In 2016, tooth loss does not have to mean being stuck with a gap-toothed or gum-filled smile. Nor does it mean being restricted to eating nothing but soup and soft foods. And if you think it has to mean putting up with being the butt of friends’ and family’s jokes as your loose dentures fall out on a regular basis, it’s time to think again.
Standard dentures are no longer the only option available to patients with missing teeth. An increasingly common alternative is to use dental implants to replace the roots of missing teeth. Dentures, a dental bridge, or a single crown are then attached to the implants, creating restorations that look and function just like a second set of natural adult teeth.
Ralston Dental and Cosmetic Clinic in Leicester has performed scores of successful implant surgeries. Most people only require a local anaesthetic for the placement of dental implants, because the implant surgeon will undertake an intricate planning process prior to surgery to ensure the implants are perfectly positioned and angled to support the required number of new teeth, and to withstand the forces of biting and chewing food.
Food can become a big issue for people suffering with loose dentures. In fact, dentures that slip and slide, making it difficult, uncomfortable, even painful to eat, can on occasion play a role in some very serious health concerns – from malnutrition by being able to eat a healthy diet to social isolation and loneliness.
Loneliness has been recognised as a serious health and social problem for older people, particularly those aged 75 and over. It’s not difficult to understand why embarrassment about teeth slipping out in public or difficulty being able to enjoy a meal with friends and family can cause denture sufferers to shun social situations.
Dental implants will hold new teeth firmly in place at all times. Many people who currently suffer with poorly-fitting false teeth are amazed at the transformation implants can bring to their life – food becomes a pleasure once again rather than a chore, social activities such as singing and dancing are once more what they should be – fun, with no fear of loose teeth ruining the day.
