Dentures Installation for Seniors in Teaneck
Teeth are built to last a lifetime. However, as soon as age starts kicking in, your bone structure starts to wear off. Part of this can be explained by the deficiency of calcium in the body, as well as thinning of the enamel. As the body gives in to wrinkles and fatigue, the bones and teeth also start to wear off. This might explain why most elderly people have multiple teeth missing, with some completely toothless.
Thankfully, dentistry caters to such needs as these. No one has to spend another day being toothless. Oral solutions like dental bridges, implants, and dentures are readily available to replace missing teeth. For elderly people, however, dentures are more favorable, as is the emphasis of this text.
What Are Dentures?
They are prosthetic appliances that feature a set of artificial teeth attached to gum-like plastic material. They are used in restorative dentistry to replace missing teeth. The thing about dentures is that they can benefit people of all ages. Accidents, tooth decay, and other medical complications can cause you to lose multiple teeth, requiring partial or full dentures. However, dentures for seniors are more common because more old people lose teeth than younger ones.
What Are the Different Types of Dentures?
Dentures are divided into two main categories, that is, immediate and conventional dentures. Immediate dentures are the kind where your dentist installs them in your mouth on the first visit. Technically, they are pre-made, ready to be worn by patients. The only downside to these kinds of dentures is that they do not offer a perfect fit. This is especially so if you are getting the dentures soon after losing your teeth. During healing, your gums tend to shrink. This means that with time, the immediate dentures will be ill-fitting and uncomfortable to wear.
The other kind features conventional dentures. These are customized to the unique bone structure of the patient. Ideally, your dentist has to take impressions of your gums to determine the perfect fit of dentures. From there, you will need another visit or two to get the dentures installed. Although this process seems tedious and the wait long, it is worth it because conventional dentures fit you perfectly.
Other than those two categories, the types of dentures differ based on the amount of coverage they offer. They are, hence, classified as follows:
- Complete dentures – these are used for completely toothless patients. It is common among elderly people who may have no tooth remaining. Such can choose between immediate or conventional complete dentures.
- Partial dentures – these are more common among young people who have lost teeth for different reasons like accidents and injuries. They feature replacement artificial teeth for a few teeth. The patient usually has several other teeth remaining. Partial dentures can be used for multiple tooth replacement, or single tooth replacement, in which case they can be called dental bridges.
Why Do Seniors Need Dentures?
Some people do not regard seniors as much as they should. Just because a person is old does not mean he/she is a lost cause. It is, therefore, important that all the needs of seniors be taken care of, to cater for the remaining few years they have to live. Dentures in Teaneck are beneficial to seniors because of some of the following reasons:
- Improving speech – it is very difficult to speak properly without teeth. Teeth control the pronunciation of words, which is necessary for proper speech.
- Improved eating – the last thing you want to try is to chew on foods when toothless. Teeth provide a crushing and crunching surface to break down food into small particles, aiding digestions.
- Improved appearance – wrinkles are part of the package of growing old. However, without teeth, one tends to look older and more wrinkled than they are. Teeth support the facial muscles, allowing one to look more youthful and beautiful. Senior people can enjoy a fuller facial appearance even at old age by having their teeth replaced.
- Improved diet – with properly fitted dentures, seniors can continue to enjoy the meals they love even as they age. In that stage of life, enjoying a variety of foods is a great way to boost their immune system and keep them healthy.
Dentures are the best alternative to missing teeth, especially for seniors in society. Make sure the seniors in your life enjoy the best quality of life by taking care of their dental needs.