Why don't dentures work long-term?
Why are dentures such a problem?

 

Dentures become loose because of changes in the bone which support the gum tissues. In order to foresee which treatment options work better than others, it is important to understand the critical nature of the bone which forms the foundation for any type of dental prosthetic reconstruction.

The type of bone that forms to support the teeth is called alveolar - bone. Alveolar bone develops on the structural foundation bone of the upper and lower jaws as the teeth form and erupt. When teeth are removed, the alveolar bone atrophies (dissolves and shrinks from not being used). Therefore, there is not bone present in the proper location to support normally shaped and arranged teeth.

Dental alveolar bone remains healthy and vital when it is functioning under normal physiologic conditions. The normal physiologic condition for this bone is to anchor a tooth which is functioning under various forces during the normal course of eating, speaking , etc.

Complete denture prosthetics rely on the gum overlying alveolar bone for support and do not provide normal physiologic function for this bone. It is well documented that with continued full denture wear there is resorbption or dissolution of alveolar bone over time. This is the reason that many of our dental implant patients are patients that have been wearing dentures for a number of years. The placement of dental implants into alveolar bone has been shown to place physiologic forces directly into the bone, which stimulates its continued maintenance and prevents resorbption.

The forces placed on dental implants while eating are transmitted into the bone directly, thereby providing stimulation for the bone to remain healthy. The forces transmitted by dentures are applied to the gum putting pressure on the bone from above and forcing it to dissolve. The difference in the way the forces are transmitted to the bone here is the critical factor. Bone has the best chance of maintaining its size, shape and firmness when forces are transmitted to it through dental implants.