Can Wearing Dentures Affect My Nutrition?

Modern dentures are a lifelike and incredibly comfortable way to replace missing teeth, but they don’t completely restore the chewing ability of the real thing. Wearing them can sometimes make getting all the nutrition you need rather difficult because it can be too hard to eat certain foods. Here’s what you need to know about eating with dentures and how implant-supported dentures might be able to help the situation.

How Is Eating with Dentures Different?

While they do provide a sturdy chewing surface that can handle many foods, dentures do not provide the same tearing and shredding abilities necessary for some fare. Research has found that people can experience a decline in their nutrition over time while wearing dentures. Since dentures do not fully restore chewing ability, patients might not chew their food as thoroughly as they used to, hindering the body’s ability to extract nutrition from it.

Most people with dentures avoid chewy meats like steak or pork chops because their appliances can’t tear them up properly. Many also find that starchy foods like bread and potatoes can be sticky enough to dislodge their dentures while chewing. Difficulty chewing a vital food can lead a patient to give up on eating it altogether, and if they give up on enough vital foods, their nutrition will suffer.

Are Implant-Supported Dentures Any Better at Chewing?

While traditional dentures are held in place via suction and sometimes denture adhesive, some people have theirs held in place with dental implants. Placing four titanium posts in the jawline can allow you to exert much greater chewing force by anchoring your dentures more securely. This prevents a denture from sliding or becoming loose during speech or chewing, allowing it to provide the kind of stable biting force you need to dig into some nutritious and delicious fare.

Implant-supported dentures can provide a patient with superior nutrition for the rest of their life, and many patients can make the upgrade even if they’ve been wearing traditional restorations for years. Talking with your dentist can help determine if you are a good candidate for implant-supported dentures.

About the Practice

Sunny Dental has the simple goal of providing top-quality dentistry in a warm and relaxing environment to the community of Lancaster, TX. Led by Drs. Christopher Duong, John Kuan, Jim Lee, and Khoa Pham, the skilled staff uses the latest techniques and technology to help patients achieve their ideal smiles. Areas of expertise include general, pediatric, cosmetic, emergency, and restorative dentistry as well as denture treatments. If you are curious about implant-supported dentures, contact the office online or dial (469) 765-8050.