While dentures are not a perfect replacement for your natural teeth, they are a good alternative if natural teeth are lost. However, while there are many advantages to dentures, it is equally important for you to be aware of their disadvantages as well. This way you can properly weigh your options when considering your dental treatment plan.
One of the biggest challenges that comes along with missing or removed teeth is gum shrinkage. It isn’t something that you would normally sit down and think about, but it does happen. When teeth are removed or missing, the gums begin to shrink while they heal. That shrinkage can equal up to 50 percent of the gums original, and they continue to change and in a sense, melt as time progresses. This can be problematic for denture wearers.
After you begin wearing dentures, time passes and your gums continue to shrink. You may find that your dentures don’t fit as well as they used to. The adhesive you use doesn’t seem to work as well as it did before. Your dentures slip when you talk or chew, sometimes even falling entirely out of your mouth. The only way to correct this is to return to your dentist and have the dentures relined. That brings us to the next disadvantage.
Dentures can be relined only so many times. If you’ve had your dentures for a while and have had several adjustments made to them, then there will come a time when your dentist will recommend a new set of dentures because the original set can not be further adjusted. All of this equals additional costs or fees. Each visit and adjustment adds up over time.
Even after you have your dentures, assuming the fit is good and no relining is needed, you will still need to schedule regular check-up visits with your dentist. The dentist will need to examine your gums and ensure that they are healthy and that you are not experiencing any problems. Sometimes when people wear dentures, they develop tenderness or sore spots, which without proper treatment, can worsen and potentially become very serious. They can develop into infections, cysts, and even tumors.
Accidents can happen to anyone and even a denture is not immune to breaking or being misplaced. While dentures are made of a sturdy acrylic, sometimes that acrylic can break or crack. If it does, or if you misplace or lose them, then you will need to see your dentist and get fitted for a replacement set.
Some people opt for immediate dentures. Immediate dentures are created before the natural teeth are removed and you begin wearing them while your gums are still healing. The problem with immediate dentures is that they are more costly than traditional dentures, primarily because they take longer to create and require more follow ups with your dentists for adjusting and refitting.
Since immediate dentures are being worn while your gums are still healing and more shrinkage happens during this initial healing time than any other time, that means that there are more chances that the immediate dentures will require additional adjusting and relining than traditional dentures.
On the positive side, the initial cost of immediate dentures usually includes a certain number of adjustment visits already factored into the price. However, anything beyond that may require more charges or fees.
Don’t let the disadvantages prevent you from considering dentures as an option to regain your beautiful and functional smile. While there are some disadvantages to opting for dentures, there are also plenty of benefits to them as well.