Few people consider dentures until after they have lost one or more teeth. Usually relegated to later in life, it was not surprising that a recent survey found that over 60% of Americans have never even given consideration to tooth loss. This lack of forethought is typically because more people are confident in their teeth. With dental hygiene at an all-time high, over 97% of people claim to brush their teeth at least once per day, it is no wonder that tooth loss is not exactly the top of mind for most of our patients. As a dentist, we are extremely pleased with the improved habits of our patients, and the fact that, as a society, we are getting more conscious about taking care of our teeth. As a dentures dentist, we are also aware that tooth loss sometimes happens regardless of the precautions we take. Sometimes DNA, time, or accidents just catch up with us. To put this in a statistical perspective, over 20 million women in the United States currently wear dentures. Based on the data available, including the trends, the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry predicts that by the year 2020, more than 37.9 million Americans will have a full set of dentures.
Watch for the signs of pending tooth loss.
The need for dentures, luckily, does not happen overnight. Typically there are some signs that you are going to lose a tooth, or are in need of seeing a dentist to save a tooth. In any eventuality, barring accidents, you usually have an opportunity to visit our dental office and potentially prevent tooth loss. Unfortunately, only 57% of Americans make it a habit to see their dentist at least twice a year. These bi-annual visits are extremely important because they allow us to find any potential problems and fix them before they become severe. There are some signs that are indicative that you could be at risk for tooth loss and should visit our office right away, including:
- Red and swollen gums
- Toothaches
- Loose teeth
Would you believe that the simple toothache is actually one of the most obvious signs that you need to see a dentist? Tooth pain is not uncommon, but if you have a toothache that will not go away after several days, or if it comes back more than once you may have a dental infection that requires professional treatment. Simultaneously, if you brush your teeth and notice that your gums are bleeding on a regular basis, that is a sign of gum disease (a leading cause of tooth loss). If your gums start to recede, giving you the appearance of long teeth, you need to come in right away because receding gums have been linked to bone and tooth loss.
While we may be able to save your teeth, if they do fall out, we can create a comfortable set of dentures for you to wear. Technology has improved, making dentures more natural looking and convenient than they used to be. If you want a more permanent solution, we can also use dental implants to replace your teeth. Our goal is to find the replacement solution you are most comfortable with and restore your smile to perfect condition.