Why don't people have all their teeth removed?

[Dragoonster]

I've never understood why everyone doesn't simply have all their teeth removed at about age 25 and wear dentures the rest of their lives. I'd think this would be better due to the following:

* Much less risk of a serious medical problem from bad teeth

* MUCH less long-term cost to maintain dentures or get new ones every decade than to continually fill, fix, replace, cap, etc. teeth

* Less symptoms that are frequent but not fixable or return--i.e. intolerance to cold foods like ice cream, or heat, or pain, etc. Even if teeth are fixable, many people have to experience stuff like this for a good % of their lives until they are fixed

* Less risk of getting a tooth problem without access to a dentist/ER, such as on a long camping trip, in a third-world country, etc.

Are dentures actually a health risk too, or cause pain in some people? The only groups I can think of that dentures might negatively effect more than the pretty lousy track record of our teeth (particularly with modern sugar-filled foods and such) would be singers or actors who're afraid it'll affect their voices. But why not otherwise?

 

[Rolfe]

This used to be quite common in Scotland. Girls would have all their teeth out and get a set of dentures for their 21st birthday.

It's not really done now, can't imagine why....

Rolfe.

 

[casebro]

Lower plates don't hardly work. Never stay in place. Uppers are better, but dentures are only the lesser of two evils, the other choice being no teeth at all.

Modern 'implants' might be OK. But the cost for a full set is probably $20,000.

But your concept is not new. The day my Dad reported in to the Army Air Corp, 1943, they pulled seven of his teeth. Age of 23.

 

[GreenLines]

If it were cost affective it would be worth it, but since it likely isn't, there's not much of a point to it.

Some types of implant/dentures, I forget which and how exactly it works, but over time can cause the jawbone to shrink and become brittle, cracking it after a decade or two. If everyone had this in affect, around age 45 people would have to get their jawbone replaced, and I can't imagine that being pleasant. There are types to get around this though, but they likely have their own complications, infection, etc.

 

[Dragoonster]

This used to be quite common in Scotland. Girls would have all their teeth out and get a set of dentures for their 21st birthday.

It's not really done now, can't imagine why....

Rolfe.

Well, modern tooth maintenance can make it so someone has few problems, but it doesn't seem often that it's really followed. I wonder what the average cavity filled tooth amount is, and how much just that cost compared to dentures.

Lower plates don't hardly work. Never stay in place. Uppers are better, but dentures are only the lesser of two evils, the other choice being no teeth at all.

Modern 'implants' might be OK. But the cost for a full set is probably $20,000.

But your concept is not new. The day my Dad reported in to the Army Air Corp, 1943, they pulled seven of his teeth. Age of 23.

Hm, didn't know dentures didn't stay in. I wonder though if most of adult dentristy were concerned with replacing teeth with dentures they'd develop better ones, or the cost on something like implants would drop.

Teeth just seem really problematic for a ton of people and the species in general. My mom has been missing a few teeth for years, uses a partial plate, but has to go the dentist a couple times a year to fix/maintain other teeth with not-cheap procedures. I asked her why she didn't just have them all yanked and she said the dentist refused to do it, that her teeth were still "functional". Yeah, except a lot are discolored, her caps fall out, she doesn't remember her plate all the time, and she frequently has pain until the newest tooth that goes bad if fixed, limiting her diet and enjoyment.

 

[Brian-M]

I've never understood why everyone doesn't simply have all their teeth removed at about age 25 and wear dentures the rest of their lives. I'd think this would be better due to the following:

Here's a few reason's for not doing this:

• Removing all your teeth would be extremely expensive.
• Surgically removing your teeth would carry a high risk of infection and other complications, just like any other form of surgery.
• A painful and prolonged recovery time from the procedure.
• Dentures aren't as good as real teeth. You may have trouble eating tough or very sticky foods, for example.
• Dentures are nowhere near as convenient as real teeth for day-to-day use.
• Potential mates may find you less desirable if they find out you have dentures instead of real teeth.

 

[Dragoonster]

If it were cost affective it would be worth it, but since it likely isn't, there's not much of a point to it.

Some types of implant/dentures, I forget which and how exactly it works, but over time can cause the jawbone to shrink and become brittle, cracking it after a decade or two. If everyone had this in affect, around age 45 people would have to get their jawbone replaced, and I can't imagine that being pleasant. There are types to get around this though, but they likely have their own complications, infection, etc.

that does sound bad.

 

[Dragoonster]

Here's a few reason's for not doing this:

• Removing all your teeth would be extremely expensive.
• Surgically removing your teeth would carry a high risk of infection and other complications, just like any other form of surgery.
• A painful and prolonged recovery time from the procedure.
• Dentures aren't as good as real teeth. You may have trouble eating tough or very sticky foods, for example.
• Dentures are nowhere near as convenient as real teeth for day-to-day use.
• Potential mates may find you less desirable if they find out you have dentures instead of real teeth.

Good points, thanks!

 

[MetalSeagull]

It's not uncommon for people in this area to have healthy teeth pulled so they can get full dentures, but its usually a monetary choice. I work with the elderly and I'd estimate that more than half of my clients have full dentures.

I was planning to use some information from this website, but I found it so interesting, I read the whole thing: http://www.doctorspiller.com/DenturesYesOrNo.htm

 

[Rolfe]

My father said dentures were like having the grand piano on the top and the chest of drawers on the bottom. Very few people who have full dentures seem to regard them as equal or better than their own teeth.

