I’ve been wearing dentures for close to thirty years. However, I can’t keep them in anymore. Is there a way to get secure fitting dentures or some other solution?
Francine W.- Palo Alto
Francine,
You’re experiencing what is known as facial collapse. Once your teeth are removed, your body begins re-absorbing the minerals in your jawbone to distribute elsewhere in your body. After a decade or so you lose so much bone that it become impossible to keep your dentures in. This is because there is no longer any ridge for them to rest on. Hopefully your dentist warned you about that when you got the dentures.
The ideal solution for replacing teeth is to get dental implants, which prevents bone loss. Many patients feel they are much more comfortable than dentures too. However, you need enough bone to place the implants. I wouldn’t despair yet though. Look for a dentist in your area who is experienced in bone grafting. They can add bone back to your jaw and then you can either get dentures again or get implants put in instead. Just be aware that if you decide to get dentures again, then you’ll have the same problem again after a certain amount of years.
This blog is brought to you by Seattle Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Brian McKay.
