False Teeth- A Molesey Dentist Explains The Facts

Think of dentures and it conjures up a vision of teeth in a glass beside your grand parent’s bed. But as a Molesey dentist advocates, dentures are an important aid in oral hygiene and for both cosmetic and clinical reasons. False teeth come in many disguises, the obvious being crowns and veneers, though these rely on the tooth still being present. When it comes to a missing tooth or a couple of teeth, there are a couple of ways to fill the gap. An implant relies on a screw being implanted into the bone and then the tooth being attached to the screw. The second option is a bridge whereby the false tooth is attached to two adjacent teeth. These methods stop the original teeth moving out of place and support the occlusion. They also support phonetics (speech), aesthetics (looks) and aid mastication. But not everyone is as lucky as this. In some cases, a patient will lose all of their teeth through periodontal disease, tooth decay, trauma or drug use. In this case, once the teeth have been removed, it can take several months for the gums to heal before dentures can be fitted. An impression is taken once the gums have healed and shrunk and the teeth can be fitted using a sealant. In time, and with a quality set of false teeth, the sealant can be discarded. As with all false teeth, the mouth needs time to adjust and dentures can cause irritation for a few days. Speech and eating can be a constant problem at first, but once this new experience settles down, things will return, pretty much, to normal and the recipient can once again smile with confidence.