Traditional dentures are often referred to as removable dentures, tissue-borne dentures, a full-denture plate or even false teeth. Most people refer to them simply as dentures. We will use the term dentures here as well.

This type of prosthesis must be positioned on top of the individuals soft tissue (gums). Dentures are also removable by people who wear them. In fact, dentures should be removed each night and soaked in a glass of denture cleaning solution.

Traditional dentures usually dont work out long term for several reasons. If you are considering dentures, youll benefit to read what follows. Weve outlined a few common and important issues denture wearers experience.

Unlike natural teeth and dental implants, a denture is not rigidly anchored to the jawbone. Certain foods like apples, nuts, raw vegetables and beef cause denture movement when chewing. This is particularly bad for people who suffer from conditions like diabetes, since poor nutrition can be especially damaging to their health, and these foods provide essential vitamins and minerals.

Gums do not always support dentures well while chewing certain foods. For instance, almonds (which may lower the rise in blood sugar levels by 30 percent in people with Type 2 diabetes) are too painful or difficult to eat with dentures.[1]

As a consequence, denture wearers are frequently forced to eat soft foods. An abundance of foods like pasta (carbohydrates), mashed potatoes (starch) and canned soups (high in sodium) can be bad for anyones health, particularly people afflicted with diabetes.

If you are diabetic and your denture relegates you to a diet high in carbohydrates because you struggle with chewing an assortment of healthy foods it may be in your best interest to consider stabilizing your denture with dental implants.A denture anchored by dental implants can relieve food choice limitations, allowing you to have a healthy diet.

A 2011 study concluded that denture wearers are at a significantly greater risk of malnutrition when compared with individuals who have teeth.[3] If you wear dentures, there is a good chance you can relate to this studys findings. Denture wearers routinely avoid nutrient-rich foods that are too difficult to chew with a denture.

Too often denture wearers sacrifice an abundance of nutritional value (and flavor) because they find it too difficult to chew foods like raw fruits and vegetables, meat and whole grains. This behavior can contribute to the development of malnutrition, particularly among mature, adult denture wearers.

Since fresh fruits are low in fat, sodium and calories and offer significant nutritional value including potassium, dietary fiber and vitamin C fresh fruits are generally recommended as a part of a healthy diet.[8]

So many of these fresh fruits, vegetables and nuts are dense in nutritional value and high in flavor, which is important for feeling satisfied after meals. Avoiding a large variety of healthy foods comes at a cost to denture wearers.

If your diet is adversely affected by a poorly functioning denture, at a minimum, you may benefit to consult with a registered dietitian (RD). An RD can offer you helpful hints on achieving a balanced diet in spite of your denture.

This may involve vitamin supplements, methods for juicing fresh fruits and vegetables, and using alternative sources of protein and fiber. If you need to locate an RD in your area, consider visiting the Eat Right Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website.

The jawbone receives stimulation from the root of a natural tooth (or a dental implant) every time you chew food. This phenomenon contributes to the maintenance of a naturally contoured facial structure, as demonstrated in Figures 1.

When teeth are removed, vital stimulation to the jawbone stops. This is because a denture does not provide stimulation to the underlying jawbone. In fact, studies have shown that a loose denture or a denture worn at night while sleeping may speed up jawbone loss.[9]Denture wearers frequently complain of their reduced sense of taste. This is because taste sensors are covered up by the denture.

If you ever wondered why you cant appreciate the taste of fine wine like you used to, it may have to do with the fact that you now wear a denture. A 2019 study reported that denture wearers sacrifice the sensation of four taste sensors including sweet, salt, sour and bitter.[10]

You may be wondering why an upper denture is designed to cover your palate. When the palate is covered, a suction-effect is created. This helps keep the upper denture stable but also, as mentioned, it compromises the taste buds in denture wearers. The taste sensors located in the palate of the mouth are covered and dont come in contact with your food.

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The enunciation of certain words and phrases can trip you up if you wear a denture. Many people who wear dentures find themselves having to talk slower than normal so that they can speak clearly, as mentioned in this Super Poligrip video. Denture wearers often recognize annoying clicking and whistling in their speech.

