What are dentures?
Dentures are removable dental appliances that can replace your missing teeth and the surrounding tissue. They may be an appropriate option if you’ve lost several or all of your natural teeth. They include both artificial teeth and a base that looks like gum tissue.
Though dentures aren’t the same as natural teeth, and it can take some time to adjust to them, modern dentures are far more comfortable and natural-looking than the old-fashioned dentures you may picture. They’re custom-made from impressions of your mouth, and the team at Graceful Smiles Dentistry makes sure they fit properly.
How can dentures help?
Missing teeth can affect your oral health and quality of life in a number of ways. Dentures can improve and prevent many of the effects of missing teeth. Dentures can help you by:
- Restoring your ability to bite and chew food
- Helping you speak more clearly
- Filling in gaps in your smile, including entire arcs of missing teeth
- Improving pain caused by advanced periodontal disease
- Preventing changes to your facial and jaw structure
In some cases, dentures are the best option when you have loose, moving, or severely infected teeth. Your dentist may first extract the troublesome teeth and replace them with dentures.
What kinds of dentures are available?
Depending on your needs, your dentist may recommend partial or complete dentures:
Partial
If you’re missing several teeth, and your remaining teeth aren’t strong enough to hold a bridge, you may be a candidate for partial dentures. Partial dentures include artificial teeth and clasps that fit onto your natural teeth.
Complete
Complete dentures can replace an entire arc of teeth, meaning all of your upper or lower teeth. They’re held in place by suction and/or dental adhesive. Your dentist may extract the remaining teeth in your upper or lower jaw before placing complete dentures.
Your dentist can place temporary or immediate dentures after extracting your remaining teeth. Your gums may take several months to heal after this procedure.
Until you’re ready for permanent dentures, immediate dentures allow you to carry on as normal, so you don’t have to worry about going out in public without teeth. This also allows you to adjust to the feeling of wearing dentures.
To learn if dentures are the best way to improve your oral and dental health, schedule an appointment at Graceful Smiles Dentistry with the online booking tool or by calling the office today.
