Do You Have The Confidence To Crunch?
Do you lack confidence in your teeth and stick largely to softer foods?
Avoiding certain foods might be something that you’ve done subconsciously over the years when you go out to a restaurant, or even when choosing food in the supermarket. You might also find yourself choosing softer, easier to chew foods, than you used to when younger? If you are, it is likely that you are not entirely confident in your teeth and have chosen the ‘easy’ option, rather than see one of the dentists at our Canterbury practice to see how we can help.
There might be many reasons for this problem. We could have neglected our teeth when we were younger and have the legacy of weakened teeth to prove it. Equally, as we get older, our teeth have had more years of wear and tear behind them which may have weakened them a little.
While you may have become content with your current diet, we might imagine that several items on the menu have caught your eye over the years but have been discounted for this very reason? The good news is that it is probably not too late to do something about it with the help of a variety of treatments available at Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic.
Fillings
Let us start with the most common treatment that we are probably familiar with. While fillings are strong, they are not permanent and may need replacing from time to time. Amalgam fillings especially can shrink and start to deteriorate and may be slightly loose which leads to a feeling of insecurity about biting with that particular tooth. If your fillings are fairly old and you haven’t seen a dentist for some time, it might be time to have those teeth refilled, perhaps with a white dental filling that is less prone to shrinkage.
Crowns
Teeth that have suffered from tooth decay or damage may have been filled, despite the affected area being on the larger side. Sometimes this is down to the decision of the dentist as to what they feel was the most appropriate treatment at that particular of time. Sometimes, an older large filling can feel less secure and whilst refilling it might help, depending on circumstances, it may be that restoring the tooth with a dental crown may be a better option. This provides more strength that would help you to feel more comfortable eating harder foods.
Where a number of consecutive teeth have been affected in this way, another option would be to use a bridge instead.
Dental implants
If you are one of those people who have a tooth, or a few teeth, that are ‘on their last legs’ but are just about hanging on, you are probably one of the main people who would really benefit from having dental implants to replace them. We do understand people putting off replacing teeth until they absolutely have to and some last longer than you might expect, even when in a poor state. This could mean many more years ahead of opting for the salmon when you really want to dig your teeth into a juicy steak!
You don’t have to wait until the tooth falls out or has to be extracted though. If a tooth is barely fit for purpose or is causing you a lot of inconvenience when eating, it can be extracted and a dental implant used to replace it. Indeed, if you have the implant placed as soon as possible after the extraction, there is an excellent chance that the bone quality and quantity will be more than adequate to place an implant directly, without needing a prior bone graft or sinus lift.
Although the treatment does require minor dental surgery, we feel confident that once complete, you will be delighted with the strength that implants offer and can almost guarantee that it won’t be the salmon you are choosing purely because you feel you have little choice.
Dentures
If you are wondering whether you could have dentures to replace problematic teeth rather than implants, the answer is yes you can; however, these are unlikely to have the strength or stability that dental implants offer. They may offer a better experience than weakened teeth, but you may still find yourself limited to certain foods if you find them a little unstable as some wearers do.
If you live in the Canterbury area and are perhaps afraid of eating crunchier foods, it might be time to have a discussion with us to see how we can help. There are a number of options available at Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic that can help you eat with more confidence once again. Why not give us a call and make an appointment with us on 01227 463529.