I haven’t been to the dentist in years. As a result, my teeth are in horrific shape. I need to get dentures, but don’t know whether or not to go to a dentist or oral surgeon first. Is there a standard procedure for this?
Evan
Dear Evan,
When it comes to pre-denture surgery, it is fine to go to a general dentist. It is a simple enough procedure that most dentists can do it. I would recommend calling the office and asking what they typically do. Don’t talk them into doing it if that’s not their normal.
However, before you settle on getting completely removable dentures I want to make sure that you are aware of the side effects. From the beginning they will have some inconveniences. No matter how well fitting, you will lose a minimum of 50% of your chewing capacity. Then, the longer you are in them, the more severe the consequences get.
The moment your teeth are removed your body recognizes you no longer have any teeth roots and will not need the surrounding bone to keep them in, so it begins to resorb the minerals in your jawbone to use elsewhere in your body. You didn’t say how old you are, but in about ten or so years, you will lose enough bone structure that it will be difficult to keep your dentures in. Eventually, it will become impossible to keep them in. This is known as facial collapse.
The way to prevent this is by getting implant supported dentures. The dental implants signal to your body that you still have teeth which need support and because of that, it leaves your jawbone intact. However, not every dentist can do these. They are an advanced procedure, which requires post-doctoral training.
This blog is brought to you by Duluth, GA Dentist Dr. David Marion.