The denture wearer – the adaptation phase

As we get older, our teeth begin to suffer from certain pathologies which sometimes require radical treatment measures.

Causes

The causes for which they can become damaged or even lost are as follows:

Tooth decay – is the most common dental condition that can lead to the partial or total destruction of the tooth, sometimes with the impossibility of further restoration and recovery, requiring extraction. In addition to massive destruction, dental caries can lead to pulpal complications that may extend to the alveolar bone and soft tissues.

Therefore, carious pathology is the source of disorders of the entire dento-maxillary apparatus and beyond, generating complications that can affect various organs.

Trauma – Injury to hard or soft tissues by violent blows.

Most often, the upper front teeth are the first to be targeted in trauma due to their anterior position in the facial mass. As a result of trauma, the teeth may suffer contusions, dislocations or fractures at different levels.

The most serious damage is certainly a tooth fracture, which has variable methods of treatment depending on the direction of the fracture line.

The tooth may be preserved or, in unfortunate cases, the tooth may even be extracted.

Periodontal disease – is the silent, silent and insidious pathology of the maxillary-dental apparatus.

Due to the deposits of tartar and bacterial plaque and the lack of their removal, changes such as receding gums occur in the cavity.

Exposure of crowns and tooth roots gradually leads to their mobility, followed by tooth loss.

Periodontal disease is painless and patients usually notice these changes when tooth mobility is pronounced.

There are some clinical situations that benefit from composite reconstructions, others from prosthetic restorations that are fixed to the remaining teeth.

However, in severe cases of advanced pathology and massive tooth loss, the only viable solution becomes removable prosthetics, through works that have to be removed for daily cleaning.

The application of dentures can be particularly psychologically challenging for the patient. On the other hand, there are certain difficulties that arise when the patient starts wearing dentures.

Patient adaptation to:

Speech difficulties – a patient who has been edentulous for a long period of time has adjusted his speech according to the particularities of the oral cavity. Speech is the first function to be adjusted, so the patient does not have to worry about small difficulties when starting to wear a denture

Chewing problems may arise from the patient’s fear that the dentures will come loose at some point. Therefore, the use of adhesives may prove beneficial in such situations.

If the prosthesis is applied shortly after the extractions, it should be taken into account that the underlying bone will continue to change for a period of 6 months to 1 year. It is therefore possible that dentures may need to be relined.

In general, every 5 years, due to changes in local conditions, the dentures should be relined.