Many people assume that their dental problems will go away once their bad teeth have been extracted and replaced with full dentures.  This is by no means the case.  Most people who choose to follow this course end up discovering that there are a host of problems with full dentures that they never thought of prior to investing in what they thought was the cheapest form of tooth replacement.

Problems with Eating

One of the problems with full dentures is that eating is longer and more difficult.  A person who wears dentures is only able to bite down with 15% to 20% of their normal force when chewing food. 

This makes it harder for that person to eat a number of foods that are vital to good nutrition and overall health, particularly most fruits and vegetables.  It is also common for people to experience difficulty tasting food because upper dentures cover the taste buds on the roof of the mouth.

Gagging and Sore Spots

Gagging is another discomforting and embarrassing problem with full dentures.  Some people have a very strong gag reflex by upper dentures on the top of the mouth.

Sore spots will also appear in some peoples mouths.  This is because mouth tissue is sensitive and is very easily irritated by plastic continually rubbing against them.

Problems Associated with Shrinking Jawbone

One of the most severe problems with full dentures is a shrinking jawbone.  In order to maintain its normal shape and mass, the jawbone must have tooth roots to grow around.  Tooth roots also resonate vibrations into the jaw when a person chews.  These vibrations stimulate bone growth.

This growth ceases when teeth and roots are lost and the jawbone no longer experiences stimulation. 

Over time, if nothing is done to counteract this, the jawbone begins to recede.  Dentures can do nothing to counter this recession because they simply lie over the gums and do not make direct contact with the jawbone.  In fact, after a few months, full dentures tend to become loose and must be relined at a dental office.

Also, every so many years, a whole new set of dentures will need to be made for the patient.

There are also problems with full lower dentures.  The base for a full lower denture is smaller than an upper denture.  As bone loss begins to flatten the jaw surface, there is little mass left to actually hold the bottom denture in place.  In many cases, this flattening process also exposes nerves that run through the bone.  This, in turn, causes the jaw to go numb or even hurt when the patient bites down. 

Losing bone mass in your jaw alters a persons appearance.  Their nose gets closer to their chin, and their lips begin to collapse.  Premature wrinkles start to form because there is less lip support, and they often look older than they actually are.

The Expense of Dentures

Still another major problem with full dentures is their long-term costs.  Even though they are cheaper in terms of front-end purchase costs, the initial savings is ultimately offset by the long-term costs of removing teeth, making dentures, relining them, and making replacements.  The money adds up far sooner than most people think.

It is for these reasons that a large percentage of Houston Cosmetic advise their patients to invest in more sophisticated tooth replacements that will make them feel better, allow them to eat a normal diet, and feel more confident when they smile.