Many people think they do not have to replace missing teeth. Often they associate the loss of teeth with the aging process. However, replacing missing teeth will not only improve your physical appearance, it will also improve your eating and speaking skills. Also, each tooth performs a special function when combined with the rest. Each tooth holds the teeth on either side of it in place. Missing teeth can cause shifting and many other problems. Food particles could lodge in the spaces, forming plaque and causing periodontal disease, which can result in more lost teeth.

Dental Implants

Dental implants (osseointegration) are a good alternative to ordinary dentures because they serve as a substitute for natural tooth roots that rely on support from the jawbone. Implants can replace individual teeth or bridges and also support dentures.

Researchers recently developed the most advanced version of dental implants using titanium. They are beneficial because bone tissue actually fuses to the titanium.

The implant has a small post that protrudes from the gum tissue and is anchored in the jawbone or fitted over the jawbone. The prosthetic teeth are attached to the posts. They can be permanent or removable.

Not everyone can receive implants. You must be in general good health and have healthy gums . You cannot have a disease or condition such as diabetes. You have to maintain good oral hygiene. And care properly for implants.

Bridges and Partial Dentures

Dental bridges are used to fill empty spaces and may be cemented to the remaining natural teeth. It made be made of gold, a combination of gold and porcelain, or a combination of gold, porcelain and other materials. If there is a natural tooth on either side of the space, an artificial tooth may be fused to the metal bridge.

If there are no natural teeth near the space, a partial denture may be constructed to replace the missing teeth. A partial denture usually fastens by a clasp onto the last tooth on each side of the space. A removable partial denture should be taken out and cleaned properly whenever the rest of the teeth are brushed. You should visit the dentist regularly to have your partial denture checked for looseness. A loose clasp can move the teeth that it is attached to, possibly causing the loss of those teeth as well.

Complete Dentures

Before the dentist constructs a full set of removable dentures, your gum ridges will be checked for abnormalities. If gums are in poor condition, they may need treatment before dentures can be made.

Then the dentist will make an impression of your mouth and you will choose tooth and shade choices. There probably will be several appointments before you actually receive your dentures.

The mouth changes with age so it is important to have regular visits so the dentist can be sure they are fitting properly. The dentist will also teach you how to clean your dentures properly. They are a responsibility but can make a huge difference to someone who has lost their teeth.

Side effects of treatment

Some side effects of surgery may be a change in the patient’s ability to talk, chew, or swallow, especially if a large tumor is removed. The patient may also look different.

Radiation therapy may make the mouth sore and it can change the amount of saliva produced, making chewing and swallowing difficult. A decrease in saliva can also cause tooth decay. Radiation therapy may also make the patient very tired, so resting is important. Also, the skin may become red and dry, tender, itchy, and then moist and “weepy”. Men may lose all or part of their beard, but the facial hair usually returns after treatment is finished.

Patients being treated for oral cancer often have a sore mouth, causing serious weight loss. Eating several small meals and snacks during the day may help, as can eating soft, bland foods with sauces and gravies. Soups, puddings, and high-protein milkshakes may be more easily tolerated.

Other side effects may include a lowered immune system (so patients get sick easier), nausea, vomiting, inability to wear dentures, and loss of appetite.

Rehabilitation after treatment

Rehabilitation usually begins as soon as possible after treatment. This may include:

* Dietary counseling
* Surgery – reconstructive or plastic surgery
* Prosthesis – if surgery cannot be performed, then a dental or facial-part prosthesis may be used to help the patient look more normal
* Speech therapy – the patient may need help learning to speak again

Risk factors

There are several risk factors that increase the chance of developing oral cancer. These include:

* Exposure of the skin, especially the lips, to the sun
* Tobacco use
* Alcohol use, especially beer and hard liquor
* Poor diet, especially if it is low in fruits and fiber
* Chronic irritation to the mouth and upper throat, such as poorly fitting dentures or dental appliances
* Poor dental hygiene and gum disease
* Over 45 years old
* Male
* African-American

Also, using mouthwashes with high alcohol content, or having herpes simplex or human papilloma virus (HPV), may also be related to oral cancer.

Prevention

According to the National Cancer Institute, tobacco use is responsible for more than 90 percent of oral cancer in men and 60 percent in women, and is responsible for 90 percent of oral cancer deaths in men. People who stop smoking cigarettes reduce the risk of developing oral cancer by 50 percent within 3 to 5 years and return to the normal risk within 10 years.

Heavy cigar use is especially associated with oral cancer development. Marijuana use has been shown to be a cause of oral cancer in younger people.

Since the risk of oral cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day as well as the number of alcoholic drinks consumed per day, stopping both drinking and smoking lessens the risk of oral cancer considerably.

Other lifestyle changes that can decrease oral cancer risk include increasing fruits and vegetables in the diet, which can lower the risk by 30 to 50 percent. Using sun block on the lips, either as colored lipstick or as lip balm with sunscreen, lowers the incidence of cancer on the lip, especially the lower lip.

Screening

Regular checkups by both dentists and physicians help detect oral cancer in the early stages, when the cancer is the most treatable. Ninety percent of oral cancers occur on the floor of the mouth, the front one-third of the tongue, and the soft palate, so these areas should be closely inspected. Leukoplakia (white patches) and erythroplakia (red lesions), which are precancerous changes, should be treated.

Monthly self-examinations are easily done using a mirror and looking for any changes in the mouth.

People who have had previous oral cancer are at higher risk of developing a new cancer of the mouth or another part of the head and neck. Vitamin A is currently being studied for protective properties against these secondary cancers.

Treatment for oral cancer is most successful when the disease is diagnosed in its earliest stages and the necessary lifestyle changes are made.