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Spanish In the film Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the titular boy wizard regrows the bones in his arm by drinking a magical potion called Skele-Gro. Unfortunately, Skele-Gro wouldn’t work on missing teeth because teeth are not bones! Once we lose our teeth, they’re gone for good. Lose enough teeth, and it can begin to seriously affect your daily activities and quality of life. If you need to replace a complete set of teeth, traditional full dentures have been a workable solution for many years. However, more modern options, like implant dentures, offer superior stability, comfort, and functionality.
What Happens When We Lose Our Teeth?
Losing a tooth can happen for many reasons. It can be knocked out in an accident, succumb to decay or gum disease, or the ligaments and bones that hold it in place can naturally wear as we age. Whatever the reason for losing a tooth, our bodies can’t replace them naturally. Although teeth and bones share some similarities, like containing 99% of the body’s calcium, it’s a common misconception that they work the same way. Bones are living tissue, and their material is constantly being regenerated. This is why a fractured arm or cracked rib can heal itself over time. Teeth are not living tissue and cannot repair themselves when damaged or decayed, making it important to treat problems like cavities and gum disease quickly.
Missing teeth affect our lives in several ways. If we lose a front tooth, it can dramatically affect the way our smile looks and alter how we sound when we talk. If we lose a back tooth, it can affect the types of foods we’re able to eat, and the hard-to-reach space can become a breeding ground for bacteria. A gap in your teeth will also allow your remaining teeth to shift, potentially moving them out of alignment.
But the most important aspect of tooth loss comes from your missing tooth roots. The roots connect your teeth to your jawbone and provide stimulation, telling the brain to continue regenerating and strengthening this bone. When there’s no stimulation, the jawbone will quickly begin to deteriorate. This bone resorption changes your facial structure, causing premature wrinkles and sunken features. All of these potential outcomes are good reasons to replace your teeth and missing tooth roots quickly.
Types of Full Dentures
There are several options to replace a complete set of teeth. Your needs, preferences, budget, and lifestyle will help determine which choice is best for you.
Traditional Dentures
Traditional removable dentures are a functional, if old-fashioned, solution. They have a large, gum-colored acrylic base and teeth made from porcelain or acrylic resin, which don’t provide the look, feel, or full functionality of natural teeth.
Conventional dentures rest on your gums for support, but don’t replace your missing tooth roots. Therefore, as your jawbone deteriorates, the fit of your dentures will loosen, and they’ll begin to move around in your mouth. This causes soreness and irritation and makes eating and speaking more difficult. Regular adjustments, messy adhesives, and relining are necessary to maintain their functionality, costing you time and money.
Implant Dentures
Implant dentures are a modern full denture solution. They attach to dental implants or mini dental implants that we securely place directly into your jawbone. These innovative solutions provide much better stability, comfort, and durability, as well as a more natural look and feel than traditional dentures. There are multiple options, depending on your desired level of stability.
- Snap-on dentures: Do you want the stability of implant dentures but with the removability of traditional dentures? Snap-on dentures, or overdentures, provide just that. They attach to 4-8 mini implants during the day for support but are still detachable at night for cleaning. They also have a smaller plastic base and more closely resemble your natural teeth. In certain cases, we can retrofit a traditional denture with implant housings to convert it to a snap-on denture.
- Roundhouse bridges: Made from durable zirconia, these full-arch bridges are stronger and more comfortable than traditional dentures. They completely eliminate the plastic base, giving you the closest approximation of your original teeth possible. We cement them onto 6-12 mini implants for the ultimate stability and functionality.
The stability that implants provide solves many of the problems with traditional dentures. You can eat all your favorite foods again, speak more clearly, and enjoy a more comfortable and natural-looking smile. Plus, the implants stimulate your jawbone, keeping it healthy and strong.
Restore Your Smile With Full Dentures
If you’re sick of dealing with loose dentures or missing teeth, it’s time to see what implant dentures can do for you. At Aspire Dental, we offer a wide variety of tooth replacement solutions, and our entire staff is dedicated to helping you restore your smile. Don’t let tooth loss hold you back any longer—schedule your free consultation with our experienced dental team today.
