Wednesday, January 27, 2016

The Lost Art Of Denture Making

So many people can relate to this: the long and tedious process of fitting a new set of dentures. What goes into the process is mind boggling. The dentures must fit the jawbone. They must fit your facial structure. The teeth must be the right size. Your jawbone must be able to support dentures, possibly requiring bone grafts. Then there are the adjustments after the many fittings...The cost alone is bad enough; the high price of dental prosthetics is becoming unmanageable. Many people, primarily the elderly, are opting for economy dentures made by labs that basically use an assembly line process for manufacturing. Add to that the lack of good denture technicians (not that there aren't any...it's just a dying breed), and consequently, the end result is generally an ill-fitting set of dentures that end up in a drawer or the medicine cabinet because the patient will revert to their old set in favor of comfort, even if the old ones are loose. Typically, you get what you pay for, sorry to say! Then, of course, there is the use of denture adhesives. Just how much adhesive can one person use to secure an ill-fitting set of teeth?

This brings me to the explanation for the title of this blog: The Lost Art Of Denture Making. Many dentists are opting out of standard denture making for the patient altogether...it's simply too time consuming, and due to so many factors, unpredictable. Basically, when fashioning a denture for a patient, it's a crap shoot, whether they are made in house or at the lab. Dentists today are choosing instead to go with implants, or implant supported dentures. This is a much better option than loose fitting, ill-made dentures that float around in your mouth, however, it is much more expensive, and a little more time consuming, but the end result is a more solid, comfortable fit for the patient. Technology today has made it possible to have a completely false set of teeth that look , feel and function like normal teeth. If you are one of those poor souls who knows exactly what I'm talking about, maybe you would be a candidate for implants or implant supported dentures. Ask your dentist for his/her opinion. It could greatly improve your lifestyle and your overall health.
Keep Smiling!

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