As our readers know, tooth loss can occur for a variety of reasons. Missing teeth can occur due to gum disease, dental trauma, birth defects, and more. With that being said, there are plenty of patients that have turned to dentures to give them a beautiful, complete smile. Dentures are a quick and affordable option for patients and can often restore their confidence.
Dentures are not only great for restoring the look of a smile, but they are also important for health reasons. Restoring missing spaces in your smile is crucial for preventing your neighboring teeth from becoming loose or shifting around. You can see why dentures have been so successful for countless patients, so why is there a social stigma around wearing dentures and how can denture users overcome this? Dr. Eugene Stanislaus explores this topic and gives his local readers here in Brooklyn, NY an in-depth look at the reason behind the stigma. Interested in learning more about the roots of this stigma and how to overcome it? Follow along as Dr. Stanislaus explains more about this subject.
Origin of Denture Stigma
A recent study from the “Biting Into Dental Care” survey found that 59% of those surveyed believe that the biggest misconception about dentures is that they are only for the elderly. While tooth loss is common in the elderly population, there are still many patients that deal with this oral health problem regardless of age. In fact, the survey found that more than half of the participants were 44 years of age or younger when they first got dentures.
There’s also a misconception that dentures are for individuals that neglected self-care or had poor oral hygiene habits. In reality, tooth loss due to gum disease can come down to plenty of other factors other than just oral hygiene habits. Tooth loss can occur due to dental trauma. We’ve seen many patients come in after a sports-related injury or any injury for that matter. Tooth loss can also occur due to cancer treatment or osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a particularly common cause of tooth loss because the underlying jawbone can become weak. The jawbone is an essential aspect to your smile because it is the foundation for your teeth to attach onto. Without a strong jawbone, your teeth can begin to feel loose and then eventually fall out.
Dentures also have a stigma because of how they looked in the past. Dentures have been a solution for tooth loss for centuries and many people associate dentures with their former, unnatural look. Fortunately, technology has advanced to make dentures appear completely natural. The modern denture blends in perfectly with the rest of your facial features and can restore your confidence.
Overcoming the Denture Stigma
Now that we know why there is a stigma around wearing dentures, how do we overcome it? Well, it’s important to remember that tooth loss can occur to any age and for a variety of reasons. The best advice we have is to tell our patients to feel confident. You shouldn’t have to feel embarrassed about restoring your smile, especially when there are medical reasons involved.
Another great tip we have is to educate people about dentures. The only way to stop the stigma around dentures is to educate others on the reality of tooth loss and restoration. Dentures are no longer fake looking like the used to be. Patients can enjoy a natural-looking, restored smile regardless of their age or reason for tooth loss.
The last tip we have for our patients is, to be honest about their own dentures. That same survey found that 63% of denture patients keep their dentures a secret from their loved ones. Patients should feel confident in their decision to restore their smile without having to worry about the opinions of others. This won’t just benefit you and the intimacy of your relationships, but it will also help to educate others on the benefits of restoring missing teeth with dentures.
Contact Brooklyn Heights Dental
Are you tired of dealing with missing gaps in your smile? Dentures are an affordable restoration option to give you a beautiful, complete smile. We’ve been able to help countless patients here in Brooklyn with dentures. To get started on your denture process, contact our office today to schedule your one-on-one consultation with Dr. Stanislaus.