DenturesWhen we think about advances in technology, we usually think first about electronics. Whether it is the flat-screen TV on your wall or the smartphone in your hand, these are the technologies that tend to get the most attention. However, if you look a little deeper, you can see how technological advances actually impact your world in a range of different ways, including with regard to your oral health. Developments in technology have greatly improved dentures over the years, for example, and as a result, modern dentures offer patients a far more enjoyable experience than dentures from decades – and even centuries – ago.

In this article, we’ll take a quick look at some of the ways dentures have changed. If you think that dentures may be a good fit for your oral health needs, or if you simply want to have a dental exam, contact Spokane Dental right away to schedule an appointment.

A Crude Beginning

As you might imagine, early dentures looked nothing like what we have available today. In fact, modern humans would be quite uncomfortable with the materials used to create the first dentures – often teeth from animals or other humans. That’s a thought that may make you shudder in the 21st century, but it was the only option thousands of years ago.

Eventually, porcelain would become a commonly-used material for dentures. While that was certainly seen as an improvement over animal teeth, the abilities of those dentures had a long way to go to reach the levels of performance and the aesthetics of modern dentures. If you live 200 or 300 years ago and needed replacement teeth, the dentures you received would not have provided you with anywhere near the quality of life that a modern set can offer.

A Different Story in the Modern World

These days, high tech materials are put into use in order to create dentures1 that look and perform as close to natural human teeth as possible. While there are a few different possibilities, dentures are often made from an acrylic base and plastic teeth. It’s also possible that metal will be used to add strength as necessary, and different manufacturers will use slightly different materials depending on cost, design, etc. Wearing dentures might not be exactly the same as simply living life with your natural set of teeth, but it certainly has gotten a lot closer as time as moved along.

The Benefit of Durability

One of the great things about today’s dentures is the amount of time you can get out of a single set. Often, dentures will hold up for more than five years – and maybe as many as eight. It is the day to day use of your dentures that will gradually wear them out to the point where they need to be replaced, but fortunately, that only happens every few years. You have better things to do than visit your dentist over and over again to deal with problems related to your dentures, so the durability of modern dentures is a great advancement.

Plenty of Flexibility

For those who have never been fitted for dentures, the assumption often is that dentures only replace an entire set of teeth. While that certainly can be an option, it is far from the only way dentures are used. Partial dentures are a very popular treatment, which sees only a few teeth replaced while the rest of the natural teeth remain in place. For those who have some remaining healthy teeth and some others that need to be replaced, a removable partial denture is yet another dental advancement which offers great benefits to the patient.

Securely in Place

Another one of the many misconceptions about dentures is that they are hard to keep in place and could pop out at any time. That might have been true many years ago, but it is not the case anymore. Toward that end, many dentures are now put in place on top of a dental implant2. The implant gives the denture a secure place to attach to the mouth, so it can offer great stability while talking, chewing, etc. If you have been putting off the possibility of using dentures to replace missing teeth because you are concerned about stability problems, contact Spokane Dental to learn about the various possibilities that modern dentures present.

Plenty of Other Options

When it comes to missing teeth, dentures are just one of many options for replacement. There is plenty to like about what modern dentures have to offer, as they tend to be a relatively simple and affordable plan for replacing missing or damaged teeth. With that said, there are other options on the table, which is why working closely with your dentist is the best way to make an appropriate plan. By taking the time to consider all of the various options in play, you can select the one that works nicely for your various needs.

Specifically, there are two other notable missing teeth solutions to keep in mind – dental implants and bridges. A dental implant is placed into the jaw bone and an artificial tooth is then placed on top of the implant, once it is secure. This is a sturdy and long-lasting option that may be available depending on a number of factors. Also, bridges may be used when a patient has plenty of healthy teeth and a gap from a missing tooth that needs to be filled. For more information on bridges and implants, be sure to speak with your dentist.

At Spokane Dental, we are proud to offer dentures as one of the many treatments we have available to improve your oral health. While dentures might not be the right option for some patients, they will be suitable for those with a variety of dental issues. Of course, the only way to know which treatment option will be right for your case is to make an appointment and visit our office. With just a quick phone call during business hours, we can schedule you for an appointment and answer any questions you may have. We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Resources

  1. https://www.spokanedental.com/Content/Page/Removable-Dentures
  2. https://www.spokanedental.com/Content/Page/Dental-Implants