According to the American Dental Association, a denture is “An artificial substitute for some or all of the natural teeth and adjacent tissues.” A denture is a way to replace missing teeth & serves the same function of fixed prosthetics (Implants & Bridges); however, dentures can be removed & reinserted in the oral cavity at any point. Dentures provide the opportunity to restore an individual’s smile & allow a patient to have improved chewing capabilities. Dentures are a staple within the dental community. With proper anatomical structures, dentures can be an awesome option to replace teeth that have been lost to decay or trauma. Removable dentures can replace a partial or complete set of teeth.
Dentures
What are Dentures?
Take the time to read more about dentures below:
Steps to Receive Dentures
- Visit our office in order to obtain a denture consultation. A thorough examination of the mouth will allow us to evaluate the anatomical structures. During this evaluation, we will look at whether you have an adequate amount of bone & soft tissue quality to be considered a strong candidate for implant placement. We will also review other options including implant & bridge placement.
- Denture Impression – If willing to proceed with denture placement, we will take an upper and lower impression of your jaw & jaw relation records to fabricate a denture that fits with your particular anatomy.
- Aesthetic Appointment – A denture wax up will be fabricated. The dentist will try in the denture & analyze whether the denture fits appropriately in the mouth & meets your expectation in term of smile & color design.
- Denture Delivery – The wax up will be sent to a lab where acrylic will replace the wax in the denture. The acrylic will be polished & coordinated to a pre-set color in the mouth. We will adjust the dentures during this appointment to custom fit the oral cavity. Once adjusted, the denture should fit appropriately in the mouth. The denture fit is largely dependent on the quality & amount of bone left in the oral cavity.
Dentures | Frequently Asked Questions
Can Dentures Last a Lifetime?
It is very difficult to determine the length of time a denture can last. Our oral cavity is constantly changing throughout our life. Bone becomes remodeled & reshaped depending on how forces are allocated within the mouth as well as the age of the patient. Dentures fit most appropriately immediately after delivery. With time, this fit can be reduced. However, there are a variety of ways to adjust the denture including but not limited to denture relining. However, if the denture starts to become too loose, the dentist can take another impression & provide a similar denture that adapts to the newly remodeled mouth.
How Will I Look After Denture Delivery?
Our teeth & jawbone provide support for our lips, cheeks & other soft tissue structures. Thus, a denture will provide that needed support in order to give a more natural appearance at a resting or smiling position. We can adjust the dentures to closely mimic your natural look.
Will My Speech Be Affected After Dentures?
As mentioned on the implant page, teeth allow us to speak in a certain manner. The ways we rest our tongue on our teeth while we speak allow us to enunciate certain letters or words. Thus, dentures will change your speech. You should expect a period of time to learn how to enunciate words and letters with the new set of dentures. With time, this process will become comfortable & appropriate speech patterns developed.
Can I Chew Food with Dentures?
A dietary change may be recommended when obtaining your set of dentures. Dentures are removable; thus, highly sticky substances such as taffy can cause the dentures to dislocate. Further, we do not advocate for a hard food diet since this is more likely to fracture the acrylic. However, most of the time minimal adjustments to the diet are needed to allow for a comfortable denture experience.
What is the Denture Hygiene Regimen?
A denture brush or toothbrush will suffice in cleaning dentures. It is important to take the dentures out and clean the undersurface because oral bacteria begin to accumulate over time. Make sure to take the dentures out before sleeping. If you do not have a rigorous cleaning habit, the dentures may develop an odor that will be unpleasant to those around you!