Ask a Dentist
August 7th, 2009 | 
Author: Lets face it. Dentist are busy people. But, at times we may have a general or specific question about dentistry that you would like to Ask a Dentist without the obligation of making a consultation appointment. That’s what Ask Dr. Chai is all about.
Over the years Dr. Chai has expanded his knowledge base in his pursuit for dental excellence. He has taken a special interest in
- Orthodontics
- Cosmetic Dentistry
- Implants
- Headaches and TMD (Temporomandibular Joint Disorders) or Jaw joint disorder treatment
- Snoring and Sleep Apnea
and has logged over 2000 hours in continuing education beyond his formal training and busy practice schedule.
If you don’t find the information you need in our website sitemap, you can Ask a Dentist right here in our Dental Question & Answer forum, and Dr. Chai will try to answer your question.
Posted in Dentistry Q&A
I am seriously considering removable dentures. Every dentist that I have ever visited have told me not to remove teeth as I should get braces. I have gum disease and often get toothaches, headaches and carries. I have numerous procedures done including wisdom teeth extraction, fillings and rootcanals. My teeth are extremely overcrowded and get cavities like its nothing. My teeth are soft and this seems to run in the family. My grandmother had to have dentures at the age of 18, and my father at the age of 20. I really am looking into having this done, but don’t know if I am eligible as I have no missing teeth. Look forward to hearing from you, Cassandra
Without seeing your teeth, its hard to comment on your exact situation. However, in general, if your teeth are savable you should do everything in your power to save them. Wearing dentures is not fun at all. They are very hard to adapt to. Most people in dentures wish they didn’t have to wear them, and many opt for implants later in life to help stabilize the dentures so they don’t move. This can cost you in the $10,000 plus range depending on the situation… in some cases much more than this depending on what you are getting done.
If you have overcrowding, you should definitely consider orthodontics. Long term it will likely be cheaper for you to straighten your teeth so they are easier to maintain, and adopt a protocol for brushing and flossing. If you are prone to cavities you might want to look into cavity reducing programs, such as “Caries-Free” which neutralizes the pH in your mouth, which in effect makes the bacteria less virulent.
Your headaches, may have to do with your jaw joints, and removing your teeth will likely make this worse.
Again, without seeing your teeth, it’s hard to comment. But saving your teeth in general is usually a better long-term solution and often more cost-effective as well.
Hope that helps.
Dr. Chai