Using a denture adhesive may help denture wearers improve the function of a denture while speaking. This is because a denture is a relatively bulky piece of acrylic material and placing it in a persons mouth takes up a significant amount of space. This will usually affect a persons pronunciation of several words.

Fortunately, since 2010, major denture adhesives brands like Super Poligrip no longer include poisonous levels of the zinc ingredient. Some speaking challenges can be influenced by the quality of the denture design and the craftsmanship of the dental laboratory where the denture was manufactured.

Some dental laboratories are more skilled than others. Regardless, most denture patients will experience compromised speech at least until they can overcome this limitation with practice and linguistic modification.

Many people who wear dentures prefer to sleep at night with them in place for various reasons. Some people believe they sleep better with their dentures. Others are embarrassed to be with a significant-other without dentures in place when heading to bed and rising in the morning. While these habits are understandable, they are problematic for multiple reasons.

This undue pressure irritates the gums. It can also lead to accelerated loss of the bony ridge (jawbone) required by a denture for stability. As jawbone loss increases, denture stability decreases and becomes less effective when chewing. Jawbone loss also contributes to facial wrinkles and a premature aging appearance.

Equally important, like natural teeth, a denture requires routine and proper cleansing. Dentists recommend soaking dentures in a cleansing solution each night as seen in Figure 2. Otherwise, dentures can harbor bacteria and cause a foul odor if not properly cleaned.

Furthermore, a 2015 study determined that elderly individuals, ages 85 and older, who wear dentures to sleep at night, are at more than twice the risk of being hospitalized with pneumonia. Elderly individuals are also more likely to die prematurely when compared with elderly denture wearers who remove their denture(s) at night.[11]

If you currently wear dentures or are considering wearing dentures, expect your dentist to make recommendations consistent with what is outlined in this section. It is important to follow the professional advice on dentures offered by your dentist. Doing so will serve the best interest of your denture use and longevity, as well as your personal health.

People who have chosen to replace their missing teeth through the TeethXpress dental implant procedure, have virtually no limits on their food choices. In fact, it is dental implants that allows these individuals to have a healthy and nutrient-rich diet.

At age 72, several health problems and several medications had taken a toll on Peggys dental health. Peggy had constant dental pain and couldnt chew properly. Her food choices were very limited. She received a full set of implant-supported replacement teeth on both top and bottom, as seen in Figure 3.

I can eat everything I want. There are absolutely no limitations, said Peggy. She now has secure teeth and is able to have a much more nutritious diet. Her overall health has improved. Peggy says, My bloodwork is the best Ive ever had.

Figure 4 is an image of Marc, another happy dental implant recipient. In Marcs case, at age 71 he had the uncomfortable experience of wearing a denture after having his teeth removed. With dentures, you have to use some kind of compound to keep the teeth in, says Marc.

Its very common for dentures to come loose, even with denture adhesive. [My denture] was coming loose all the time, he said. Food would get stuck under there and then you have to remove the false teeth. Like Peggy, Marcs dental implants have removed all limitations on what he can eat.

The day I had the finals put in, my son took me out to a steak dinner. It felt so good to chew something of some consistency like that and find that I had no problem I really enjoyed it, said Marc. My nutrition is definitely better, and Im not gulping down large chunks of food.

[1] Ashley E Cohen, C. S. (2011, April 12). Almond Ingestion at Mealtime Reduces Postprandial Glycemia and Chronic Ingestion Reduces Hemoglobin A(1c) in Individuals With Well-Controlled Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Retrieved from PubMed.gov: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21489570/

Replacement teeth supported by dental implants are the closest clinical option to natural teeth. In fact, people who have dental implants often say they dont even think of them as tooth replacements they think of them as their own teeth. Thats because implant-supported teeth look, feel and function like natural teeth.

The implants themselves act as substitutes for natural tooth roots, anchoring a full set of life-like prosthetic teeth. Implants are made of biocompatible materials that are uniquely able to fuse to living bone. This provides strong, stable points of attachment for the new teeth. Once the implants have integrated with the bone, virtually no food is off-limits.

Whats more, dental implants help preserve bone quality and quantity, ensuring that the replacement teeth will not slip or lose their fit over time like removable partials and dentures will. When well-maintained, implant dentistry can help to satisfy an individuals oral health needs for a lifetime!