Dentures for Missing Teeth
Do you or someone you know where dentures?
As we’ve discussed in this post, when seeking a solution for one or more missing teeth, we usually have to choose between Dentures or Dental Implants.
Sure, dental bridges can mind the gap between a missing tooth – or teeth – by joining an artificial tooth permanently to adjacent teeth or dental implants…but we’ve also previously discussed the multiple missing tooth solutions here.
Today, we’re talking dentures – and more specifically the stigma that is often associated with dentures.
What Are Dentures?
According to Dr. Google, dentures are a removable plate or frame holding one or more artificial teeth.
But as we can see from the image below, dentures may not be the best, most popular, or most highly recommended solution for one or more missing teeth anymore.
Aside from the myriad of problems denture wearers experience – jawbone loss, slipping, daily cleaning requirements, comfort issues – dentures also come with emotional baggage.
But that might not be the only reason why dentures could be going the way of the DoDo.
The Dentures Stigma
According to this entertaining post by Remin Media about Madonna losing her denture in yet another on-stage smooch, citing this Biting Into Denture Care survey about dentures conducted by Survata, there is a stigma associated with dentures.
One of the most interesting points was that nearly 63% of denture wearers said they’d kept their dentures a secret from someone.
The Remin Media post and associated Survata survey go on to mention that of those 63% or denture wearers that chose to keep it a secret…
– 32% didn’t tell their friends.
– 10% didn’t tell their sibling(s).
And perhaps the most shocking…
– 7% of denture wearers even managed to keep it a secret from their spouse!
How could you possibly keep that kind of secret from a spouse, not how in terms of guilt or responsibility – but how – in terms of how wouldn’t your spouse know you wear dentures?
The survey also went on to reveal the following about the dentures stigma:
– The biggest misconception about dentures is that they’re only for grandma and grandpa (59%).
– More than half (53%) of respondents were 44 years of age or younger when they first got dentures.
– Nearly two in five (38%) denture wearers admit that wearing dentures has affected their career, with 37% intimidated to network with other professionals and 33% experiencing a lack of confidence in meetings.
– Nearly a quarter of respondents have avoided going on job interviews.
– 20% are afraid to smile.
– 10% have avoided certain social situations like eating at parties or weddings.
– 42% said their dentures had a negative impact on their love life, with a quarter (24%) afraid to kiss someone passionately.
“It is clear from these survey findings that denture wearers’ relationship with dentures is complicated,” said Joe Buttermore, Senior Brand Manager for Polident and Super Poligrip.
“We see a need to make a positive shift to people’s belief systems about wearing dentures.”
What do you think, is there a stigma associated with dentures?
Martha certainly doesn’t think so, she just tells it like it is!
Would you go to such great lengths to hide the fact that you wear dentures?
And if so, why wouldn’t you consider dental implants as a better alternative…judging of course that you would be a good candidate?
