Losing one, some or even all of your teeth is a life-changing event. From now on, not everything in your mouth will have been made by you.
But at Harley Street Dental Clinic, we can help you make sure that it isn’t glaringly obvious to the whole world that not all of your teeth are your own.
False teeth have been around for thousands of years, since the ancient Egyptians. But they have never been very realistic. Think of joke wind-up chattering false teeth, or chewy denture-shaped sweets. The gummy bit is very pink, much pinker than real gums, and the white teeth are way whiter than most natural teeth. When you look back at your great grandma’s false teeth in a glass of water by the bed, you can see how these vital pieces of dental prosthetics got their comedy reputation.
However, in Harley Street dentists can now offer 21st century dentures made with materials that are so much more life-like than previously. The base (or gummy part) is usually made of acrylic and is shaped to closely mimic natural gums. These days the teeth can be made from either acrylic or, for a more luxurious option, porcelain, and they can be custom-made to blend with the shape and colour of your own natural teeth. Or, if you have lost all your teeth, your Harley Street dentist can recreate the shape and colour of your natural teeth if you have a photograph that we can use for guidance.
Wearing dentures has a number of advantages over living with the gaps of missing teeth. Firstly, there is the aesthetic value and the confidence that comes from facing the world with a full set of teeth on view. But also, dentures help flesh out the face and jaw to prevent the prematurely-aged appearance that comes with missing teeth. Dentures also help prevent the remaining teeth from moving around and to strengthen facial muscles, and prevent bone atrophy.
If you would like to find out more about dentures, then please book an initial consultation with your Harley Street dentist by calling 020 3813 9408.