I think NHS dentistry was what saw an end to the "get your teeth pulled for your 21st" habit in Scotland. OK, it's hardy free any more, but it's not expensive for the no-frills care and maintenance, and since the dentists are liable to throw you off their list if you don't come for these pesky checkups, most people obediently trot up every 6 to 12 months.

I had 7 teeth crowned (on the NHS) in about 1982. One of them is giving trouble, now, in 2010. My appointment to have a new crown fitted (again on the NHS) is for Tuesday. The other six ain't broke, neither are the 4 or so more I've had done more recently. They feel like my own teeth.

I'd have an implant before I had wallies, though I'd have to pay full whack for that.

Rolfe.

 

[ThunderChunky]

I like my teeth. Getting all teeth removed would cost a ton. Getting my teeth pulled would be painful. If i was stuck on a deserted island i would much rather have teeth than dentures.

 

[HansMustermann]

Lower plates don't hardly work. Never stay in place. Uppers are better, but dentures are only the lesser of two evils, the other choice being no teeth at all.

Modern 'implants' might be OK. But the cost for a full set is probably $20,000.

But your concept is not new. The day my Dad reported in to the Army Air Corp, 1943, they pulled seven of his teeth. Age of 23.

Actually, probably a lot more than 20 grand.

But you better be prepared to pay that every few years, because anyone who'll tell you that implants are for ever, is really lying his rear off. IIRC on the average, even if you do a really obsessive mouth hygiene, the "half-life" is about 5 years.

And yeah, you're not even getting rid of that chore. It takes a lot less obsessive cleaning your natural teeth to keep them ok, than it takes to keep your implants, umm, at all.

Also, your cells have maximum division counters, including bone cells. At some point, that bone just stops repairing itself around the screw, which is when you lose the implant.

This is important because, basically, you can't just screw in another screw and be done with it. After the first replacement or two, you have to fill the hole with some bone pieces taken from somewhere else (e.g., hip) if you want a replacement screw in the same position.

It's also something that goes from outside to staight in the bone. It's a potential conduit for infections, which is why you end up having to clean those expensive things more obsessively than your natural teeth. Most of the time it just means eventually the bone stops repairing around the screw, but occasionally more severe infections are possible.

Basically I see the point of implants if you had to have your normal teeth removed. But pulling out all teeth to replace them with implants sounds... let's just say about as wise as cutting off a leg so you can get a prosthetic instead.

 

[bynmdsue]

would it be unwise to go about with stainless steel dentures in all day?

from a health standpoint,i mean aesthetically it'd be cool

edit-okay just read the Dentures Yes or No link.

maybe just a bridge.

 

[Dragoonster]

would it be unwise to go about with stainless steel dentures in all day?

from a health standpoint,i mean aesthetically it'd be cool

I swear I've seen a picture of someone with something like that. Maybe it was just a temporary over-tooth gag thing though.

MetalSeagull--that website is fascinating and scary! I had no idea dentures could do that to the underlying bone.

 

[Rrose Selavy]

I've never understood why everyone doesn't simply have all their teeth removed at about age 25 and wear dentures the rest of their lives.

Ok you go first.





If it sounds like such a great idea ask yourself why you haven't you done it already?

-

 

[Uncayimmy]

Ok you go first.


If it sounds like such a great idea ask yourself why you haven't you done it already?
-

Yeh, that's putting the E in JREF. Somebody says that they don't understand why something isn't done, so you challenge him to do it himself. I mean, it's not like he asked other questions like, "are dentures actually a health risk too, or cause pain in some people?"

 

[casebro]

Dad did have an intermediate fix. Wahat with the seven pulled in the army, and a couple more that were going bad, the dentist ground down a couple, put studs into the tooth roots, and got a bridge that snapped on and off of those studs. It lasted about 20 years. Don't know the proper nomenclature.

 

[TheDaver]

MetalSeagull’s link is interesting. Particularly the part where the author describes how with dentures rather than real teeth, your jaw shrinks and deforms your face.

 

[casebro]

And one point for the other side:

I had a wisdom tooth pulled last year. It was only partially emerged and seemed to trap food. Later that day, I sneezed, and blew the clot out- from the nasal side. Seems the tooth root had penetrated the sinus. I could breathe through the socket with my mouth closed. Socket got infected, from food being forced in while chewing. I could push on my cheek and squeeze burning pus into my sinus and down my throat. Took a couple days to get the dentist to issue a prescription for antibiotics, which took ten days to knock out the infection. Too close to the brain for comfort.

Good thing was that my sleep apnea was much improved by removing the root that must have been blocking my sinus. Perhaps if I pursue that track, pulling the opposite third molar would cure my sleep apnea? But i also think I may have supernumerary teeth, 4th molars? If those bulges in the back of my mouth are fourth molars, then I know they are adding to the apnea, they are way inside of the usual row for teeth.

 

[Uncayimmy]

MetalSeagull’s link is interesting. Particularly the part where the author describes how with dentures rather than real teeth, your jaw shrinks and deforms your face.

Interestingly, this definitely happened with my mother, who got full dentures in 40s or 50s as I recall. My father, like someone else posted, got his in the army. I don't think it affected him the same way, but obviously it was much harder to tell. One of my sisters has full dentures, and it hasn't seemed to age her all that much.

I'm not disputing this expert's experience, though. Like with most things, it will probably vary by individual. The degree may not be all that noticeable in some, but I think it's obvious that for others it has a large effect. I never thought about the gag reflex. I have a horrible gag reflex (I gag when brushing my teeth), so it's all the more incentive to avoid dentures. Personally, I had resigned myself to that eventuality considering the problems I've had over the years.