After years of living with an incomplete smile, you might begin to consider ways to rebuild it. You know the benefits of dentures but are worried that too much time has passed for them to be a viable option. A local dentist is here to explain how prosthetic teeth are possible no matter how long it has been since losing your teeth.
Can Too Much Time Pass Between Losing Teeth and Receiving Dentures?
To provide a short answer, no, it is never too late to receive dentures after suffering from tooth loss. The fact is that while bone loss is likely to occur, it can be remedied with other preliminary procedures.
A stable jawbone is necessary to support any kind of dental prosthetic, so if your dentist discovers that this area of your face lacks adequate density, you can expect that the next step will include a bone graft. This involves placing bone materials from another part of your body or a donor and placing it into specific areas of your jawbone. Over time, the new and existing bones will integrate and create a more stable foundation.
This will eventually allow you to receive dentures and begin performing normal daily functions with greater ease.
What About Dental Implants?
Oftentimes, patients who want to replace their missing teeth want to consider dental implants instead of regular dentures. Unless the jawbone is dense enough, or you are willing to undergo a bone graft, these permanent prosthetics are not possible. The posts must fuse with the surrounding tissues, and if there is nothing for it to attach to, the implants will fail.
Fortunately, bone grafting, sinus lifts, and ridge augmentation are all options that can help to better prepare your mouth for dental implants. While bone grafting is more commonly used, a sinus lift can help to create a supportive area should a molar need to be replaced, and a ridge augmentation can be helpful if the area of implant placement is not wide enough.
While there are many benefits to choosing implant dentures as opposed to the traditional kind, one that concerns bone loss is the reality that titanium posts that are placed into the jawbone will work to slow and even stop bone resorption. This is because they continue to provide stimulation so that facial muscles remain supported, healthy teeth remain in place (if any remain), and bone no longer weakens over time.
No matter how you choose to restore your teeth, whether with dentures or dental implants, trust that these options will help you to see a new and improved appearance while also enjoying a healthier, longer-lasting smile.
About the Practice
DuPont Family Dentistry has four dental professionals who all strive to meet the same goal, which is to help patients regain their confidence. When faced with tooth loss, it is easy to believe that effective solutions no longer exist if too much time has passed. Fortunately, dentures and dental implants can be viable options if appropriate steps are taken. Contact us at (253) 964-7000 to let our team work with you to establish a plan to help regain your confidence and your smile.