Dentures are false teeth or 'plates', made mostly of plastic, that replace missing or lost teeth.
Newer materials and technology have allowed great improvements. You can read about the history of dentures here.
Having trouble eating? Are you ashamed of how your teeth look?
The choice to remove all of your teeth and have dentures made is a huge and often very difficult decision to make.
You have probably seen people that clearly have embarrassing and unaesthetic dentures.
Well-made dentures fit well and look good.
If you are thinking about getting dentures, you want to make sure your dentures are done right. We offer that at Smile Family Dentistry.
Dentures are different than your natural teeth. At best, they are about one-third to one-half as effective in chewing as natural teeth.
Learning to chew food and talk again will take patience and practice. You might have to cut your food into smaller pieces than you did when you had your natural teeth. Food will always get under any appliance.
You will have to learn how to use and adjust to your dentures. For some people, this can take up to several months.
We have never failed to help a patient adjust to their new dentures if they continue to work with us to solve the problems that do occur.
Yearly checkups are advised to catch problems early.
Because your mouth continues to change, and bone only disappears, it is advisable to reline any appliance at least every three years.
These include oral conscious sedation, non-lingering Novocain, and the new affordable mini-implants that guarantee secure, successful dentures in a simple, painless procedure.
Are you unable to eat what you want? Are they too loose? Are you embarrassed to go out in public? Are you plagued with constant sore spots? Do you have trouble talking? Does your fear of smiling keep you from socializing or dining out with friends and family?
Problems such as clicking, slipping, frequent gum irritation and odor may be signs that your dentures don't fit well, need to be adjusted, relined, or remade.
Mini-implants are a reliable and affordable solution to restore your quality of life by securing your dentures so that you feel confident when you smile.
You can read about caring for your dentureshere.
Dentures can be either complete or partial.
Complete dentures are made for people who have lost all of their teeth.
Partial dentures are used when it is necessary to replace some but not all teeth. A partial denture usually has a metal framework with metal clasps and is attached to nearby teeth.
There are also immediate dentures when teeth are extracted and also various implant dentures.
If all of the teeth have been previously removed, the denture base is composed of acrylic, and the teeth are acrylic or porcelain, it is considered a Conventional Denture.
A complete denture is made when there are no teeth left in the arch. If you are having a complete denture made, it is likely that you have previously had a denture.
If teeth are removed when the denture is inserted, it is considered an immediate denture.
Many people believe that they will have to be without teeth for a period of time, this is not true.
An immediate denture is placed over the open sockets where teeth have been removed the same day.
This difficult step is often very challenging and close cooperation with the dentist is essential. Sore spots will have to be adjusted, they do not go away.
Another challenge of immediate dentures is that there is no way to "try" the new dentures and see what they are going to look like. There are teeth in the way!
This is why an immediate denture is often considered a TEMPORARY OR TREATMENT DENTURE. It may be followed in 6 months to a year with a permanent conventional denture.
If this is necessary to do, it increases the cost of treatment substantially. Our office makes every effort to minimize this possibility but if it is necessary, the final conventional denture is made at a reduced cost.
An overdenture is a complete denture that sets on the roots of some remaining teeth.
An overdenture can be most helpful for the lower jaw. However, it is an option for almost anyone who has a few teeth remaining.
Teeth that will be preserved with an overdenture must meet certain standards of health.
Canines and premolars are the most common teeth selected because of their root length and position in the jaw. A root canal is necessary, and often the teeth are covered by a metal casting to keep them from decaying. The roots supply support for chewing and help retain the denture in place.
Partial Dentures replace some but not all of the teeth. The remaining teeth are used to support and retain the partial Denture.
This is usually accomplished with a metal framework with clasps. Teeth are set on the framework and a minimum of metal is exposed.
The design of the partial denture includes transferring the chewing forces in a healthy way to the remaining teeth without wiggling them loose, consideration of adequate retention, esthetics, food getting trapped, and gum disease.
It is not usually possible to make a partial denture that does not collect some food. After eating, remove the partial denture and clean your mouth of food.
Nylon partial denture - This is often a low-cost alternative to a metal framework partial denture. Though it does not have any metal clasps and is, therefore, more esthetic, it encourages bacteria buildup and promotes loss of teeth from the increased gum disease. It also does not transfer the chewing forces to the remaining teeth, but rather is able to contribute to teeth getting loose. We do not provide this service for these reasons.
Flipper partial denture - A 'flipper' is made of acrylic and is intended to be temporary. It replaces one or more teeth for a few weeks until another form of treatment (bridge, implants) can be completed. Such a denture can be placed right away, or soon after a tooth is extracted. However, it is not meant to be a permanent solution.
Implants have become successful for many applications. Dental implants are titanium alloy fixtures that are placed into the bone and integrate (attach) to the jaw bone during a process known as osseointegration.
Implants were originally developed to replace missing teeth, but have also been successful in complete dentures and partial dentures.
Dental implants provide two main advantages: they can be large enough and strong enough to withstand chewing forces, and they are also used to retain dentures in place offering a high degree of confidence that is not always possible with conventional dentures.
These are less than half the size of conventional implants and are not large enough to use for chewing, they are used only to retain and secure a denture. So many people have had difficulty with their loose lower dentures that they are often referred to as "floaters".
When four mini-implants are placed in the lower jaw, it is a short appointment and the dentures are sent out to the lab and in the afternoon the dentures are ready to be used with confidence. They stay in place.
It is such an amazing transformation that we have kept the cost down so that it is affordable to everyone.
The first appointment will be to complete an examination and take impressions.
This is followed in a week by an appointment to take recordings of your bite.
A week later, you will be able to look at and approve the esthetics and bite. If how you look is important to someone, such as your spouse, bring them to this appointment. If you have pictures of your natural teeth and would like your new teeth to look similar, bring pictures of you showing your natural teeth.
The important consideration is the color and arrangement of the teeth for proper function and esthetics. This step may take more than one appointment.
The next step is to insert and adjust your dentures and follow up the next day to minimize sore spots.
From start to delivery usually takes between 5 and 8 weeks.
The amount of saliva and the anatomy of your mouth will determine the amount of retention your dentures will have.
The lower denture will never have the same suction as the upper because of anatomy.
To keep from breaking the plastic on your denture, it is a good idea to place a towel in the sink or fill the sink with water in case you accidentally drop the denture.
Gently brush the partial denture every day to remove food deposits and plaque.
Brushing your denture helps prevent the appliance from becoming stained. A regular, soft-bristled toothbrush is acceptable.
Avoid using a brush with hard bristles, which can change the fit of the denture to your tissue, and over time remove the plastic.
You may use hand soap or mild dishwashing liquid to clean your dentures. Other types of household cleaners and many kinds of toothpaste are too abrasive and should not be used for cleaning dentures.
Clean your dentures, partial dentures, or false teeth by thoroughly rinsing off loose food particles. Moisten the brush and apply the denture cleaner. Brush all denture surfaces gently to avoid damaging the plastic or bending the attachments.
A denture could lose its proper shape if it is not kept moist. At night, the denture should be placed in a soaking solution or water. However, if the appliance has metal attachments, it could be tarnished if placed in a soaking solution.
If you have additional questions about dentures, or to schedule a consultation with us, please give us a call at 925-825-1130 today!