Thanks to advances in dental materials, technology, and methods of care, it’s easier than ever before to replace missing teeth with the most natural-looking and aesthetically pleasing treatment outcomes. While dental implants and fixed bridgework provide effective and satisfying solutions for missing teeth, removable dentures remain a tried and true method for reestablishing a complete smile.
Dr. Yeterian and Dr. Marwaha fabricate dentures from the highest-grade dental materials for a precise and comfortable fit. Our dentures are meticulously designed to rebuild beautiful smiles and support natural facial contours while enabling patients to speak, smile, and chew with renewed confidence and ease.
We’re dedicated to helping patients enjoy the benefits of a beautiful smile and take pride in offering personalized solutions to address their dental needs, lifestyle, and budget.
How Missing Teeth Affect Your Smile, Your Health, and Your Outlook
According to recent statistics, it’s estimated that across the country, over 175 million adults have lost at least one tooth, and close to 40 million are missing all of their teeth. In most of these cases, tooth loss is the end result of extensive dental decay, advanced gum disease, a traumatic injury, a congenital anomaly, or is associated with a medical condition.
In addition to the psychological and social consequences of having embarrassing gaps in your smile, missing teeth can affect your ability to speak clearly and eat a satisfying and nutritious diet. Left unaddressed, missing teeth can also cause gradual changes to your appearance and the alignment of your remaining teeth.
These changes not only affect your bite, but they also have the potential to create more unsightly and unhealthy gaps in your smile. Furthermore, without a complete set of teeth, facial contours may also begin to appear more saggy and haggard over time.
While it’s never too late to rebuild a complete and beautiful smile, it’s always best to replace missing teeth sooner rather than later. Both partial and full dentures offer an effective and satisfying solution for reestablishing a complete smile.
What Are Dentures?
Dentures are removable appliances designed to rest precisely and comfortably on top of the gums. They consist of natural-looking artificial teeth set in a supportive base. In addition to offering a cost-effective solution for replacing missing teeth, dentures are quite versatile. They can be used to replace either a few teeth that have been lost or all of the teeth in the upper or lower jaws.
While conventional bridgework and dental implants offer fixed solutions for rebuilding complete smiles, partial and full dentures are removable oral appliances that provide a similar function. This means it’s possible to remove dentures from the mouth to clean and maintain the health of the underlying tissues and any remaining teeth, as well as to clean the dentures themselves or remove them while sleeping.
Types of Dentures
You can rest assured that rebuilding your smile is in the best of hands when you work with Drs. Yeterian and Marwaha. As skilled and experienced providers of care, we’ll carefully evaluate all aspects of your smile, including the health and integrity of any remaining teeth, the surrounding tissues, and the supporting bone, to develop a treatment plan that meets the functional and aesthetic requirements of your case.
The two main types of removable dentures are full dentures and partial dentures. The type that offers the best solution for your smile depends on how many natural teeth are still present in your mouth and the health of these remaining teeth. While a partial denture can offer an effective solution in cases where some sturdy natural teeth remain, you may be a candidate for a complete denture when all the upper or lower teeth are missing or require extraction.
Full Dentures
Full dentures, also known as complete dentures, can effectively replace all the upper teeth, lower teeth, or both the upper and lower teeth. As with other types of dental solutions, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach for every case. The ultimate design, fabrication, and insertion of a full denture can vary based on a patient’s specific needs.
Conventional Full Denture
This type of denture is fabricated and placed after all the remaining teeth have been removed and the surrounding tissues have adequately healed. Fabricating a full denture when healing is complete supports a precise and comfortable fit.
- Immediate Denture: With an immediate denture, a patient can avoid going without teeth while waiting for complete healing of the extraction sites. Although an immediate denture offers the advantage of not having to go without teeth for any length of time, it can require a reline and adjustments as the tissues remodel and heal. In some cases, for optimal comfort and fit, a conventional denture may eventually be necessary.
- Overdenture: An overdenture is a type of complete denture that receives added stability and support from special attachments that are secured to the remaining underlying teeth or specialized dental implants.
- Implant-Supported Dentures: As the name implies, this type of denture attaches to a select number of strategically placed implants in the upper or lower jaw. These small surgical posts provide precise points of attachment for the overlying denture, adding a significant measure of stability and retention.
Partial Dentures
In situations where some sturdy teeth remain, partial dentures can provide an effective solution for replacing missing teeth. Partial dentures typically achieve adequate retention and stability with clasps or precision attachments on the teeth adjacent to the edentulous areas (the spaces formerly occupied by the missing teeth).
Removable partial dentures can fill the void left by one or multiple missing teeth to restore the appearance and function of a complete smile. At the same time, a partial denture fills the gaps left by missing teeth, stabilizing the dentition and bite, and preventing unwanted drifting of the remaining natural teeth.
