Can You Get Dentures Even If Your Teeth Have Been Missing for a While?

Dentures allow you to reclaim a complete smile after extensive tooth loss. However, if your teeth have been missing for a while, then a significant amount of bone loss may have already occurred in your jaw. Will this stop you from getting dentures, or are they still a viable option for restoring your ability to eat, speak, and smile? Here’s what you need to know if you lost your teeth a long time ago.

Why Does Bone Loss Happen When Teeth Are Missing?

Your teeth actually play a vital role in maintaining your jaw. Whenever you chew your food, your teeth stimulate the surrounding bone tissue, which helps prevent it from deteriorating. However, if your teeth are missing, the jawbone will no longer receive this stimulation, and it will start to shrink as a consequence. Over time, this can leave you with a more sunken facial appearance.

Can You Still Get Dentures After Bone Loss?

In many cases, the answer is yes; you may still qualify for dentures even after the jaw has lost some bone due to missing teeth. That being said, dentures do rely on the jaw for support, so a certain amount of bone is required. Thus, your dentist will need to take a close look at your mouth and consider the state of your jaw before helping you figure out the best way to replace your missing teeth.

Even if your jawbone is currently too thin for dentures, that doesn’t mean that you have to give up on the treatment entirely. Thanks to bone grafting, the missing bone mass can be replaced, thus making it possible to get dentures.

What Can You Expect from Bone Grafting?

During a bone grafting procedure, your gums will be opened so that grafting material can be applied to the areas where bone loss has occurred. Said material may come from a different part of your own body or a donor. Once the grafting material is in place, the gums will be sutured shut. It will typically take a matter of months for your mouth to completely heal after bone grafting; once it does, you will be able to move forward with the process of getting dentures.

Just because your teeth have been missing for a long time doesn’t mean you have to give up on the idea of ever replacing them. Schedule an appointment with your dentist today to discuss your potential candidacy for dentures.

About the Author

Dr. Jeffrey R. DeMartino is a graduate of the Fairleigh S. Dickinson School of Dental Medicine. He has advanced training in many different fields of dentistry and is able to offer his patients a comprehensive menu of dental services. He can provide a number of prosthodontic solutions for damaged or incomplete smiles, including dentures for replacing multiple teeth at once. To schedule a consultation with Dr. DeMartino at Demartino Dental Group in Phillipsburg, visit his website or call (908) 859-5260.