There are many reasons why someone might lose a tooth. They might have tooth decay or gum disease, so that the tooth has rotten away and eventually required pulling. It’s also possible that they experienced trauma to the mouth, which could have been the result of a car accident or a fall.
Whatever the reason, people of all ages require dentures sometimes. These teeth replacement solutions might be associated with elderly people, but this is not the only demographic that uses them. If you’re in need of teeth replacement services for your back teeth, partial dentures might be the perfect solution for you.
4 Ways Partial Dentures for Your Back Teeth Change Your Life
Compared to your front teeth, your back teeth might not seem so important. It can be tempting to ignore the problem if it’s not something you can see everyday when you look in the mirror. However, partial dentures can be extremely necessary, particularly for your back teeth, to ensure you get the most out of every day.
1. Improve Your Oral Health
When your back teeth are missing, you will subconsciously start chewing with your front teeth. This is not an action that your front teeth are designed for, and they will begin to wear down as a result. Putting all this pressure on your front teeth is bad for them, and something you should try your best to avoid.
2. Make Eating Easy Again
If one or more of your back teeth are missing, you will likely have trouble chewing your food. This is especially the case with tough foods like raw vegetables and meat. Partial dentures for your back teeth will allow you to go back to eating all your favourite foods.
3. Help You Communicate Easily
Missing back teeth can affect your ability to speak. This might seem like a minor issue, but it can be especially troublesome on the phone, or when communicating with someone who is hard of hearing. Partial dentures can help rectify this problem and will make your life a bit easier.
4. Restore Your Natural Appearance
When we lose back teeth, we lose some support for our cheeks and lips. This permanently alters our appearance—an experience that can be quite difficult and disorienting. Partial dentures for your back teeth can prevent sagging and get you looking like yourself again.
If you find yourself struggling with any of these everyday activities, then you’re seeing strong indications for needing a partial denture for your back teeth.
The Trouble With More Permanent Replacement Solutions
Permanent or semi-permanent replacement options can be fantastic for the right person. However, it isn’t recommended that you immediately go with the most permanent option. Research will tell you that there are downsides to dental implants and dental bridges, and these downsides might just be significant enough to rule them out as options for your particular case.
1. The Downsides of Dental Implants
Dental implants are super durable and, for most people, they can last a very long time. However, the process of getting dental implants is quite drawn out and invasive. In this procedure, a metal screw is inserted into the jawbone and left alone until bone tissue grows around it and envelopes the screw completely.
Once the screw is part of the bone, a part made up of composite matter is placed on top, as well as a crown that looks and functions like a real tooth. While the end result is great, the procedure takes a long time and a fair amount of money to complete.
2. The Downsides of Dental Bridges
If one or two teeth are missing, a common solution is to make a bridge between these teeth and fill the gap with two crowns. A dental bridge is very durable, with the bridge fitted to the crowns sitting either side of the gap.
However, these teeth have to be grounded in order for the bridge to fit in, and this makes them vulnerable to infection and decay. So while the procedure isn’t terribly long (taking around three weeks), it does put your remaining healthy teeth at risk.
The Benefits of Choosing Partial Dentures for Your Back Teeth
As we’ve already addressed, there are many reasons why you might need to deal with your dental troubles or restore your missing teeth. Once you have decided to act on these needs, however, you have another decision to make. Which solution to missing teeth will best suit your needs? There are several reasons why partial dentures might be the ideal solution for you.
1. Flexibility to Suit Your Teeth
Partial dentures are useful because they can fill a gap of basically any size. They can replace one tooth or almost all the teeth in a single arch. They are also able to replace an entire row of bottom teeth, whereas solutions like dental bridges only work if there are surrounding teeth to anchor the replacements.
2. Less Invasive Than Other Alternatives
The process of getting partial dentures involves having a dentist take impressions of your teeth and possibly measuring your jaw. These steps are unlikely to cause any pain or have any complications. Partial dentures are a solution that won’t impact your surrounding teeth, leaving them to stay healthy and strong.
3. Lower Cost Than Other Options
A lot of people choose partial dentures over other options because they are the most affordable choice. Depending on your needs, partial dentures tend to cost less than full dentures, tending to average around $800–$2000. Given the amount you will be using the partial dentures, this is incredibly good value for money!
The Downsides of Partial Dentures
While partial dentures are a good solution for many people, it is important that you are aware of their downsides too. In particular, there are some potential risks associated with placing partial dentures on your gaps around back teeth. The main concern is that, should you forget to take very good care of your dentures, they will likely cause a significant build up of plaque.
An increased amount of plaque in your mouth could lead to other issues such as cavities and gum disease. If the plaque is in contact with the gums for long enough, inflammation can also occur. Additionally, since the denture is resting on your gums, pressure will be placed on your ridges and underlying jawbone. This can cause reabsorption, which is essentially when your body rejects the tooth replacement as a self-defence mechanism.
However, these risks are very easily managed with regular cleaning of your dentures, as well as other oral health care steps, like brushing your teeth. Similarly, being proactive about any discomfort or issues and returning to your prosthetist to get them sorted is a simple step to resolve pressure issues.
Get Quality Partial Dentures in Perth
Do you still have some questions about partial dentures for your back teeth? Reach out to the personable dental specialists at Direct Denture Care, based in Perth. Our team are experts in preparing partial dentures and full dentures for our clients, but we are also passionate about providing you with the best possible solution to suit your needs. We’d be happy to discuss the possibility of partial dentures with you, as well as address any other denture questions you might have. Book an appointment today and get your smile back!
