Although dentures or "false teeth" may have been worn by humans as far back as 4,500 years ago, the need for this form of dental care is declining along with the advancements in health care and better nutritional habits. According to a 2002 article in The Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry, the need for dentures has decreased by 10 percent each decade for the last 30 years. Yet this does not mean that dentures will no longer be needed: The number potential denture customers is expected to grow from 34 million in 1991 to 38 million in 2020, with the past decreases more than offset by the aging of the population. Many of these dentures will be partial rather than full.
Early History
In the past, malnutrition and illness were among the main reasons for the loss of teeth. How foods were produced presented another dental problem. Breads that were made from early flour milling processes, for instance, often contained sand. The grit wore the teeth down and caused damage and decay.
Purpose
Dentures began to be used in place of lost teeth for a number of reasons, the most important one being survival. Since it was often difficult to obtain soft food during early historic times, some people with few or no teeth actually starved to death. Second, dentures were worn for social standing; people without teeth were frequently shunned. During the Middle Ages, it was much more important for a woman to have teeth than to be physically attractive in other ways in order to be considered for marriage.
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Materials
Historians confirm that dentures have been in use to replace lost teeth at least since 700 B.C. Dentures have been made from a wide variety of materials, including the teeth of cadavers stolen by grave robbers. During the Napoleonic wars, scavengers took the best teeth from dead soldiers. Early false teeth were made out of ivory, which tended to rot over longer periods of time. Toward the end of the 1700s, teeth were being made out of porcelain, a material that chipped easily and was excessively white. Now dentures are made from synthetic materials, including plastics such as acrylic.
George Washington
Of course, the most famous false teeth throughout history are the ones worn by George Washington, the first president of the United States. As a child, he took a medicine called calomel, which damaged the enamel on his teeth. However, historians now say that Washington did not have wooden dentures. Instead, his false teeth were made from hippopotamus and elephant ivory as well as human teeth. Over his lifetime, Washington had several different sets of dentures.
Partial Dentures
Increasing numbers of people are getting partial dentures rather than full ones. These partial removable appliances are practical when only a few of the teeth are missing. They are designed to anchor the remaining natural teeth. By doing so, they greatly enhance appearance and keep natural teeth from shifting into areas where teeth have been extracted and left an unoccupied space.
Dental Implants
As the number of older people increases, there is a need for other ways to solve the problem of lost teeth. One of these is dental implants, or permanent dental replacements. Once they are put into place, these dental implants can last the rest of a person's life, as long as the person does not smoke cigarettes and practices acceptable oral hygiene habits This alternative to dentures has a better appearance and is much more functional than dentures.
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