DenturesMost people take their teeth for granted and don’t think about how tricky everyday activities such as eating, and speaking are without them. Prematurely losing your adult teeth because of tooth decay, gum disease or trauma is, unfortunately, all too common. Partial or full dentures are removable appliances and are an easy way to replace several missing teeth or even complete arches of teeth.

Why Choose Dentures?

Unlike other types of tooth replacement, dentures1 don’t require any kind of surgery and modifications to your teeth are only likely to be minor, such as slightly adjusting a tooth so a denture clasp can fit more snugly. This treatment can be far more appealing for anyone who feels nervous about the idea of surgery or more invasive dental treatment, or who is unable to have the oral surgery needed for other procedures, for example, dental implants. Custom-Designed to Look Natural

You can forget about old-fashioned dentures that were perhaps worn by your parents or grandparents. Today’s dentures are far more sophisticated! Here at McLoughlin Dental Care, our dentist Dr. Donald Nimz can custom-design your denture, ensuring it looks very natural. There is a massive choice of denture teeth so we can help you select the size and shape of teeth that is most complimentary to your appearance, ensuring the characteristics of these teeth match your gender and personality. We can choose a natural-looking alignment for your denture teeth. Of course, if you’d prefer a perfectly straight smile, we can do this too!

Modern Dentures Feel Comfortable

It is crucial to ensure your new dentures feel comfortable so you can easily wear them throughout the day. There are lots of different things we can do to make sure your dentures are comfortable to wear, including adjusting the fit surface and even relining them. Every denture is specifically designed to ensure you can eat and talk comfortably. If you currently struggle with failing and painful teeth, having well-fitting dentures can be quite the revelation.

Dentures Can Improve Your Appearance

Have you noticed how often people who have lost all their teeth look prematurely aged? This can happen because tooth loss changes the overall dimensions of your face and without proper support, facial features can collapse inward, creating unwanted lines and wrinkles. Dentures provide the correct amount of support for your facial muscles in your cheeks and lips and will restore your face to its proper dimensions.

What Is the Difference between Full and Partial Dentures?

Full dentures replace an entire arch of teeth. If you have lost all your lower teeth, the denture is constructed in a horseshoe shape, covering the bony ridge that used to support your natural teeth. A full denture to replace all your upper teeth is constructed to cover the upper palate, so it is larger. This design is necessary to provide adequate suction or retention to hold the denture firmly in place. Full dentures are made from gum-colored acrylic that supports the denture teeth.

Partial dentures can restore one or more missing teeth in the same arch. While partial dentures still have gum-colored acrylic, most are strengthened by metal, using a lightweight cobalt chrome alloy as a base to support the teeth. Partial dentures frequently have metal clasps designed to fit around existing teeth. These clasps help to ensure the dentures are held firmly in place in the mouth.

Immediate Dentures

There is another type of denture and which is called an immediate denture. Not surprisingly, most people are worried about what will happen once their natural teeth are removed and are concerned that they may be left without any teeth. An immediate is made before your natural teeth are removed, using models and measurements of your jaw taken during a preliminary visit. The immediate denture can be worn the same day as your teeth are removed, and it is used during the healing period. After your teeth are taken out, your gums and jawbone will gradually remodel as they heal. Because your gums and jawbone are changing shape, it affects the fit of the denture. An immediate denture can be adjusted as required during the healing process until it is complete and your conventional denture can be made.

What about Getting Used to and Looking after Dentures?

Just like any new dental appliance, it’s important to allow plenty of time to get used to wearing your dentures. Initially, it might seem as if your dentures feel too loose, and especially if you have full dentures. This is because your facial muscles and your tongue need to learn how to keep the dentures in place. Another thing you might notice is that you produce more saliva, but as you become accustomed to your dentures, your saliva flow should return to normal. Usually, you will need to visit us here at McLoughlin Dental Care for a follow-up appointment a week or two afterward so we can adjust the fit is necessary and can generally check your dentures look and feel fabulous.

Properly looking after your dentures is essential and you must practice good oral hygiene. Your gums, the roof of your mouth and your tongue should be brushed with a soft-bristled brush each morning before you insert your dentures. This helps to stimulate your circulation in your gums while removing plaque bacteria. When you take out your dentures, make sure you clean them thoroughly. Use proprietary denture cleaner and a soft-bristled denture brush as ordinary toothpaste and toothbrushes are too hard and could damage your dentures. Because your dentures can break if you drop them, get into the habit of brushing them over a bowl of water or clean towel. Once they are clean, soak them overnight in a denture-soaking solution. This will help to keep them clean and fresh and prevents them from warping.

Full and partial dentures can be a great way to restore missing teeth, but if you have any questions about your dentures or notice they become uncomfortable, be sure to contact us2 so we can help you. Also, even if you are missing all your natural teeth, it’s still important to have regular dental checkups so we can assess the condition of your gums and your jawbone, and of course, we can check the condition and fit of your denture.

Resources

  1. https://www.oregondentist.com/Dentures
  2. https://www.oregondentist.com/Contact