There’s a story sometimes told to kids when they’re learning about George Washington. In this story, George Washington isn’t only the first president of the United States, but also had wooden teeth. This is infinitely more exciting for first graders to find out than discussing the hardship of that winter spent at Valley Forge.

The real story of Washington’s teeth is that, yes, he lost them at an early age. However, the replacements were not made of wood, but of hippopotamus ivory and gold. He had two sets of these false teeth made for him by a dentist named Dr. John Greenwood. They were upper and lower sets of teeth, made of gold plates and connected by springs. These springs pushed the plates against the ridges of Washington’s mouth to hold them in place. It took active participation on Washington’s part to close his mouth and make his teeth bite together. His jaw would pop open if he relaxed his jaw at all.

These false teeth, or denture, have come a long way since the 18th century. People still lose teeth even though dentistry and oral health has improved by leaps and bounds. People can lose some or all of their teeth through periodontal disease, injury, or tooth decay. This obviously makes it difficult to eat many types of food, and can lead to sagging facial muscles. Even trying to speak clearly becomes a challenge. However, with advanced technology in dentistry comes advancement in how dentures are created. They still perform the same function as they did for Washington, but are obviously much better (even without the gold). These new dentures look more natural and are more comfortable than those made only 30 years ago.

Dentures can be full or partial. A complete set will cover both upper and lower jaws, while partials are used to replace only a few teeth.

Complete Dentures

A conventional denture is placed in the mouth after all the teeth have been removed. The gum tissue must heal completely before this procedure can continue and may take several months. An immediate denture can be put into your mouth as soon as the teeth are removed. You won’t miss a day with teeth if you get immediate dentures. After taking measurements of your mouth, models of your jaw are made.

Saliva fills the space between the upper denture and your mouth to create a vacuum and keep the dentures in place. Lower dentures are made so that your tongue has space, and rest on the ridge and gums.

Practicing good oral hygiene is essential when you have dentures. Brushing your gums, tongue and palate before putting in your dentures everyday is important.

Partial Dentures

A partial denture is for those who are only missing a few teeth. They can be permanent or removable. The partial can be attached to teeth with clasps, or attached to crowns and hidden clasps. In each case, they are made to match your natural teeth color.

The longer you go without a full set of teeth as you age, the worse the sagging facial muscles will take their toll. For example, the distance between your chin and your nose will decrease as the upper and lower bone begin to retreat and force themselves forward at the same time.

While dentures don’t last forever and need to be replaced every five to seven years, you must also see your dentist every two years to have them “relined.” This is because they become looser as you wear them.