Have you ever wondered why there are so many advertisements for denture adhesives?
The answer is simple: most dentures just do not fit well enough for everyday comfort.
There are several reasons:
- some dentures are probably “worn out.”
- many never fit that well from day one
…and there are many more reasons why dentures may not fit.
Denture wearers suffer greatly because even a “good” denture is a poor substitute for natural teeth.
Types of Dentures
You see, there are three types of dentures available today:
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Economy Dentures
Economy dentures are the least expensive choice. They are very basic and can usually be “made on the same day.” Some patients jokingly tell us that they only come in small, medium and large, and you get whatever fits the closest.
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Traditional Dentures
Conventional dentures are the type of dentures that most general dentists make. They will usually fit better and look better than an economy dentures. The drawbacks come when a patient has been told that they don’t have much of their jawbone.
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Neuromuscular Dentures
Neuromuscular Dentures are the most customized denture available. These are the types of dentures that our office makes. They are the most expensive type of denture. However, you will get the best comfort, fit, function and esthetics.
Neuromuscular Dentures:
The basis of neuromuscular dentistry treatment lies in achieving and maintaining optimum muscle relaxation and function. This is important in dentures in that this directly relates to the fit and appearance of dentures. In terms of the fit, because the dentures rest partially on muscles, if you can achieve stable and relaxed muscles, you automatically get a better fit.Additionally, you want to build the bite at the position where the muscles will best function. This coincides with the same position that provides the greatest facial support. In other words, the dentures that function best also look best.
You have all seen a person’s face “sink in” when they remove their dentures. A little amount of this “sunken in” look exists in dentures if they are not made to optimum neuromuscular dimensions. If time is taken to determine properly and capture all of these considerations in the new dentures, the patient will look better and feel better also.We have made dentures for patients who looked 20 years younger when we were finished, and they could eat normally again! This process does take an average of four visits and is much more expensive than the economy version, but consider that the patient can function so much better and looks so much better/younger.
For dentistry, in general, the making of dentures is fast becoming a lost art. In fact, most dentists do not like to make dentures because the results are so unpredictable. To make a quality denture takes much time and more expense than the typical economy denture made by the economy denture specialists. Many patients choose to experiment with these economy techniques because the cost savings are tempting, but they end up with a drawer full of ill fitting mistakes and a bathroom cabinet full of denture adhesives.