As with full dentures, the design and fabrication of partial dentures vary based on a patient’s specific needs. With advances in dental materials and technology, partial denture wearers have more options than ever before. Today, a partial denture’s supportive framework can be fabricated from various materials, including cast metal, flexible resins, and hybrid materials.
Drs. Yeterian and Marwaha are dedicated to building healthy and beautiful smiles. As your trusted partner in care, you can depend on our office to design and fabricate a denture that will look good, fit comfortably, and serve you well for years to come.
Integrated Solutions to Rebuild Smiles
Fabricating an attractive, well-fitting, and long-lasting denture requires a comprehensive understanding of oral function, facial aesthetics, dental materials, and appliance design. Our dentists stay at the forefront of advances in care, successfully combining the art and science of dentistry to deliver outstanding treatment outcomes to patients.
Once we’ve had an opportunity to review your medical and dental history, assess all aspects of your smile, and discuss your expectations, we’ll suggest the best options for restoring and rebuilding your smile.
Based upon a comprehensive analysis of your case, including advanced diagnostic imaging, we’ll advise you if any dental work, additional procedures, or extractions are required before the fabrication of a partial or complete denture. Any remaining teeth must be healthy and have sufficient bone support. Sometimes, a pre-prosthetic procedure is recommended to improve tissue anatomy and ensure a denture’s optimal fit.
Having a denture or set of dentures made is a sophisticated process that involves dental impressions, framework try-ins, selecting the right shade, shape, and size of the artificial teeth, and ensuring that the bite and all aspects of oral function are comfortable and healthy. Whether it takes a single visit or a few visits to fabricate a partial or complete denture, a satisfying and healthy outcome relies on the careful execution of every step in the care process.
What To Expect When You Receive Your New Denture
The care and comfort of our patients are our top priorities. Our goal is to help patients achieve optimal oral health and keep them well-informed throughout the entire process.
Adjusting to Wearing a New Denture
Getting accustomed to wearing a new denture, especially a full denture, can take some time. It’s not unusual to need some minor adjustments as you begin to speak, chew, and function with your new teeth. It can take a few adjustments to fit completely and feel comfortable. If you have a sore spot, try to wear the denture at least the day before your adjustment visit. In this way, we can see exactly where we need to relieve the area causing your irritation.
More Saliva Than Usual
One of the natural responses to a new denture is for your mouth to produce more saliva. Not to worry, this is only a temporary reaction. The flow of saliva gradually decreases back to a normal level.
Speaking With Ease
While it may seem challenging to speak clearly at first with a new denture, that feeling will pass within a few days. It’s important to keep talking, as usual, to allow yourself to adapt to your new set of teeth. You can help things along by reading some passages from printed materials or on a computer out loud.
Getting Used to Eating With a Denture
If this is your first denture, it can also take some time to adapt to eating with your new prosthesis. Getting used to eating with a full denture is typically more challenging than doing so with a partial denture. It’s best to start with soft foods and to avoid chewing on just one side. Your tongue, lips, cheeks, and soft tissues will soon adapt to chewing with your new denture, and from then on, you’ll be able to eat with ease.
Taking Care of Your Dentures
It’s essential to keep your denture clean!
Rinse your dentures after eating and brush them daily. In this way, you can prevent stains and bacteria from accumulating on your new set of teeth. Using a brush specifically designed for dentures is helpful. Also, remember to soak your dentures in water when you’re not wearing them, and use the recommended denture cleaner at least once a week.
Brush your remaining teeth and gums to keep them clean and the tissues healthy and firm. If you wear an upper denture, rinse and gently clean the roof of your mouth as well.
Take your dentures out at bedtime. This practice allows the gums and jawbone to rest, helping to prevent irritation, infection, and bone resorption (shrinkage).
Added Stability
Due to the status of the underlying tissues and other factors, there are some cases where full dentures benefit from additional means of retention. While denture adhesive is often sufficient, full dentures that are implant-supported or clip onto special attachments offer added stability and retention.
Follow-Up Care
Maintaining oral health and overall well-being requires regular checkups and proper care. During these visits, we not only check the fit and condition of your dentures but also perform a comprehensive examination to assess the status of any remaining teeth, as well as evaluate the health of all soft and hard tissues in and around the oral cavity.
Relines
Over time, the tissues supporting the denture can change. As the shape and contours of these tissues shrink or remodel, your denture may not fit as comfortably or feel as stable as it once did. A separate procedure, which is known as a reline, may be recommended.
Schedule a Consultation Today
Dr. Yeterian and Dr. Marwaha are committed to delivering the highest quality of care to all patients. If you have any additional questions or concerns about your new dentures, contact our office at (203) 869-2884 or reach out online.