DENTURES & PARTIAL DENTURES
As we age, many of us lose teeth due to damage, decay, and gum disease, but we can maintain full smiles, chewing capabilities, and smooth articulation thanks to dentures. These removable pieces are usually a more cost-effective method of keeping your fully functioning mouth compared with a series of permanent artificial implants. If you’re in the Arcadia, California area, call UDental or book an appointment online to ask Dr. Steven Charng if dentures are the best option for you.
How do dentures work?
There are two types of dentures: complete and partial.
With complete dentures, you’ve lost all your natural teeth, or your dentist needed to extract the last few due to decay, infection, or damage. Your dentist customizes a removable lower and upper set of artificial teeth and gums known as complete dentures.
Partial dentures are similar but crafted with gaps so they fit like a puzzle around at least one remaining natural tooth, upper or lower. They can be removable like complete dentures, or they can be fixed bridges cemented into place to fill a gap between natural teeth.
How are dentures custom made?
Dentures are fabricated with specialized plastics where the base is colored to resemble gums, and the artificial teeth are natural-looking shades of white.
With partial dentures and fixed bridges, your dentist closely matches colors to your surrounding real teeth. But there are several steps toward ensuring the fit of complete and partial dentures:
- Taking mouth impressions for measurements and initial alignment
- Sculpting and trying on wax models for fit, comfort, and function
- Casting a real plastic upper and lower denture
- Adjusting as needed in follow-up visits
The process has two variables. Fixed bridges also involve crowning the surrounding natural teeth and often securing the artificial tooth into place with metal clasps.
For complete dentures, the process can either begin immediately after the last natural teeth are out or not until two to three months later when the gum sockets heal, so you don’t need as many adjustments.
What are the benefits of dentures?
Dentures are typically more economical than implants for replacing most or all of your permanent teeth. Among many more benefits of dentures, they:
- Restore ease of chewing food
- Protect your gums from biting hard food
- Insulate your gums more from hot and cold food and drinks
- Maintain your ability to pronounce certain words
- Return a full, healthy smile to your face
What are the best tips for using dentures?
Dr. Charng recommends some patience since your jaw, tongue, and facial muscles need to adapt a little to your dentures. You may produce extra saliva and experience minor discomfort or trouble with perfect diction, but this improves with time and practice.
Whenever laughing or coughing loosens your dentures, realign them by biting down hard and swallowing. Be careful with very hot or cold drinks and food since your artificial teeth won’t sense pain.
After your adjustment period, take your dentures out at night for rest and cleaning. Lastly, ask Dr. Charng about adhesives if your dentures start to slip out of place, which often produces a clicking sound.
When you’ve finally lost one too many teeth, it’s time to restore your full smile, biting abilities, and articulation. If you live or work in the Arcadia, California region, call UDental or make an appointment online now to speak with Dr. Charng about getting dentures.