Teeth Over Time, Keep Them Or Not?
Even with all the advances in dentistry, we still have patients coming to our office with the desire to have all of their teeth pulled and dentures placed. This may be the only option available depending on the condition of the teeth and the surrounding periodontal tissues however there are almost always better options.
What are the options to losing all of your teeth and getting dentures? Glad you asked!
- You may be a candidate for Dental Implants – They can feel like you grew new teeth!
- Save your existing teeth and get your gums healthy!
- Save some of your teeth, and replace others with partial dentures, implants, crown, or bridges. We can do amazing things now and it isn’t always as expensive/painful/time consuming as you might think!
Lovely 99 year old patient's smile!
Note the above patient’s smile. You may notice some things that aren’t ‘perfect’ such as centrals that are not the same size, colors of teeth that don’t match, visible crown margins, etc., but what I would like you to see is the general good health of the gum tissue and a healthy pleasing smile and excellent bite! And then note that this patient is 99 years old! We have been seeing Mrs. R. (She doesn’t want her name plastered all over the place!) since 1999 for all kinds of dental treatment.
When I asked for a big smile!
When Mrs R. was born, 1914, it was expected that patients would lose their teeth as they aged. Dentists back then didn’t know the importance of massaging the gums when brushing the teeth let alone the importance of flossing. Dentists would try to save teeth less often than they would just pull the ‘bad’ ones. Yet somehow, Mrs. R. knew the importance of keeping her teeth and gums healthy (mostly for the benefit of better breath!) and she has been able to enjoy having a full set of teeth and able to eat anything she wants her whole adult life.
In our office we will always give you options about your dental treatment to find out the treatment that is right for you. We feel that getting teeth healthy and keeping them that way improves a patient’s quality of life. You will often hear Dr. Gillis or a staff member say, “The longer you can keep your own teeth (if they are reasonably healthy), the less time that you need to deal with any artificial replacements.”
If you would like more information our office would be happy to help! Our office is located in Grand Junction, Colorado. Our phone number is (970) 242-3635. Please visit us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/juliegillisddspc) or call us if you have any questions or concerns. You can also email our office at jgillis@rosemontdev.com for further information.
This information shared with you by Julie Gillis, DDS PC. We feel that your dental health is the top priority, and if we can make your smile more attractive while improving your health that is wonderful! Dr. Gillis practices restorative and cosmetic dentistry including porcelain veneers, tooth whitening, implants, crowns, bridges and periodontal care. Our office website is www.juliegillisds.com. For further information, please contact us at (970) 242-3635.