Dentists recommend that everyone take proper care of their dental health. This means brushing and flossing daily, avoiding excessive sugary foods and drinks, changing your toothbrush every three months, and going for regular check-ups. These and other dental care steps make it easy to keep your teeth and gums in optimal condition.
A denture is a prosthetic device with artificial teeth supported by the hard and soft tissue of the oral cavity. Dentures replace teeth lost due to decay, cavities, and other dental issues. If you need these prosthetic devices, you might get partial or complete ones. Usually, a dentist will install the former if you’ve only lost one or a few teeth. However, complete dentures are best if you need to replace your entire set of upper or lower teeth, as explained in this dentex guide.
Though you’ll find many adults, especially seniors, with dentures, not everyone needs them. If you protect your teeth and gums, you might not require these prosthetic devices. If you’re unsure, here are some tell-tale signs dentures are in your near future:
Missing Teeth

Missing teeth are the leading cause of denture installation for many people. Getting these devices as soon as possible if you have lost teeth is best. If you don’t do so, your natural teeth surrounding the lost one may start shifting to fill the gap left. Your jaw may also weaken and start degrading, causing other healthy teeth to loosen. Losing teeth can also increase the risk of gum recession, periodontal disease, and fast facial aging.
Some tooth loss causes may be unpreventable. It can be falling at your workplace or home, an injury, or a car accident. However, for many people, the loss results from tooth cavities. So, it’s essential to brush, floss, and take other necessary steps to prevent decay every day. This will eliminate the need for dentures in the future.
Difficulty Chewing And Talking

If you’re finding it challenging to consume hard or chewy foods that weren’t a problem in the past, you might have an underlying dental problem. It can be gum disease, cavities, or cracked teeth. It would be best to visit your dentist as soon as possible so they can address your issue timely. Some concerns may require a tooth extraction, which raises the need for dentures as a replacement.
Some concerns may need a root canal or dental crowns. These two procedures eliminate the need for an extraction, preserving your original teeth. They also prevent further tooth decay and ensure you can eat the hard or chewy foods you were used to. Your dentist knows the best treatment option for you.
You may not have an issue with a few gaps in your mouth. This may cause you not to consider dentures. However, sometimes missing teeth can cause difficulty speaking. This might negatively impact your self-esteem and confidence. You’ll need dentures in such cases to help you improve your speech.
Frequent Severe Toothaches
Toothaches are a common reason why most people visit their dentists. The problem primarily results from tooth decay. A root canal or tooth filling can save your original tooth if the issue isn’t severe. So promptly visit your dentist if you experience a fleeting and minor toothache.
If you put off dental treatment when experiencing such an issue, you might have a painful and recurring toothache in the future. This is because the decay that the dentist could have stopped early will have progressed and made its way to your tooth’s nerve. In this case, saving your tooth may require more costly and invasive procedures. In some instances, severely decayed teeth might be difficult to save. Then, the only solution might be removing them. As a result, dentures may be necessary to fill the existing gaps.
Gum Problems

If you experience gum problems like bleeding, redness, sensitivity, or tenderness, schedule an appointment with your dentist as soon as possible. This can be a sign of gum inflammation. In the initial stages, the professional can clean your gum and take other effective measures to treat your concern.
If you don’t address the gum issues promptly, they may raise the need for dentures in the future. This is because untreated gum inflammation can lead to gingivitis. If you still ignore visiting a dentist, it may cause periodontal disease. In this case, you may experience bone loss, which eventually causes you to lose teeth. As a result, you’ll need dentures.
Loose Or Shifting Teeth And Wide Teeth Gaps
Bone loss resulting from advanced gum disease doesn’t only cause you to lose teeth. You may also develop other issues requiring you to get dentures soon. For instance, you might experience shifting or loose teeth and wide teeth gaps. In such cases, your dentists can examine you and determine the best treatment option. In severe cases, shifting or loose teeth caused by gum disease may only require extraction. As a result, a patient will need dentures.
You Are Self-Conscious About Your Appearance

Missing teeth can cause changes in your facial structure. For instance, you may notice that your facial muscles have started sagging, so you appear older than your actual age. This may lower your confidence and self-esteem. In this case, dentures can help restore your facial structure.
You may also start covering your mouth when laughing or smiling because your teeth have shifted or they’re broken, missing, or damaged. If you notice self-consciousness when smiling or laughing, you’ll need dentures soon. So, schedule an appointment with your dentist. Dentures will help you regain your confidence by replacing the shifted, broken, damaged, or missing teeth.
Final Thoughts
Dentures are prosthetic devices that replace teeth lost due to cavities, gum disease, and other dental issues. You might require these replacements if you have missing teeth, difficulty chewing and talking, or frequent severe toothaches. If you have gum problems, shifting or loose teeth, and wide teeth gaps, you may also need dentures soon.
Lastly, dentures can boost your self-esteem and confidence if you’re self-conscious about your appearance. Taking care of your oral health and getting treated for minor dental issues early can eliminate the need for these prosthetic devices.