You may not realize or appreciate it like you should, but every tooth plays an important role, not only in your digestive health, but also in your facial structure. Replacing any missing teeth as soon as possible is critical to your long-term oral health.

There are plenty of benefits to be gained from wearing dentures, despite the fact that many people detest the thought of wearing them. However, any voids left in your mouth by lost teeth are going to cause you bigger problems later on.

Of course, there are other methods by which you can replace your missing teeth, such as dental implants. However, dentures afford you the expediency and convenience of having them when you need them. In fact, you can have a set of temporary dentures in as little as one day.

Still not convinced with the benefits of a new set of dentures? Take a look at some of the more telling signs to consider setting an appointment to evaluate your situation and explore dentures as an affordable and convenient option.

Widening Gaps Between Teeth

If you’ve already lost a tooth but have not done anything to correct or replace it, chances are the remaining teeth surrounding the void will shift due to lack of support. Either they will collapse into the vacuum or they will fall out of their own position and become misaligned. When this happens, you can suddenly have wider gaps in between your teeth, as they will all tend to act like dominoes. In the end, this won’t do any favors for your smile.

The solution: a new set of dentures or partial dentures will prevent the rest of your teeth from unnecessary movements or shifting. Although dentures are removable, the time that you do spend wearing them will be enough to keep the few other teeth in place.

Severe Tooth Decay or Cavity

If your tooth is damaged and you don’t seek treatment immediately, there’s a very real possibility that your oral health will worsen to the point of suffering acute or unbearable pain. By then it could be too late to salvage some of your remaining teeth. If that happens, the necessary treatment would be tooth extraction. You would then need to allow time for your gums to heal and replace the void with a partial denture.

Gum Disease or Damaged Tooth

Even a cracked tooth can interfere with proper chewing of food. This, of course, can lead to a host of other problems, such as bad breath (from food stuck in the cracks or in between the teeth) or even frequent indigestion. Gum disease, meanwhile, can cause the tooth to become loose or dislodged.

In both of these cases, the typical option is for your teeth to be removed. Immediately replacing them with dentures can save you from much more dental work and trouble down the road.

If you’re not sure if you are in need of dentures, your best bet is to consult with a ProDentures experienced dentist. The sooner you call and schedule an appointment, the sooner you can enjoy a healthy smile and resolve your oral problems.

Sources:

8 Signs You Might Need Dentures. Prevention.com

The Top 5 Reasons People Choose--and Don’t Choose--Dentures. AAID-implant.org