Will dentures cause speech problems? If so how to overcome it?
Q. I have been told that gum disease has caused severe bone loss in my jaw leading to some of my teeth being wobbly and some on the very edge of falling out. The dentist was not even sure if there would be enough bone for implants. I need advice on dentures as I am only 40 and feel devastated about having all my teeth extracted and I am also an opera singer and worry that my singing might be affected by wearing dentures. What type of dentures might be available to me and will it affect my singing.
A. Dentures can cause speach problems, especially the “f” and “V” sounds. This can be managed by adjusting the position of the upper incisors. If you have very little bone available for implants you may need grafting to increase the bone available. There are also a fairly new technique called “all on four”. This attaches a bridge to 4 long implants that are placed into bone buttresses that will be presented in your mouth. The bridge is removed once a year to check the implants and then refixed. Hope this helps
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