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28 On October 2, 2015, Dr. Stephen Matarazzo was asked by the Academy of General Dentistry to present his course on treating patients with full dentures. More than 50 dentists attended the meeting from all over the state of Massachusetts. It was the largest turnout that the Massachusetts AGD has ever had. Losing one's teeth can be a traumatic experience, both physically and mentally. The psychological effects that accompany the loss of teeth often include insecurities, social isolation and depression. The physical effects of pain, weight loss and poor nutrition can be even more debilitating. The majority of people I see with an existing set of full dentures are suffering from great pain and poor retention. They are eating denture paste every day and they experience difficulty when chewing and suffer from the embarrassment of an unnatural smile. Once a person loses his or her teeth, I feel that our society and most dentists have come to accept this suffering as a fact of life. Patients and dentists alike think that this is what dentures are supposed to feel like -- because they are dentures. This cannot be further from the truth. Creating full dentures follows the same rules that dentists follow when rehabilitating. The results Dr. Matarazzo Presents at the Academy of General Dentistry by Dr. Stephen Matarazzo