Tooth loss can be a difficult process to endure. The first lost tooth can be a serious shock. But as others begin falling out with it, some people are tempted simply to wait until all of their teeth fall out and then opt for dentures. Unfortunately, doing so can put a patient’s oral health under serious risk. Below, your Milford dentist, Dr. Mitchell I. Quintner, explains the important role partial dentures play in maintaining your oral health.
Partial Dentures: Defenders of Your Mouth
When teeth fall out, gaps begin to form in your smile. These black spaces can have a negative impact on the appearance of your smile, but they can also lower your mouth’s defenses against bacteria. A full set of straight teeth acts as a wall against bacteria. Each tooth protects the sides of the teeth next to it, and all of the teeth protect the gums. However, when gaps form in the wall, bacteria have an easier time accessing the sides of teeth and the gums. Thus the risk of tooth decay and gum disease may grow.
In addition to lowered defenses, gaps in the smile give teeth room to shift. With no barriers next to them, teeth may grow into the areas vacated by lost teeth, resulting in crowding in certain areas and the widening of gaps in others. If teeth do crowd one another, it may be difficult to clean them and keep them free of decay.
With so many unfortunate possibilities, it is easy to see the benefits yielded by partial dentures. They fill in the gaps in a smile, improving its cosmetic appearance, and they also repair the wall against bacteria, protecting teeth and the gums while preventing teeth from shifting into areas they do not belong.
Partial Dentures in Milford
Are you missing some of your teeth? Partial dentures can improve your oral health and protect your remaining teeth. Schedule an appointment or a consultation with your Milford dentist, Dr. Quintner, today by calling 203-878-6699. We proudly serve the 06460 area and welcome patients from Milford, Orange, Woodmont, West Haven, and all neighboring communities.