Dentures
If you have lost most or all of your teeth, dentures might be the best option for you.
Dentures
Denture Services
Losing your teeth, whether due to gum disease, decay, or injury, can be a difficult experience, and our dentures can help you regain both function and confidence. From the challenges of chewing food to changes in your facial appearance, tooth loss can have a tremendous impact on your life.
While there are a handful of options to remedy this problem, including bridges and implants, complete dentures have been used for thousands of years to give those who have lost their teeth a full set of prosthetic teeth that look and function very well. To determine whether dentures are the best solution for your problem, you should speak with a qualified dentist who can perform an examination. If you’re ready to get started, give us a call anytime at 678-804-8818 or fill out our contact form.
The Basics of Dentures
There are two types of complete dentures: conventional and immediate. With the conventional option, you wait for your gum tissue to fully heal after any unsavable teeth have been extracted before being fitted. This ensures a proper, lasting fit, though it can take eight to twelve months for your gums to heal completely.
Immediate options, on the other hand, are done before your teeth are removed and placed right after extraction. Because your gums will continue to heal and shrink, this approach requires more follow-ups and adjustments to maintain a good fit. However, you won’t need to go any period of time without teeth, which means your appearance and ability to chew will be much better right away.
Another option worth considering is a partial version, ideal when you’ve lost some teeth but still have plenty of healthy ones remaining. These are available in removable or fixed styles, depending on your situation and preferences.
What It’s Like to Have Dentures
We’re often asked by people what the experience of having dentures is like. As with most prosthetics, it can take a little bit of time getting used to. If you’ve ever had a cap placed or even a filling, you’re aware of how little changes can feel so dramatic in your mouth. Obviously, with dentures, there’s a lot of change going on, which will certainly take some time to adjust to.
That said, the benefits of dentures far outweigh the initial awkwardness of them. In addition, at Auburn Hills Family Dentistry we’re always here for our patients to make sure their dentures are fitted properly, and we’re able to make adjustments to them if any discomfort persists.
How We Fit You for Dentures
If we have decided that dentures are your best option after an examination, we’ll begin measuring your mouth and jaw and making a series of impressions. From these impressions, we will create a model of a set of dentures that you can try on. We’ll spend time with you to make sure they fit well and to make any adjustments needed.
Once we agree on the model, we’ll have it sent to our lab to cast the final denture. After we receive the dentures, you will come in for another appointment to have a final fitting of them, and we’ll likely have some follow-up appointments to make adjustments and to ensure everything is working properly.
How To Clean Dentures
After your fitting at Auburn Hills Family Dentistry, you’ll receive a full set of directions on how to clean and care for your new smile. There are a few key steps to follow.
First, remove and rinse them after every meal. You should also rinse your mouth and brush your gums and any remaining natural teeth, if you wear a partial set, after every meal. This helps clear away food debris from both your mouth and your appliance.
In addition, brush them thoroughly once a day using just water and a soft-bristled brush. Avoid toothpaste, since its abrasive materials can cause damage, and steer clear of stiff-bristled brushes for the same reason.
At night, remove them and use a specialized cleaner to sanitize thoroughly. Place them in a container of water to keep them moist, then add the cleaning solution.
While you sleep, the solution soaks in and kills any remaining bacteria. In the morning, simply rinse everything off, put them back in, and go about your day.
Can You Sleep In Dentures?
It is possible to sleep in dentures, but it’s not a good idea. Our Dacula, GA dentist, Dr. Haycock, recommends that you avoid sleeping in dentures as much as possible.
There are a few reasons for this. First, soaking your dentures overnight in a denture cleaner is the best way to keep them clean, sanitized, and in good condition. If you wear them overnight, plaque and tartar are more likely to build up on your dentures.
This bacteria buildup can lead to a higher risk of issues like gum and tongue plaque, as well as gum inflammation and other related oral hygiene problems.
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Another reason for this is that taking your dentures out at night gives your gums and jaw time to rest and relax. This is particularly important for full dentures. Because full dentures are held in place by friction and put a lot of pressure on your gums, it’s important to give your mouth time to rest and recover.
Failing to do so can lead to a higher risk of complications like gum sores and ulcers. The constant, unrelieved pressure of your dentures could damage your gums, leading to pain, discomfort, and bleeding.
Can You Eat Normally In Dentures?
Yes, though you will need some practice to get used to wearing your dentures properly, and you may have to adjust how you eat some foods.
This is because dentures are less stable than natural teeth. They also do not have any nerves, which means you can’t “feel” them like you can feel natural teeth. Because of this, it will take time to get used to biting and chewing food with your dentures.
Eventually, you will be able to eat normally. But you still may want to avoid some foods, like sticky candy, chewing gum, and caramel.
You also may need to take steps to make it easier to eat crunchy and tough foods. For example, cutting your steak into smaller, bite-sized pieces with a knife will make it easier to eat your meal, compared to biting and tearing chunks off of your steak with your dentures.
