Saying hello to dentures doesn't mean you have to say good-bye to all of your natural teeth. There are some advantages to retaining selected teeth under dentures instead of having them extracted. But if you keep them, you'll have to remember to take care of them, says Dr. Ronald L. Ettinger, professor of prosthodontics at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.

People who use overdentures--dentures fitted over selected teeth that are specially prepared to serve as supports--have fewer problems with thinning of the jawbone than those who have all their teeth removed, says Ettinger. "Leaving some teeth in the mouth can improve the stability of the dentures, and for some people, it may improve their ability to chew," he says. Studies have shown that overdenture wearers are able to bite with one-third more force than those who have all their teeth extracted and wear complete dentures, he notes.

Keeping those teeth may also make it psychologically easier for some people to accept dentures, he adds.

The College of Dentistry's prosthodontics department has monitored patients with overdentures since 1973 and has followed over 350 patients who are using them. "We have documented that if patients follow a preventive regimen, it is possible to retain their natural teeth in a healthy state for over 20 years," Ettinger notes.

That regimen includes the following steps:

• Remove all dentures from the mouth for six to eight hours a day, preferably while sleeping. Saliva neutralizes acids that can cause tooth decay, but its production is greatly reduced during sleep. Removing dentures during that time allows the saliva to act on acids that have formed on natural teeth.
• After eating, remove and rinse your dentures. Then rinse your mouth before putting dentures back in place.
• Brush your teeth at least twice a day with a fluoride toothpaste.
• Use a high concentration prescription fluoride gel once a day or a sodium fluoride mouth rinse three times a day. If you use a gel, place one drop in each tooth depression in the denture, replace the denture in your mouth and do not eat or drink anything for at least 30 minutes.

Overdenture wearers should see their dentist every six months to have their teeth and dentures checked, Ettinger adds.