Dentures – Denton, TX
Flawless Treatment Options to Keep You Smiling
If you’ve lost numerous teeth, a full row, or you’re fully edentulous (without teeth), the Denton Dental Center can help. Our knowledgeable team of dental experts offers a wide range of tooth replacement options to renew your oral health, allow you to consume a nutritious diet, and give you the ability to speak and smile with confidence once again. Don’t struggle with a less-than-complete smile. Call our state-of-the-art dental office in Denton to schedule your tooth replacement consultation with our dentist. We’ll review your situation and help you to determine what restoration options will work best for you!
Why Choose Denton Dental Center for Dentures?
- State-of-the-Art Dental Office
- Dental Insurance and Flexible Financing
- Commitment to Exceptional Customer Service
Who’s a Good Candidate for Dentures?
Since dentures are incredibly versatile, they can help a wide range of patients! Whether you are missing several teeth in a row, a few throughout your mouth, or you don’t have any left, this tried-and-true tooth-replacement service may be the solution. If you’re interested in finding out if you’re a candidate, we recommend scheduling an appointment with our dedicated Denton dentist, Dr. Balington. That way, he can learn more about your specific dental needs and help you decide what the next best steps are.
Effects of Missing Teeth
There are numerous different causes for tooth loss, and all sorts of risks if you don’t replace them. In most cases, losing teeth is due to tooth decay, gum disease, and injury. According to the American Academy of Periodontology, there are several negative consequences of missing teeth. This includes facial sagging, difficulty speaking, difficulty eating, and lower self-esteem.
When you replace your missing teeth with dentures, you can reduce all of these negative side effects. Ultimately, dentures can help to restore the appearance and function of your teeth, allowing you to speak, eat, and smile with confidence again!
What Qualifies You for Dentures?
Dentures are an ideal option for almost anyone who has experienced significant tooth loss. However, if you are getting dentures, you will need to be willing to properly care for your replacement teeth and the health of your smile. If you have any existing oral health issues, like tooth decay or gum disease, they will need to be treated before you can move forward in the process of getting dentures.
The number of teeth you are missing will ultimately determine which type of denture you will receive. Another amazing thing about dentures is that they are much more affordable than other tooth replacement options, like dental implants. This way, if you aren’t able to invest lots of money in your replacement teeth at this time, you can still show off a beautiful, complete smile!
Alternative Tooth-Replacement Options
Patients who don’t make a good candidate for dentures can explore other options, like dental bridges or implants:
- Dental Bridges: Dental bridges “bridge” the gap where the missing tooth is. A bridge is supported by the adjacent teeth, so it is a good option for patients who are only missing one or a few teeth. This tooth replacement requires healthy surrounding teeth.
- Dental Implants: A dental implant is a titanium post that is inserted into the jawbone. Patients must have a solid bone structure to support the replacement tooth. This option is more costly and requires a surgical procedure, but it is the most stable option and is permanent.
Types of Dentures
At Denton Dental Center, we can help patients with all stages of tooth loss. In fact, we offer three different types of dentures: partial, full, and implant-retained. You can learn a bit more about each right here to help you get a better idea of which one is best for you!
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are often referred to simply as partials. These complex tooth replacement prosthetics are made up of a gum-colored base material that supports numerous tooth-colored replacement teeth, filling gaps in your smile. Partials can be used to replace any number of consecutive and nonconsecutive missing teeth. Your partial will be held in place by clasps attached to surrounding healthy teeth.
Full Dentures
To replace an entire row of teeth, we’ll custom-make a full denture. Like partials, full dentures are made up of a gum-colored base material that supports replacement teeth. Because there are no remaining teeth to anchor the prosthetic, dentures are molded to fit against the gum line. The snug fit creates suction that holds the denture in place. Some people also use denture adhesive to improve stability.
Implant Dentures
Dental implants are small, titanium posts that anchor replacement teeth in position. While traditional dentures rely on healthy remaining teeth or your gum line for support, an implant-retained prosthetic will be fully self-supporting, providing additional stability and longevity for the denture and improved overall oral health and dental function for you.
Tips for New Denture Wearers
When you first get your new set of partial or full dentures, especially the removable variety, you’ll need to take some time to get used to the way they look and feel. As you adjust to your tooth replacement prosthetic, you may experience some discomfort, but if you’re still experiencing pain or swelling after the first week or two with your new denture, call our office. We may need to have your prosthetic refitted. The following tips can help you get used to your new denture more quickly, so you can speak, chew, and smile with confidence once more:
- Try singing with your denture in place. It sounds silly, but many denture wearers swear by this unique method of improving speech clarity.
- Don’t bite right into a steak – work your way up. It helps to know your limits when it comes to chewing coarse or difficult foods. Start with soft foods. Then, gradually increase the difficulty of chewing when you’re comfortable.
- Keep your denture (and any remaining teeth) clean. You should brush your denture just like you would your healthy smile. If you have a removable prosthetic, store it in water or cleaning solution overnight. Make sure to brush and floss natural teeth daily, and don’t forget to schedule your six-month dental exams.
The Benefits of Dentures
It’s important that we first note that dentures today are far more advanced than they were decades prior. Now, they are crafted from extremely lifelike materials and are custom-made just for you, ensuring that your new smile looks natural. Of course, that’s not the only reason dentures continue to be popular. They are also versatile and cost-effective, making them accessible for a wide range of patients. Plus, they are easy to maintain and can last for several years at a time if cared for properly.
Dentures FAQs
Are you still second-guessing whether you should get dentures in Denton? Even after reading all of the information laid out above, you might still have some questions about the treatment and what you can expect afterwards. That’s why, for your convenience, we have taken the liberty of answering some of the questions we get asked the most often about dentures.
CAN I SLEEP IN MY DENTURES?
While it’s perfectly possible to wear your dentures at night, we highly recommend taking them out before you head off to bed. Doing so will give your gums and jawbone a chance to rest after withstanding the pressure of holding the dentures in place all day. It also gives you a chance to let your dentures soak in water to keep them clean. You should never let 24 hours pass by without cleaning your dentures.
HOW OFTEN DO I NEED TO SEE MY DENTIST WHEN I HAVE DENTURES?
You might think that once you have dentures, you don’t need to see your dentist in Denton anymore, especially if you have no remaining teeth. However, that is not the case. We still greatly suggest that you see us as often as you did when you had all of your natural teeth, which is every six months. While you may not have as many teeth to get professionally cleaned, these appointments are still an important part of maintaining excellent oral health. We can examine your jawbone and gum tissue for any problems, such as infection, early enough that treatment is still relatively easy.
DOES IT HURT TO GET DENTURES?
When you’re first fitted for dentures, it’s perfectly normal to experience some minor soreness and irritation in your gums. This should fade away after a few weeks as your mouth gets used to your new teeth. The length of this period of discomfort varies from person to person. For example, if you have had to get some teeth extracted to make room for your dentures, the extraction sites may be sore for a while as the gum tissue heals.
HOW DO I KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO RELINE MY DENTURES?
If your dentures feel too loose or generally don’t fit as well as they once did, it may be time for a procedure done to the base of the dentures, known as a “reline.” Check with us to see whether your dentures can be relined or simply need to be replaced. It’s best to avoid trying to reline your dentures yourself with over-the-counter kits, as that could permanently damage your dentures. This procedure, when properly done by us, will allow your dentures to have a tighter, more secure fit.