Dentures or natural teeth?

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Dentures or natural teeth?

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I still have most of mine, but two root canals in one year makes me ask if giving up the fight is smart. Have you gotten dentures? What are the pros and cons? My grandmother said that she loved them because she could eat ice cream without pain. But I wonder, do they reduce your enjoyment of eating?

I'm thinking that dentures would be cheaper over the long term, because once they are made and then successfully fitted, there should be no more expense except keeping them clean.

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From what i heard (not sure if your grandma is an exception) there is nothing like your own teeth so try to keep them as long as possible. My mom had the best dentures made but never quite mastered exactly how to chew with them which limited what she ate which of course was the point in getting them in the first place.

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Natural teeth can be a problem for those with dementia and bedridden at home for several years. How do you know when the patient's teeth are an infection problem, and if they are what do you do about it? The concern of not knowing is worrying. I am in that position and thankful that at least my wife has an upper denture. The lower natural teeth are now crumbling but as far as I can tell there is no infection . . .yet. If you anticipate the future may include dementia my advice would be to remove one's natural teeth before it's too late.

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Jinx, I've wondered myself if the pain and expense involved in preserving out natural teeth is worth it.
My mom had a full upper denture most of her life and never had any problems eating. We have had more problems since she had to get a lower partial, they don't fit as snugly without adhesives. Since she now is on a modified diet I can't say if she would be able to eat real food or not.
I do know that her first set of porcelain teeth lasted over 20 years, her second set also lasted almost as long, but the teeth they make now seem designed to be replaced and repaired much more frequently.
I also wonder about mouth care once we are in a nursing home, it seems that when staff are overburdened oral care is one of the first things to go. I recall visiting an aunt who had food pocketed in her cheeks hours after any meal, it is no wonder that the teeth she spent so much money on and had been so proud of rotted away and had to be removed.

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My daughter is a dentist. Her advice to me is to do whatever you can to keep your own teeth. As long as you don't suffer from a lot of bone loss you should be able to do that. Her other advice is to never skip flossing. If you have enough time for either brushing of flossing, floss. I have also seen what it's like for my mother in law and her dentures. For whatever reason they filed most of her lower teeth down and fit her with a partial that she can't use anymore. Her bottom teeth are now useless nubs, Her uppers don't fit well and she can only eat mushy foods. She'll sit and chew a little scrap of nothing all day long. At 97 with heart issues no dentist will touch her. My husband even has to take them out and put them in for her now. Not fun. Do what you can to keep your teeth. Visit a dental school for dental work if cost is an issue.

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It is always better to keep your natural teeth even though you have to get root canals and crowns. An upper denture can work for you if you have a good bone ridge, but I would definitely hesitate to get a lower denture because most people don't have good bone on the bottom which is necessary to keep a denture in.

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There's nothing like your natural teeth. Dentures are not comfortable fir everyone and they can be hard to get used to. The best thing to do is brush twice a day, floss every day, and use listerine. Go to a good dentist who will give you a thorough exam and cleaning. But to have good teeth removed is just barberic. Not to mention painful. Not to mention that at a version age gum shrinkage prevents the proper wearing of dentures, so now you're on a diet of mush. Please do not do this. I've had 5 root canals and 1 implant. My teeth are beautiful and functional. Most important thing you can do if you don't already is floss every day.

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Don't do it!! My mom went for dentures and she was never the same afterwards. She was embarrassed, her sense of self was damaged, food became stuck between the dentures and her gums, her speech was effected and as we age, even our mouth contour changes and the teeth never fit well.

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This is a question I've been asking myself. My husband had to get his teeth pulled and then full dentures about 10 years ago because ruined teeth was one of the side effects of the chemo and radiation he had as cancer treatments. He was in his mid-50's. He tends to forget to wear the dentures because he likes to chew bubble gum to keep his mouth moistened (dry due to medications), but he's never said that the dentures were a problem in terms of how food tasted, etc. He gets his from the VA at no cost, but as long as they fit comfortably he seems to be fine with them -- he's had several pairs (due to dropping them and then stepping on them, losing them because they fell out of a pocket, etc.) and the current ones fit so well that he doesn't need to use an adhesive.

My Mom who passed away about 3 weeks ago at age 96 had most of her own teeth but did wear a partial upper and a partial lower for many many years. Over the last 3 or 4 years, her natural teeth broke off and crumbled away in spite of good dental care, and she became sensitive about how she looked -- she worried about smiling with her mouth open, and some things became too difficult for her to want to eat. Minutes before she passed, she kept trying to close her mouth and could not keep it closed, so I placed a soft folded towel under her chin just enough to keep her mouth closed. She visibly relaxed and was breathing fine through her nose, and then in just a little while she passed over. I kept the towel in place for a while to prevent her jaw from relaxing and her mouth coming open, because it just seemed obvious to me that she didn't want to "go" that way and have everyone see her mouth looking ugly. She had been a really beautiful woman, but never vain about it, but I knew that her self-esteem was damaged by the breakage and discolorations of her natural teeth in these last years, and my heart went out to her over it.

So I think about that for myself ... I do need a partial for my uppers to replace molars. Maybe down the road in another 10 or so years, I'll opt to go for full dentures.

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My dentist teaches part time at UW, and has been saying that tooth-bud implants, to grow "natural teeth", are working their way down the pipeline...I can hardly wait!
Best to avoid needing dental work done. Don't allow any dentist to start shaving parts of teeth off to accommodate something like Booschmoop described, to fit partials or to glue on cosmetic appliances....years down the road, those have ruined good teeth. Good flossing and brushing are foundational for preserving teeth.
Dentures are not all their cracked up to be--they are simply the cheapest way to achieve something like teeth; they are troublesome for keeping a decent fit, for many people. Implants are a great idea, but can be higher maintenance, and, something most dentists will not tell about them: the body tissue cannot knit into the faux root implanted [often titanium]; therefore, that micro-space can be a conduit of infection; mouths are very germ-ridden, and those can migrate along that seam, into the body, particularly in those with compromised immune function or otherwise frail health.
Flossing, brushing, Oil-Pulling a couple times a day or more, and stop consuming sugars and sugar-producing starches, all can help preserve your natural teeth.
Science is also starting to wake up and try to 'tell the Emperor he's naked': to refute the government fiction that's been promoting of adding fluoride to water and other products. It's an industrial waste, in a form poorly compatible with strengthening teeth, and additive to other sources. Fluoride can cause gums to recede, and brain deterioration issues, among other things.
We've chosen to avoid it as much as possible; especially important for those living in certain geographical areas. See a brief map, more information, and numerous references, for starters: wikipedia
Bottom line: Take good care of your teeth!

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Well Jinx4740 far be it for me to tell or advise any Person, as all I can say is what works for me. All of my Life I had been plagued with bad teeth, oh fillings galore and extractions too to the point that I had nine teeth left on top and six underneath when I decided I'd rid myself of the lot. When my last tooth was pulled it was definitely the happiest moment of my entire life. I decided that dentures were not for me, so I'm managing well without. I am now 56 years growing bald and I survived three major brain operations and Life is good. I'd say choose whatever you are happiest with and makes you feel good.

Dentures or natural teeth?

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