Dentures in various forms and guises have been part of dental history since man first started losing teeth. There have lots of advances in dentistry with crowns, bridges and implants, but this equally applies to methods and materials used for dentures and they are going to be around for a long while yet.
It is estimated that the prevalence of edentulousness (no teeth at all) continue to decline within the United Kingdom and reach a base level of 6% of the adult population by 2038[i]. Whilst there is a perception of declining numbers, this figure still represents millions of adults and the actual numbers will be increasing in line with the increasing population. People will be living for longer, so the edentulous population will be that much older and others will become edentulous at a later stage in life. This will pose a significant problem for the profession in the years to come “as older adults have a diminished capacity to adapt to the limitations posed by wearing complete dentures”[ii].
“Tooth loss and rehabilitation with dentures can have tremendous patient impact and social implications. In an image-conscious society, dentures restore a sense of normalcy and allow the patient the ability to interact with others.”
So dentures are going to around for a long time and they are really important for those people that wear them, so how can we ensure that we offer the best service to our denture patients? I am particularly pleased to announce that Ian Taylor has joined the practice. Ian has 35 years experience as a dental technician and I have worked closely with him for the past 10 years. He is just about to complete his training as a Clinical Dental Technician and is able to provide both the clinical and technical stages of denture treatment.
His areas of special interest are “to provide dentures and dental care that quickly restores your oral health, improves your speech and rebuilds your confidence.” Dentures have never been a glamorous subject, but now at the Dental Spa we are able to move to the centre stage and provide the best treatment available. Exciting times.
1. Kelly M, Steele J, Nuttall N, Bradnock G, Morris J, Nunn J, and others. Adult Dental Health Survey — oral health in the United Kingdom 1998. London: The Stationary Office, 2000.
[ii]. Allen P and McMillan A. A Review of the Functional and Psychosocial Outcomes of Edentulousness Treated with Complete Replacement Dentures. J Can Dent Assoc 2003; 69(10):662.