Denture Problems

This week's hot topic seems to be dentures and problems with dentures. The loss of teeth can create all sorts of difficult functional, aesthetic and emotional problems, so it is probably no coincidence the one of the common recurring nightmares is teeth falling out. One of the great driving forces to seek dental treatment is the desire to avoid dentures - teeth in a jar by the bed is the stuff of nightmares for most people. But I gather that there has been an increase in the number of acrylic dentures under the NHS contract.

I am amazed by the resilience of people and how they will struggle on with dentures that don't fit and and don't stay in place. There seems to be a perception that dentures are a thing of the past but it is estimated that by 2038, 6% of the UK population will have no teeth at all, that will be millions of people. People are living longer and whilst at my age this incredibly good news, it does mean that denture wearers will also have complex medical issues.

What does all this mean? Dentures are going to be around for a long time and we going to need to our utmost to help these patients. Fortunately we now have modern techniques such as mini implants which are design to help stabilise and retain dentures at a fraction of of the cost of more conventional implants. More importantly it is a huge leap in the quality of life for the denture-wearer. This week someone told me they had not be able to bite into an apple for over 20 years since they lost their teeth. I can't wait to get started and I will have a Cox's Orange Pippin all lined up.