Dental Industry Veteran Shifts Focus to Denture Wearers

I come from a long line of denture wearers, so denture patients have always been important to me. That is why I started as a denture tech before becoming a dentist.

Dentures are more than just replacing teeth. It’s life-changing dentistry. But while so much has improved in home care for people with teeth, not much has improved for denture wearers. That is why I spent the last 20 years developing Dr. B Dental Solutions—to take proper care of dental prosthetics and appliances, as well as the people who wear them.

But most dentists were skeptical about the future of dentures. They said future generations will have no need for dentures. Fluoridation, better home care, and more dentists will make the edentulous and terminally edentulous extinct. Boy, were they wrong! Now, many of those same dentists are advertising “cosmetic dentures!”

Why? There are many reasons. We live in an aging society. It has been estimated that there are more than 40 million Americans wearing dentures. Ten thousand Americans turn 65 every day. Twenty five percent of Americans 65 & older do not have any natural teeth. There will be over 48 million Americans over 65 by 2050.

Accidents and trauma, systemic health problems, diseases, bad habits, diet, drug abuse, and medications all contribute to tooth loss. And some unfortunate people simply inherit bad teeth.

Not only is the number of denture wearers growing, but first-time denture wearers are getting younger. Why? Because even with our masks on, social media is driving the demand for cosmetic dentistry. While some people may not be able to afford veneers, fixed bridgework, or implants, they absolutely cannot afford missing teeth or a jacked-up smile. They can't get a job, let alone get a date! Let’s not forget, dentures were the original cosmetic dentistry. And what's old is new again.

Further, as much as we hate to admit it, people are afraid of the dentist. And during these turbulent times, patients may choose to avoid dentistry until it’s too late. In the future, even more teeth may need to be removed. In some cultures, dentures are considered a normal part of aging. Coupled with an uncertain economy, partial and full dentures will become even more popular.

To prove my point, recently there has been a proliferation of Facebook groups devoted to denture wearers—Dating With Dentures, Dentures at a Young Age, Dental Implants/Denture Support Group, Denture Support: We Are Here to Help-Before & After, are just some examples. And these sites, already followed by tens of thousands of followers, are growing exponentially.

If there's one thing I've learned in my over 40 years in dentistry, it's that denture-wearers come from all walks of life. You just don't know about it because they don't talk about it. And why should they?

Since I started Dr. B Dental Solutions 2 years ago, probably because we are the only denture care company created/developed by a dentist, we have been besieged with questions from customers regarding their dental treatment. They want to know how to take care of their health as well as their new teeth. They want to know all about their different treatment options—specifically dentures, partial dentures, overdentures, and fixed hybrids. And most of all, they want to know where they can find a dentist they can trust. That is why I created DentureWearers.com.

Dentistry has made significant advances in bone grafting, implants, and fixed hybrids. But so has removable prosthetics. Due to advances in technology and skyrocketing patient demand, we are entering the “Renaissance of Removable Dental Prosthetics”.

Even though dentistry has seen drastic changes due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the future of dentistry is brighter than ever. The demand for dentures, partial dentures, implants, overdentures, and fixed hybrids is expected to grow. Thankfully, digital dentistry and subsequent stronger materials are transforming full arch prosthodontics. In addition, we now have the ability to store data, reproduce, duplicate, and even improve on our restorations.

Below is a list of the benefits of digital dentures for both dentists and the denture wearing public.

• The teeth can be completely customized. Unlike conventional denture teeth, which are prefabricated in pre-existing sizes and shapes, digital denture teeth are designed on a computer. This enables the dental professional to personalize every new smile.
• The data for identical dentures are always kept on file, making duplicate dentures a reality. No more emergencies and patients left with no teeth.
• Digital dentures are stronger and less porous than conventional dentures. This reduces the possibility of lost teeth and/or fractured dentures.
• Facial Digital Integration is now possible to achieve enhanced esthetics and acceptance.
• Digital Dentures can be incorporated onto implants for improved overdentures and fixed hybrids.
• The color and shape of the teeth can be modified without affecting the fit, and without starting over.
• CAD/CAM computing technology is extremely precise, resulting in a tighter fit.
• Digital dentures have a much faster turn-around time.

As a dentist, I know there is a tremendous lack of non-biased factual information available for people to learn about all the options regarding replacing missing teeth. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation on the internet. I wanted to change all that. That is why I developed DentureWearers.com. It is a resource designed to create an educational, informative, interactive, and helpful website for both the public and the dental community.

Removable prosthetics can be either final restorations or long-term transitionals. It is up to the patient. Now, more than ever, dentists need to listen to their patients. Different circumstances demand different treatment. And these are unprecedented times. The key to success is adaptation. Dentists who understand this will succeed. And there is so much satisfaction in restoring a person’s smile, confidence and dignity.