You probably know more people in your age group with dentures than you realize. According to Louisiana State University Health Shreveport, 69 percent of adults between 35 and 44 have lost one or more permanent teeth, and 26 percent of adults aged 74 are missing all of them. Young people can lose teeth due to gum disease and tooth decay, or they may suffer from dental abnormalities such as ectodermal dysplasia.
Younger patients may feel especially sensitive about their appearance when having dentures fitted, but dentists offer treatment options that help avoid embarrassment. Having removed the remaining permanent teeth, the dentist must wait several months while the gums change shape before they can receive permanent dentures. During this time, the patient can choose to have no teeth, or wear immediate dentures. Fitted directly after tooth extraction, immediate dentures ensure there’s no awkward toothless period.