When you’re missing teeth, it can make many things in life harder than they should be. Speaking clearly, smiling confidently, and chewing thoroughly can all become challenging, making replacing them even more important. But what if it’s been a while since you lost them? Is it ever too late to restore them with dentures? Here’s what you need to know about qualifying for prosthetics if you’ve been missing teeth for a long time.
Missing Teeth and Bone Loss
When you lose teeth, your jawbone loses necessary stimulation that helps keeps it healthy and strong. Eventually, it will begin to deteriorate, causing shrinkage and the potential loss of your remaining teeth. Worse yet, this can make it difficult to restore your smile because you may lack sufficient bone density for treatments like dentures or dental implants.
Restoring Lost Jawbone
Now that you know the risks of waiting to replace your teeth, you may be wondering if it’s already too late. The good news is in many cases a bone graft or sinus lift procedure can restore lost jawbone and help create a stronger foundation for rebuilding your smile.
Can Dentures Prevent Jawbone Deterioration?
While your dentures cannot restore jawbone that has already shrunk, they can help prevent future deterioration by providing stimulation to your bones and gums. However, this does require you to use your dentures properly, meaning that you should wear them daily and remove them each night while you sleep. Though it may seem like wearing them ‘round the clock would increase jawbone stimulation, denying your mouth a break can often have the opposite effect.
Dental Implants and Implant Dentures
In addition to dentures, you may also want to consider dental implants or implant dentures. Though these solutions are more expensive up front, they are a better overall value because they are permanent, meaning they will not need to be replaced like dentures will. Furthermore, because they are permanently anchored in the jawbone, they provide much better stimulation than dentures alone, helping to keep your mouth strong and healthy for a lifetime!
Remember, missing teeth for an extended period doesn’t automatically disqualify you from getting dentures. Though you may require a preliminary treatment such as a bone graft or sinus lift, your dentist can help preserve your teeth and restore your smile so that you can once again enjoy eating and speaking with confidence.
About Our Practice
At Advanced Dental Treatment Center, our trio of skilled and caring dentists is proud to offer a variety of tooth replacement solutions like dentures and dental implants. Whether you recently lost a tooth, or you’ve been missing one or more teeth for a while, don’t delay getting restorations for long. To schedule a consultation with us to learn more about dentures, please visit our website or call us today at 414-209-7465.