Dentures are a set of artificial teeth used to replace natural ones lost because of disease or decay. There are two primary methods for fitting dentures. The teeth can be extracted and the gums and jaw allowed to heal before the dentures are fitted, or dentures can be prepared in advance and inserted immediately after the extraction. Immediate dentures are more aesthetically pleasing, but they often require several fittings as the jaw heals and changes shape. They also allow you the advantage of never needing to appear without teeth. Because dentures are foreign to the mouth, they require a certain period of adjustment. Denture wearers must learn to chew and speak with a new set of teeth. However, they can be advantageous to older wearers by adding fullness to lips and cheeks, and helping to reduce wrinkles around the mouth. Dentures can even decrease facial lines and wrinkles. They also provide an alternative to patients with dental disease that want to avoid extensive treatments. For more information about the advantages of dentures, consult your local dentist.
