Dentures

When should I consider dentures?

If you’ve lost a large number of your teeth, or even all of your teeth, dentures can restore both your smile and your self-confidence. The most common reasons for teeth loss and the need for dentures are periodontal disease, tooth decay, and mouth trauma. If you’ve lost most or all of your teeth for any of these reasons, you might be a great candidate for dentures.

Other candidates for dentures might still have the majority of their natural teeth  — but if those natural teeth aren’t healthy or viable long-term, keeping them may not make sense. If you’ve got teeth, and you’re not a candidate for root canal therapy, crowns, or other restoration options, your dentist may recommend tooth extraction followed by complete dentures to give you a full smile again.

If you still have some viable natural teeth and need a way to fill in your smile, partial dentures might be a good solution for you. Partial dentures, or partials, work much like complete dentures, except that they use your natural teeth for support.

How does the dentures process work?

Your Gentle Dental Care dentist performs any necessary extractions and then makes a model of your jaw. All custom dentures are made in the Gentle Dental Care in-house lab.

Most patients opt for immediate dentures, a temporary denture that you can wear as soon as the dentist extracts your teeth. You’ll wear those immediate dentures for several months, which allows you time to heal fully.

After you’re fully healed, you’ll return to Gentle Dental Care for your permanent dentures. Your permanent dentures may feel a bit odd at first, but most patients find it relatively easy to adjust if they’ve worn immediate dentures for the previous few months.

How do I take care of my new dentures?

Your dentist gives you specific tips regarding denture care. Some typical recommendations may include:

• Clean your dentures daily
• Continue to brush your gums thoroughly each day
• Avoid sticky and chewy foods, and eat hard foods with caution
• Use a small amount of denture adhesive to feel more confident about denture security

You’ll grow accustomed to your new dentures much sooner than you might think. Many patients say that it’s the next best thing to having their own teeth again.

Chomping at the bit to learn more about dentures? Book an appointment with Gentle Dental Care online or by phone today.