted for dentures. If there are not a lot of teeth missing, then partial dentures may be the way to go. But most often, a few remaining teeth which are structurally weak or damaged will have to be extracted. In this case, there is a healing time of a few months before permanent dentures can be created and put in. A patient may choose to get by without teeth during this period, but there is the option of immediate dentures (as opposed to permanent ones) that can be put in to continue being able to eat and speak properly. Many patients will choose this option. Eventually, however, after healing of the gums is complete, a dentist will recommend permanent dentures which will last a lot longer and are sturdier. The benefit of permanent dentures is the teeth will likely feel a lot less bulky than immediate dentures, and are sharper and more well defined than your temporary dentures.

In terms of costs, permanent dentures can cost up to $1,600 just for the upper set. Prices will vary according to which dentist you choose. It is twice this cost for both upper and lower dentures. Remember that even though it is a high price, you do get what you pay for with dentures, so it is not money wasted.