Signs It May Be Time to Consider Getting Dentures
Posted on: 18 September 2017
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Dentures aren't just for those who are approaching retirement age, as a full or partial set of dentures can be a good choice for replacing rotted, damaged, or weakened teeth, or teeth that are not healthy for a variety of reasons. While you may not enjoy the prospect of getting dentures, they can help you to eat and even speak more freely, as you won't have crooked or damaged teeth causing pain inside your mouth when you talk or chew with your dentures. Note a few signs that it may be time to talk to your dentist about getting dentures, or when to expect your dental professional to talk to you about having dentures fitted for your mouth.
Gaps are becoming wider
If you have gaps between your teeth that are becoming wider, this often means that the teeth are shifting around, under the gum line. This is also true if you have severely misaligned teeth that seem to be moving even more out of alignment. These problems may be caused by bone loss or gum disease that will usually get worse over time; in turn, you may be at risk for losing those teeth, or those teeth may cut the inside of your cheeks as they move and shift.
Having these teeth extracted and having dentures fitted can mean protecting the gums and mouth from this damage. Dentures can also help to stimulate tissue around the jaw bone, keeping it as strong as possible.
Excessive pain
Pain when you eat or drink often means that you have cavities that need filling. However, if that pain is excessive, it may be that the cavities are too large to be filled properly. In those cases, the teeth may need extracting, and dentures can take their place.
Chewing
If you have a hard time chewing hard foods or very soft foods, this can mean that your teeth are damaged and weak. Ignoring this problem can mean digestive issues, if you don't chew your food properly and swallow large portions that are difficult for your stomach to break down. You may also begin to avoid certain foods that are difficult to chew, so that you suffer from malnutrition. Continuing to chew certain foods with weakened teeth can also increase the risk of those teeth chipping and breaking, which can be very painful. Having your teeth extracted and replaced with dentures can eliminate this risk of broken teeth, and ensure you can chew virtually any food with ease.