Despite often being associated with the elderly, young people wearing dentures is more common than you may think. Whether due to sports injuries, tooth decay, or medical conditions, more and more young people between the ages of 20 and 35 are opting for dentures as a solution to tooth loss. And why shouldn’t they? Modern dentures are an effective way to restore lost teeth and give a person back their smile. Read on to find out more about what it’s like living with dentures when you are young.
Why Would You Need Dentures When You’re Young?
The main reason seemingly young, healthy people need dentures is due to chronic gum diseases like gingivitis or periodontitis, excessive tooth decay, or hereditary ectodermal dysplasia. Medical conditions like acid reflux can also lead to tooth erosion and eventual tooth loss, and sports injuries are another reason younger people may need dentures. So be sure to wear your sports guards! Whatever the cause, however, tooth loss seems to affect image-conscious younger people more than it does older people, and dentures offer a viable and long-term solution to restoring smiles.
Types of Dentures for Young People
As such, the type of dentures available to you is the same regardless of your age, namely full or partial dentures. Younger patients may also be suitable candidates for dental implants, though most denturists will usually recommend a set of immediate dentures until the jawbone is fully able to support dental implants.
As their name implies, full dentures are meant to replace a full set of missing teeth. These usually consist of an acrylic, gum-colored base adorned with realistic-looking teeth and designed to fully replicate a set of natural teeth. Partial dentures, on the other hand, are usually recommended when only a few missing teeth need to be replaced and are custom-made depending on the number of missing teeth.
What’s It Like Living With Dentures When Young?
Adjusting to life with dentures does take some time, but it’s not as bad as you think. The entire process can take a few weeks to a few months depending on what type of dentures you’ve selected but wearing them will become second nature once you’re accustomed to them. At first, dentures may feel strange or bulky, but, eventually, your mouth tissues will adjust to having them in and your denturist may opt to periodically adjust them to ensure comfort.
In general, most dentists and denturists will recommend eating soft food and cutting your food into smaller pieces for the first couple of weeks. Once you’re used to your dentures, you can move on to harder foods and more or less return to your previous diet, with the exception of very hard, sticky, or chewy foods. You’ll also want to practice speaking with dentures, which we’ve covered in a previous post, and continue practicing until you’re fully confident with your new dentures.
Depending on the type of dentures you opt for, how you take care of them varies but denture care is overall very simple. Just like you’d do with natural teeth, you’ll need to use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean your dentures or dental implants every day. If they’re removable, you may also need to soak them overnight to clean them and prevent them from warping. If you’ve gone for dental implants, you just need to take care of them the same way you do your natural teeth – regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing. Regardless of the type of dentures you choose, however, you’ll need to be a bit gentler with your new teeth when caring for them, but, overall, most modern dentures are fairly durable and act as a great replacement for lost natural teeth.
Get Dentures in Calgary
No matter your age, if you’re looking for an effective, long-term solution to tooth loss, then dentures can be a great option. If you’re in the Calgary area and wondering whether dentures are right for you, get in touch with Hillhurst Denture today to book a free consultation with our professional denturist.
