Afraid Of Getting Dentures? Don't Be! Read This Now

If you have weak, damaged teeth that have been causing you a lot of problems, is it time to get dentures?

A lot of people dread the idea -- partly because of the process of actually getting dentures isn't always the most comfortable. However, most people dread dentures simply because dentures have a bad name. Most people assume that only old people have them and that you can't really enjoy eating ever again once you have them.

None of that's true. In fact, dentures have improved the lives of many. Here's what you should know:

There are literally millions of people of all ages with dentures.

You probably know a lot of people who actually have dentures. As of the mid-1990's, there were around 33.6 million people with full dentures and untold millions more with partials. By the year 2020, it's estimated that more than 37 million Americans will have them.

Many of the people with dentures are far from old. For example, it's estimated that 1 out of 5 women over the age of 40 already have dentures. Age, gum disease, injuries, and medications for a number of chronic conditions can all conspire to cause tooth loss at an early age.

You may be putting yourself through a lot of unnecessary pain and risk.

Dental pain can be excruciating -- which is why a lot of people dread the dentist. However, the pain of having the remainder of your teeth pulled in preparation for the dentures can be minimized by using a dental surgeon. Doing all the work at once may actually be far less painful -- and less expensive -- than trying to manage one bad tooth at a time.

If you're hoping to just ignore the problems with your teeth a little longer -- don't. Dental infections can lead to massive problems throughout your body. A dental infection that goes unchecked can actually lead to things like infections in the brain, blindness, and heart attacks. 

You can live a long, comfortable life with dentures.

Modern dentures are so well-fitted that most people don't have any trouble at all enjoying the food that they ate before they had them. Upper dentures that are properly fit shouldn't even require denture adhesive to stay in place. Lower dentures may require adhesive, because of their smaller area -- but there are cosmetic alternatives that you can explore. For example, it's now possible to secure your dentures in place using 2-4 permanent screws implanted in your jaw.

Cosmetic dentistry has come a long way in the last few decades and it continues to improve all the time. If you have painful teeth and bleeding gums, don't be afraid of dentures -- they could actually improve your life! Contact a clinic, like The Smile Architects, for more help.