Dentures
Do you have some missing teeth that you want to replace? Do you want a brilliant set of teeth you can wear so you can continue smiling, eating, and speaking perfectly?
With full and partial dentures, you can restore your teeth for an affordable cost, regardless of whether you’ve lost some of your teeth or all of them. Please continue reading for a detailed overview of full and partial dentures.
Types of Dentures
Dentures are appliances you wear on your mouth to protect your gums and also serve the function of teeth if you’re missing your actual teeth. Dentures generally come with a gum-colored plastic base that’s connected to a metal wire that holds the dentures in place in your mouth.
The types of dentures can be divided either according to their permanence or the number of teeth they cover. The following are the various types of dentures.
Complete and Partial Dentures
A complete denture is a set of complete teeth and it’s used if you’re lost all of your teeth. This essentially replaces all of the teeth in your mouth.
A partial denture, meanwhile, is a denture set with just the missing teeth. If you’re not missing all of your teeth, then you can go for partial dentures. In some cases, partial dentures are held by clasps and in other cases, they’re held by precision attachments hooked to your teeth.
Temporary and Permanent Dentures
Temporary dentures are immediate dentures that a dentist gives you immediately after the removal of teeth due to injuries, fractures, or gum disease. You have to wear them for the first few months after the tooth extraction to protect your sensitive gums. Temporary dentures are usually prepared before the tooth removal over a period of four to five dental sessions. But since these are prepared before the tooth extraction, the fit is often not precise and needs further adjustment.
Permanent dentures are made after the tooth removal, once the dentist has taken a precise impression of your teeth. It takes around six weeks to prepare permanent dentures, during which time you have to continue wearing temporary dentures. Once you get your permanent dentures, you should continue wearing them all the time for a few days so any anomalies become noticeable. Once you’re confident that the permanent denture is a good fit for your mouth, you can take them off whenever necessary.
What are the Alternative Options to Dental Implants?
Dentures are often considered to be a cheap alternative to dental implants, a surgical procedure in which the dentist lodges a post into your jawbone to support dental crowns. While dental implants are far more permanent, stable, and durable than dentures, they’re also a lot more expensive and invasive.
Importance of Dentures
Dentures aren’t necessary for everyone. If you just have one or two missing teeth, you can bridge the gap using a dental bridge as well. But if you have several missing teeth, then getting dental bridges for all of them will be extremely expensive.
The following are some of the primary reasons you should use dentures:
- Partial dentures enhance your oral health because they prevent the surrounding teeth from destabilizing and drifting.
- None of your actual teeth have to be altered to shaved in order to accommodate the dentures.
- You can remove the dentures whenever you want.
- Since no alterations are made to your actual teeth, you can opt for other restorative treatments in the future if you want.
Schedule a Dentures Appointment
How are Dentures Made?
The following is a brief overview of how dentures are made:
- You consult your dentist to consider your tooth replacement options and which type of dentures you should go for.
- The dentist takes impressions of your mouth, teeth, and jaws using a dental mold. The dentist will also record your teeth’s actual shade and take accurate measurements to check the alignment of your teeth.
- The dentist will send the measurements and mold to a laboratory so they can create plastic models of the dentures. You’ll try these dentures to determine if they fit correctly and if any adjustments are necessary.
- Once you’re satisfied with the dentures, the dentist will order the complete dentures.
- You’ll receive the final permanent dentures in a few weeks and you can wear them whenever you want.
Affordable Dentures Cost
Depending on the quality and type of denture, you can find dentures in a wide range of prices. Some of the cheapest dentures are available for as little as $500 whereas some of the most expensive heat-cured dentures may also be available at over $4,000. In some cases, insurances cover the cost of dentures, but up to a certain limit so you may still have to pay for a lot of it out of pocket.
Permanent Dentures Maintenance
It’s important to take good care of your partial dentures, complete dentures, or permanent dentures. The following are some denture maintenance tips you can follow:
- Use a dentist-recommended denture cleanser, one with a seal of approval from American Dental Association Seal of Acceptance.
- Be sure to clean the denture over a bowl of water or a wet towel so that it doesn’t accidentally fall on to the floor and get contaminated.
- Don’t use abrasive cleansers like household products, hand soap, dishwashing soap, etc. They can damage the dentures.
- Brush the dentures every day to prevent the accumulation of stains, plaque, or tartar.
- Use denture-specific toothbrushes to brush the denture or use soft-bristled toothbrushes.
- Use a mild denture cleanser to thoroughly clean the denture and remove all of the stains after eating.
- Dentures should always be kept moist or they start losing their shape and won’t fit in your mouth properly. When you go to sleep, be sure to keep your dentures in a bowl or glass of water or a dentist-recommended soaking solution.
- Rinse the dentures every time before putting them into your mouth.
Permanent Dentures Adjustment
As you get older, the shape of your mouth changes and your dentures will need to be adjusted accordingly. If your dentures, no longer fit correctly you should contact your dentist immediately because an ill-fitting dentures can hurt you or lead to infections and sores. You should also avoid trying to adjust the denture on your own as they can damage the dentures. You should also avoid using do-it-yourself methods, denture adhesives, glues, or other tools because they can further damage your dentures and make adjustment difficult. In some cases, poorly adjusted dentures can also affect your oral health. Only your dentist can adjust the denture correctly.
Schedule a Dentures Appointment
At URBN Dental Uptown , we create the perfect set of affordable dentures for your mouth. These dentures look like a perfectly even set of teeth and they can restore your beautiful smile. For more information, please schedule a dentures appointment today.