Braces as an adult? No way. At least, that was what I thought when my dentist told me that I was going to have to see an orthodontist about my crooked teeth. But my teeth were so misaligned that they were causing me pain when I chewed, so I decided to at least look into it. Turns out braces today are nothing like the ones my friends had when I was a kid. Mine were practically invisible, and I didn't need to wear them that long. I started this blog to encourage other people like me who are nervous about the prospect of wearing braces as an adult. My straight smile is so worth the trips to the orthodontist, and wearing braces was nowhere near as bad as I thought. Read on to find out more about how you can straighten your smile.
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If you have ever lost a permanent tooth/teeth, then you have experienced firsthand the challenges associated with living with missing teeth. Some of the most common challenges faced by persons with missing teeth include:
However, dentists use various treatments and prosthetics to alleviate the above challenges. One of the most commonly utilized prosthetics is a denture. A denture is an artificial/prosthetic device used in place of missing teeth to help a person regain their ability to chew, smile, and talk confidently.
However, several types of dentures are available, and each denture is suited for a particular variation of missing teeth. Thus, here are three types of dentures and what each type entails.
Complete/Full Dentures
Complete dentures are designed to fit the entire mouth of a person. They are usually recommended for the elderly or any person who has lost all their teeth either due to an accident or severe gum disease.
Because complete dentures are designed based on a person's dental dimensions, they appear just like natural teeth when you wear them. Additionally, the denture base resembles the color of your gums. Thus, it is quite difficult for another person to detect them while you are speaking or smiling.
Partial Dentures
Unlike complete dentures, partial dentures get recommended for persons with several missing teeth in a row but still have some of their permanent teeth left. Thus, as the name suggests, partial dentures cover smaller gaps caused by missing teeth.
In most cases, a dentist will recommend partial dentures when they notice that the gap left by the missing teeth could prompt the adjacent teeth to shift in an attempt to fill the gap. Especially while chewing, the gap causes a pressure void because the missing teeth do not counter the biting force from the opposite jaw. Thus, the imbalance in biting pressure could cause the teeth to start moving.
However, with a partial denture, you get to chew food properly, and the partial denture also counters the biting force from the opposite jaw to ensure your teeth do not shift in place.
Cantilever Bridge
Also known as a fixed partial denture, a cantilevered denture is an ideal option for a person who has a single missing tooth or a gap. A cantilever denture acts as a dental bridge supported by the teeth adjacent to the gap. Thus, unlike a conventional bridge, a cantilever denture is supported by the adjacent teeth instead of a dental implant.
Cantilever dentures are custom designed following a person's dental layout. Thus, before getting a cantilever denture, a dentist will have to take an impression of the area with a missing tooth so that the denture can be molded to fit precisely between the adjacent teeth.
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