Save Your Teeth or Extract Them for Dentures? 6 Facts to Help You Decide

Making the decision to go with dentures? You may have heard various opinions on what the best course of action is: should you extract your remaining teeth, or leave them and get a partial denture? There are pros and cons to both, so it’s important to weigh your options before committing. In this post we’ll explore the advantages, drawbacks and tips for making an informed decision about whether extracting your remaining teeth is worth it for dentures. Weighing up all sides allows you to make an educated choice that works best for your budget, lifestyle requirements, comfort preferences and more. Let’s dive in!

The factors below and talking with your dentist can help you decide if you want to keep your teeth or get full dentures.

1. It’s usually best to save healthy natural teeth

When your natural teeth are healthy and won’t compromise your oral health, it’s usually best to save them. Replacing teeth with a removable appliance—a partial or full denture—has many disadvantages. The denture can move or slide if it’s not anchored, and it won’t be comfortable.

2. When few teeth remain, they are under stress

If you only have two upper teeth that are healthy, the force from your lower teeth when you bite and chew puts stress on the upper teeth. Pressure on the teeth can weaken them internally, even if they appear healthy on the outside.

3. A full upper denture increases comfort

Suction keeps a full upper denture in place, and it moves less than a lower denture. It’s more comfortable than a partial denture, and it’s easier to eat and chew with it.

4. A well-made upper denture is healthy for other teeth

A well-made upper removable denture is gentle on lower teeth. If you have a severe underbite, the force or impact of chewing can put stress on lower teeth.

5. When all your teeth are missing, your jawbone is affected

Teeth stimulate the jawbone, so when all your teeth are missing, the stimulation stops, and your body absorbs the bone. After 10 to 20 years, you’ll lack enough jawbone to support your facial muscles, and your face will sag and make you look older. The missing bone will make it difficult—if not impossible—to keep a lower denture in place. But you will still have some suction for an upper denture.

6. Implant-supported dentures increase function and comfort

Your dentist can tell you if you’re a candidate for an implant-supported partial denture or an implant-supported denture. Either option might exceed your budget, but implants stimulate your jawbone to prevent further shrinkage. Your denture won’t slip around, and it will be comfortable to eat and speak with it.

So, is it safe to have dentures for older people or not? The answer isn’t as simple as a yes or no. It depends on the individual and their personal oral health situation. If you are considering getting dentures, be sure to talk to your dentist about all of your options and what would be best for you because as we age, our teeth begin to wear down and eventually fall out. 

This can leave us with the decision of whether to get dentures or not. There are pros and cons to both choices, but ultimately it is up to the individual to decide what is best for them. If you are considering dentures, be sure to consult with your dentist first to see if they are the right choice for you.