Some of My Teeth Just Came Loose!

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Hi there,

My grandmother is in her nineties, and while she has most of her teeth, her teeth and gums may not be in the best of health. She saw her dentist for a filling recently, however since then, two of her teeth have simply fallen out of her mouth! We’re not sure what the best options for her are – should she get a bridge with her remaining teeth? If her teeth are healthy enough, should she get dental implants or should she go for dentures?

Anna, from Kissimmee, FL

 

Hi Anna,

Teeth take a large amount of force to knock out. If your grandmother’s teeth simply fell out, then she most likely has advanced periodontal disease, or gum disease.

With gum disease, it is likely most of her teeth are unstable in her gums, making it impossible for her to get a bridge. If you anchor a bridge to unhealthy, unstable teeth, it will strain and stress them, causing them fracture and need removal.

The ideal replacement would be dental implants, but since your grandmother likely needs a full-mouth smile makeover, that can run tens of thousands of dollars. A removable denture is also the more affordable option compared to dental implants. Also, if you grandmother does not have enough bone in her jaw, she may be better off going with a removable denture. For patients lacking enough bone in their jaws, a bone graft is an option, but your grandmother may be too old or not healthy enough to receive a bone graft procedure.

Since your grandmother’s teeth are likely in need of extraction, a full set of upper and lower dentures may her best option. Dentures can lead to bone resorption (the body breaking down the jaw bone for minerals and nutrients) and facial collapse over the course of 10 years. At your grandmother’s age, she may not need to worry about jaw collapse as much as a younger patient would.

A full set of dentures would be less stressful on her teeth than a removable partial denture. Seek a general dentist or affordable cosmetic dentist for your grandmother as soon as possible, before any more teeth fall out.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge smile makeover provider, Dr. Steven Brooksher, of Dentistry by Brooksher.

Should I Get Dental Implants or Dentures?

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Hi there,

I have struggled with my teeth my whole life. My gum line is very low due to my periodontal disease. I’ve even had teeth fall out! Are dentures my only option? Or can I opt for dental implants?

Sarah, from Florida

 

Hi Sarah,

Dental implants are an option for you. However, whether you can get them or not depends on a number of factors. For one, your periodontal disease may be too advanced to get dental implants — you may have had a lot of bone loss, and may need a bone graft before you can get them. Be sure to check your prospective cosmetic dentist‘s continuing education in dental implants before an appointment.

Dental implants feel more natural than dentures. There is no plate that goes across the roof of your mouth, so your chewing and swallowing isn’t affected. You also do not need to make any changes to your diet. Removable dentures can also move around in your mouth, which causes anxiety and lack of confidence.

The other problem with dentures is that once your teeth have been pulled, your mind gets the message that your jaw is no longer needed, and it begins to break down the minerals in your jawbone. This is called resorption and it happens over a long period of time, but it doesn’t happen with dental implants. Getting a post surgically implanted in your jaw sends the same message to your brain as a natural tooth. So bone loss or facial collapse are not an issue with dental implants.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge dental implant provider, Dr. Steven Brooksher, of Dentistry by Brooksher.