{"id":102,"date":"2020-10-13T22:59:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-13T22:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marshdentalpa.com\/blog\/?p=102"},"modified":"2020-11-12T23:02:47","modified_gmt":"2020-11-12T23:02:47","slug":"evolution-of-dentures-missing-teeth-allentown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marshdentalpa.com\/blog\/2020\/10\/13\/evolution-of-dentures-missing-teeth-allentown\/","title":{"rendered":"How Dentures Have Evolved & What You Can Expect from Them Now"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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According to recent studies, it\u2019s estimated that 178 million Americans are missing at least one tooth, and about 40 million don\u2019t have any teeth at all. However, tooth loss certainly isn\u2019t a new problem. Thankfully, dentures<\/a> of today look and feel very different than the ones worn by President George Washington. In fact, dentures were helping people regain their smiles long before the first president of the US began to lose his teeth. Read on to learn more about the fascinating evolution of dentures and why they\u2019re still such a popular choice for replacing missing teeth in Allentown today!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Where Dentures Started<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Historians believe that the earliest version of dentures was created and used in 700 B.C. Even back then, people wanted to replace their teeth with something that looked lifelike and could function well. That\u2019s why the first dentures were constructed with real animal or human teeth. Throughout the years, a wide variety of somewhat natural-looking and reliable materials have been used to fashion replacement teeth, including ivory, bone, and shells.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Industrial Revolution and Denture Technology<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

During the Industrial Revolution, refined sugar became affordable and easily accessible to the public, which caused cavities, infected teeth, and tooth loss to skyrocket. Thankfully, denture technology improved in the 1700s with the introduction of dentures made of porcelain. However, these dentures looked unnaturally white, chipped easily, and were too expensive for many people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the mid-1800s, an alternate type of denture was crafted from hardened rubber. Not only were these dentures cheaper, but they could be molded to the gums for a much better fit. These were widely used until the 20th<\/sup> century, when acrylic resin became the norm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

George Washington\u2019s \u201cWooden Teeth\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

President George Washington struggled with his oral health for his entire life. When he was inaugurated, he only had one natural tooth left, and by the time he was 57, he had lost all his teeth. He went through five pairs of dentures, all carefully crafted out of human tooth structure, animal teeth, and ivory. These early materials tended to stain very quickly, which could have given them a somewhat \u201cwooden\u201d complexion. Unfortunately, not only were these dentures discolored, but they often smelled bad and were very uncomfortable to wear as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Benefits of Dentures Today<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thankfully, dentures have come a long way since George Washington\u2019s time. In fact, modern dentures are a popular tooth replacement option because of benefits like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n