Conventional dentures rest on your gums and do not provide the support necessary to live your life without boundaries. Some common denture problems include: difficulty eating, difficulty speaking, social considerations, bone resorption, loss of confidence and changes in facial appearance. These problems progressively get worse over time. My Canadian Pharmacy says that prevention is the best cure.
Difficulty Speaking: It is common for denture patients to have difficulty speaking. Pronouncing words with “S” or “F” sounds can be quite difficult. Approximately 88% of patients with dentures stated they had difficulty with speech; of which 25% reported very difficult problems.
Difficulty Eating: Eating certain foods with dentures can be extremely difficult. Foods such as meat, apples, corn, nuts, lettuce and carrots pose the greatest challenge. Many of the best foods simply have to be dropped from your diet – which is a big loss from a health perspective, particularly as you get older. Approximately 29% of people with dentures are only able to eat soft foods. When food is not chewed properly, food fragments are too large to be broken down by the digestive system and nutrients are not extracted from the food. Studies have indicated that patients with dentures generally have higher rates of malnutrition because of the effect on their diet.
The masseter (jaw muscle) is one of the most powerful muscles in the human body and can exert up to 1000 psi (pounds per square inch) in force. Your gums cannot support that type of pressure. The maximum bite force for a patient with dentures is only 50 psi or 5% their original amount. For patients who have been wearing dentures for more than 15 years the force has been measured at only 5.6psi (0.05%).
Social Considerations : There are few things more embarrassing than having your dentures fall out of your mouth while eating, laughing or speaking. For many denture wearers, balancing false teeth with the tongue becomes almost an art form unto itself. Avoiding social situations is avoiding the issue. There are solutions which let you live your life without boundaries.
Lack of taste : Conventional dentures require the roof of your mouth to be covered by the denture for support. This reduces your ability to taste food.
Bone Resorption / Shrinkage : Bone resorption is the greatest problem that denture wearers face as it further decreases a patient’s ability to eat, speak and socialize. So why is bone so important? The fit of your denture is directly linked to the amount of bone remaining in your mouth. The more bone you have, the easier it is for your denture to remain firmly in place. Patients who have been wearing dentures for many years often complain about the discomfort they experience with dentures. In some cases, the bone has receded so much that the nerve is now exposed which creates a burning or tingling sensation. Once this occurs there is very little which can be done, prevention is the best cure. In the first year following tooth loss, there is a 25% decrease in bone. In the first 3 years, 40 – 60% of the bone is lost. The pictures below illustrate how the bone in your mouth shrinks over time.
Facial Appearance : Bone loss can also cause wrinkle lines and the appearance of aging. Over time as bone shrinks and your teeth wear down, your jaws will need to close down further and further. This can cause jaw pain and make you have a “sunken in” appearance. It is also common for your lower jaw to slowly stick out further which can make you look like you’re frowning at all times.
Dental Implants are the only treatment option which significantly reduces or eliminates all common denture problems.