Living without your full set of teeth is no fun, but with dental prosthetics you don’t have to settle for the type of life where you’re hesitant to smile, have trouble speaking normally and lack the ability to chew your food. Still, just being fitted with traditional dentures leaves much more to be desired, but is there a better option? Your local dentist weighs in to inform you of the benefits of dental implants in Bellingham to support your dentures.

How Do Traditional Dentures Work?

The purpose of prosthetics is to replace your missing teeth with custom-made porcelain digits that are affixed to a base made from a resin compound. Your dentures then rest on your gums and help to restore the functions that you’ve had to miss out on. This serves as a start in your quest to be fully restored, but there still remains much to be desired.

Some of the Issues with Traditional Dentures

There are some limitations to prosthetics, which are:

• Limited Jawbone Support – Although dentures provide some support for your facial structure, it’s not much. That’s because they sit on your gums and don’t provide support at the root level.
• Inability to Fully Taste Food – Because traditional prosthetics cover a portion of your palate, you won’t be able to fully enjoy the flavors of the foods you eat.
• Slippage – Another issue with just resting on your gums is that dentures require an adhesive to hold them in place. What happens, then, if the bonding agent fails? Your dentures will slip or either fall out your mouth.
• A Less Natural Look – Because normal prosthetics don’t attach to your underlying jawbone, they can’t fully recreate the look of your natural smile.

A Better Option?

All of the above issues can be addressed by having dental implants placed as supports for your dentures. These are surgically inserted titanium posts that are attached to your underlying jawbone and replace your missing teeth roots. This feature, alone, places implant-supported dentures in a class of their own. After they’re placed, the posts will fuse with your existing bone structure to form a more natural and sturdy foundation for your teeth to rest on. The dentures, then, are fastened to the posts to ensure a secure fit.

With implant-supported dentures, no longer will you have to live in fear of what people will think about your appearance, and you’ll enjoy the full restoration of all the functions you once had. To learn more about the process, reach out to your dentist in Bellingham to schedule a consultation today.

About the Author

Dr. Ronald A. Moreno earned his dental degree from Georgetown University’s dental school and then went on to serve his country as a member of the Army Dental Corp for five years. He now brings his nature as a perfectionist and stickler for details to his private practice to help patients with missing teeth be fully restored. Dr. Moreno practices at Moreno and Young and can be reached for more information through his website.