How do dentures and partials accelerate the deterioration of facial structures?
A denture is prosthesis, and like any other prosthesis, it is designed to replace missing body parts. Because the jaws deteriorate and the face collapses when all of the teeth are missing, dentures are designed to replace missing teeth and the facial structures that have deteriorated. To achieve this, they must be thick enough to compensate for the bone that has melted away. As the facial structures continue to collapse over time, dentures must be made thicker to compensate for additional bone loss. Dentures accelerate the loss of bone because they press down on the gums and underlying bone when you eat, compressing the gums and bone. Unfortunately, if you wear a denture your bone will melt away faster and your facial structure will collapse more quickly than if you don’t wear a denture. A partial denture is also a prosthesis, but it is designed to replace facial structures when only some teeth are missing. A partial has metal clasps that hook onto the adjacent teeth to hold it in plac
