Have you lost a tooth (or several) due to injury, decay, or years of wear? Do you avoid smiling to hide the gaps that are left behind? You’re not alone.
About 120 million American adults are missing at least one tooth, and another 36 million are missing all of their teeth. Missing teeth can be embarrassing, but those gaps are more than just a cosmetic concern.
Your teeth work together with your gums, jaw, and tongue to help you chew food and speak clearly. When you have missing teeth, it disrupts healthy mouth function and puts your oral health at risk.
At Meadowbrook Dental Care in Mineola, New York, we offer modern denture solutions for people with missing teeth. Dentures are prosthetic teeth that look just like natural teeth, helping you eat and talk with confidence. Miguel A. Casañas Jr., DDS and our dental team are here to improve your oral health and enhance your confidence with custom dentures.
Signs it’s time to consider dentures
Many people fear the thought of dentures, perhaps because of concerns of ill-fitting false teeth or messy, ineffective adhesives. Regardless, it’s a common misconception that dentures cause more trouble than they’re worth. Dentures can preserve and improve your oral health.
Custom dentures at Meadowbrook Dental Care are designed to fit comfortably in your mouth and mimic the look of natural teeth. They can eliminate the pain, discomfort, and embarrassment that missing teeth often bring.
While talking with the dentists is the best way to determine if you’re a candidate for dentures, it could be time to consider dentures if …
Your teeth are loose or shifting
Healthy permanent teeth are fixed securely in your jaw, providing a stable surface when you bite down. But periodontal disease and other oral health conditions can make your teeth loosen over time. Loose teeth shift and drift, and you might notice gaps opening up between your teeth.
Periodontal disease is the leading cause of adult tooth loss, and almost half of all American adults have some form of the condition. It causes damage, decay, and loosening teeth over time. To protect and improve your oral health, it’s important to get dental cleanings every six months, even if you have dentures.
You have tooth pain
Toothaches are common, and pain is a signal that something’s wrong. Consistent pain in one or more teeth could be a sign of advanced decay. Decay that’s identified early can often be treated with fillings or crowns, but severe decay may necessitate tooth extraction.
Along with toothaches, you may find that you avoid eating certain foods because your teeth are too fragile. If you avoid hard, crunchy, or sticky foods, you may benefit from getting fitted with custom dentures.
You’re missing teeth
If you’re missing just a few teeth, you could be a candidate for dental implants, a type of individual prosthetic tooth. But if you’re missing several teeth in one area — or you’re missing all of your teeth — dentures may be right for you.
Partial or full dentures fill the gaps left by missing teeth. They fit securely in place, and they restore healthy mouth function. When you have partial dentures, the prosthetic teeth help to protect your remaining natural teeth from damage. If you have full dentures, the prosthetics give you the ability to chew and speak effectively.
Dentures could be the best solution for your oral health. To find out if you should be considering dentures, contact Meadowbrook Dental Care to schedule a comprehensive consultation.