If you have always thought that dentures were for other people, you aren’t alone. In a recent survey by Prevention.com, 60% of survey respondents believed they would never need dentures because they take excellent care of their teeth.
In reality, this type of dental procedure is much more common than you might think. According to the 2009 Fixodent Beauty and Aging Survey, nearly 20 million women over the age of 40 wear partial or full dentures, and the number of American adults who need dentures is projected to reach 37.9 million by 2020.
Here are 3 signs dentures that might be the best solution to your oral health problems:
1. Your teeth are shifting, loose, or have developed gaps that weren’t there before. Any dental surgeon will tell you that when your teeth become loose or develop gaps that weren’t present before, the culprit will more than likely be gum or periodontal disease. Shifting teeth are often a sign of advanced gum disease. If the damage is too extensive, your teeth will need to be extracted.
2. You have already lost several teeth. If this is the case, you need to contact your dental surgeon as soon as possible. People who have lost 3 or 4 teeth need to have some type of partial denture implanted because it places an undue amount of stress on their other teeth, which can lead to more tooth loss.
3. You’re self-conscious about your smile. Sometimes, people opt for dentures as a form of cosmetic dentistry. It’s not uncommon for people who are self-conscious about their teeth to choose to get dentures sooner than they actually need them. Because it does involve dental surgery, this is a decision you’ll need to make carefully.
To learn more about the benefits of dentures and to determine if they are right for you, contact Southfield Family Dental Center today. With partial or full dentures, you too can receive a brand new, beautiful smile!
