Thankfully, dentures have come a long way since George Washington’s famous wooden ones. Today, this popular tooth replacement option is not only effective but extremely lifelike and durable as well. However, they don’t last forever. In fact, their typical lifespan is between five and ten years. Since that is quite a range, it is important to be aware of the signs you should replace your dentures. Keep reading to learn what they are!
#1. Your Dentures Feel Loose
To ensure you can smile, chew, and speak without any embarrassing slippage, dentures are custom-made to fit snugly against your gums. To keep them in place, natural suction, denture adhesive, or a combination of the two are used. However, as your jawbone begins to deteriorate (an unfortunate consequence of tooth loss), your dentures will become ill-fitting. Although your dentist can make minor adjustments, at some point, a new prosthetic will need to be made.
#2. You’re Having Trouble Chewing Properly
One of the biggest perks of dentures is that they can help restore your bite force. However, if you’re having difficulty chewing properly, you should definitely talk to your dentist. After all, this can take a toll on your quality of life, lead to nutritional deficiencies, and result in indigestion. To prevent this from happening, don’t wait to schedule an appointment when your dentures first start giving you trouble.
#3. Your Dentures Are Damaged or Discolored
Although dentures are more durable than ever before, they are by no means indestructible. All it takes is one wrong bite or one bad fall for the base or one of the prosthetic teeth to sustain a chip or crack. If this happens, do your best to gather the pieces and get in touch with your dental team right away. Relatively minor damage may be able to be repaired. However, more extensive harm necessitates a replacement.
#4. You’re Experiencing Changes in Your Speech Patterns
To form words, your tongue makes a series of unique motions against the back of your teeth. When you first get your dentures, it’s natural to experience a slight learning curve as your mouth adjusts. Fortunately, repeating the more difficult words (like “sixty”) and reading aloud can help speed up the process. If you continue to have difficulty, make sure to talk to your dentist. From there, they can make adjustments to the prosthetic or create a new one to ensure you can communicate clearly.
Dentures are designed to rebuild your smile, boosting your confidence, restoring your bite, and enhancing your speech in the process. To ensure you can continue enjoying benefits like these, make sure to replace them as needed throughout the years!
About the Author
Dr. Tammy Ton earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery from the Marquette University School of Dentistry, and she has since spent her days helping her patients get the beautiful, full, healthy smiles they deserve. To continue to provide her patients and their loved ones with the absolute best that dentistry has to offer, she is committed to continuing education and maintaining an active membership with multiple organizations, including the American Dental Association and the Dallas County Dental Society. If you are having trouble with your dentures or are simply interested in learning more about this smile-rebuilding service, don’t hesitate to visit her website or give her a call at 972-698-5988.