Impact of Dentures

New denture wearers can face a difficult transition^1–5

New patients may have unrealistic expectations for their new dentures,¹ and the transition from natural teeth can be traumatic.²

The personal impact of dentures

Impact on relationships

Up to 67% of full denture wearers have denture stomatitis⁴
Trapped food

Entrapped food particles can cause pain and irritation.⁵

86% found entrapped food to be their most important denture issue.⁶

Impact of dentures on patients: how the transition to dentures can be traumatic

The trauma of tooth extraction

Tooth extraction can be traumatic for patients and often results in accelerated bone resorption.²

32% experienced reduction in bone horizontal dimension ≤3 months after extraction.⁷
Discomfort of immediate dentures
Immediate dentures play an important role:

Aesthetic, psychological and functional reasons

Bandage and protect extraction wounds²

Prevent bleeding²

But the transition can be challenging for patients:

Changes in denture fit and comfort²

Poor retention¹

Key challenges facing the new denture patient:

Discomfort

The psychological impact of tooth loss, which increases in impact with the number of teeth lost

Accepting that removable dentures do not provide the same functional benefit as natural teeth

Reduction in quality of life: avoiding particular foods, difficulty relaxing, avoidance of social situations
Further mobility and tooth loss associated with partial dentures can affect quality of life^8–10

In the 2009 Adult Dental Health Survey, patients who reported the greatest problems with their dental condition in terms of quality of life were those with a combination of natural teeth and dentures.⁸
Impact of excessive functional forces
Excessive functional forces on natural teeth may cause further mobility and tooth loss.^11,12

Up to 30% of natural teeth abutting dentures demonstrated increased mobility.*⁹

Retentive clasps may be unsuitable or lose retention over time¹³

Retention may become more dependent upon the mucosa and muscular control¹³

*In a longitudinal study