In a purely physical sense, dentures have to fit in your mouth, but they also have to fit into your life. Sometimes, this is a harder challenge, and making sure dentures fit your life means taking into account your personality.
Physical, Emotional, and Social Needs
To be satisfied with your dentures, they have to help you meet your needs. When it comes to dentures, there are many ways that dentures can promote or interfere with your ability to meet basic physical needs. For example, dentures can make it hard to eat or drink. They can pose a challenge for healthy breathing if not properly fitted or if you have to take them out at night.
But dentures can play an even bigger role in your ability to meet your social and emotional needs, such as for:
- Order and control in life
- Feelings of competency
- Security
- Social approval
- Love and romance
- Self-enhancement and personal growth
Your sense of self can be dramatically impacted by your dentures. If, for example, your dentures won’t stay in place and come out at inopportune times, it may impact your feelings that you are in control of your life. And if your dentures make it hard to speak clearly or walk quickly, it can make you feel less competent.
Personality Types
However, not everyone has the same level of tolerance for dentures that don’t help them meet their needs. Some people become very upset if dentures don’t help them fully achieve their goals. Other people are perfectly content with dentures that are only somewhat helpful or interfere slightly.
Dentists have divided denture patients into four classes of people for their expectations of dentures:
- Philosophical
- Exacting
- Hysterical
- Indifferent
Philosophical patients have reasonable expectations for dentures. They generally take good care of their teeth and their dentures, and they understand that dentures come with certain limitations. These patients tend to have the best satisfaction with dentures.
Exacting patients may have unrealistic expectations for what dentures can do. They may also demand that dentists try to save teeth that are beyond saving. Although they expect dentists to deliver the highest quality results, they may not be willing to pay appropriate costs for those results.
Hysterical patients tend to neglect their oral health until a crisis occurs. They may also have unrealistic expectations that are often the result of inadequate knowledge about dentures. Because they may not do what is required of them, these patients may not get the best results from their dentures.
Indifferent patients have low expectations for dentures in terms of appearance and function, so they’re not disappointed. But they may also not get the best results because they don’t strive to achieve them.
Some studies looking at the satisfaction of traditional personality types, A, B, and AB found that type A personalities have the lowest denture satisfaction.
Dentures That Can Satisfy Your Demands
No matter your personality type, you can have a satisfying experience with your dentures, if you choose the right dentures–and the right denture dentist.
FOY® Dentures are designed to give the best function and to have the most attractive appearance. They are expertly fitted using neuromuscular dentistry, which can make your dentures more comfortable and functional. Plus they’re made with the best materials and techniques to give them the most attractive, natural appearance.
Combining FOY® Dentures with dental implants makes them even more functional and can improve your satisfaction even more.
If you are looking for the right denture dentist, you can start by contacting a local FOY® Dentures dentist today for an appointment.
