If you have lost one or more of your natural teeth due to decay or injury, a dentures can help replace the missing teeth and restore your smile. Apart from the obvious gap/s, missing teeth can cause remaining teeth to drift or tip and facial muscles to droop. This causing a person to look older than they actually are and limits their ability to eat and speak. Dentures offer a natural looking solution, enhancing your appearance, improve your chewing and speaking function.
Dentures are removable false teeth that are worn to replace missing teeth. The base of a denture is called a plate and is usually made of either acrylic or metal whilst the teeth are often acrylic and can be matched for colour, shape and size to suit you best.
Like new shoes, it may take a few weeks for you to get used to wearing a denture. During this time, it may feel awkward and uncomfortable as you learn to speak and eat with your denture. Overtime, your mouth and muscles will become accustomed to the denture. Remember that although they may feel a bit strange at first, they still look great to everyone else! Eating will take some practice at first. Begin with softer foods cut into small pieces. Chew on both sides of your mouth at the same time to reduce movement of your denture.
Dentures by nature of design will always move and you are never able to eat food as efficiently as natural teeth. An alternative are dental implants. Dental implants are the nearest replacement option to natural teeth and closely resemble the feel and strength of natural teeth.
By Dr. Lynette Lim
