Are you considering getting dentures?
We’re here to provide you with everything you need to know about this solution for a beautiful, functional smile. We’ll explain what they actually are, what type of care they require, as well as the benefits they provide for your oral health.
What are Dentures?
Let’s talk about what dentures actually are and what they’re made out of. Dentures are artificial teeth and gums created by dentists to take the place of removed or lost natural teeth. There are different types and styles. Dentures can either be full or partial, which means they are either replacing all of the teeth on a gum line or they’re filling in where teeth are missing. Dentists specially design each denture to custom fit the mouth of the patient. At our office, our experienced dentists take great pride in paying close attention to detail in visually matching each denture to the already existing teeth.
You may be wondering what these artificial teeth are actually made out of. It’s been common practice for years to make dentures out of either plastic or porcelain. In more recent years, more modern versions are being made out of resin that is very hard. It is possible, however, for substances that dentures are made out of to crack or break if they’re dropped or some other similar incident. They need to be cared for properly. The substance tends to wear down more quickly than natural teeth so typically they will need to be replaced every five years or so.
The gumline of the dentures are usually made out of a similar resin as the teeth. This resin is a more flexible polymer substance which is designed to fit to the real gum line.
What are the benefits of Dentures?
Of course one of the most obvious benefits of wearing dentures is the improved appearance of one’s smile. Often times when one is missing teeth it causes a great deal of insecurity – we believe that everyone deserves to feel beautiful in their smile. Not only do dentures improve the appearance of one’s smile but they also provide support to the structure of the mouth by supporting the areas around the lips and cheeks.
One of the main reasons that people begin to look into getting dentures is because they are unable to eat food which requires chewing due to their missing teeth. This can lead to a domino effect of other issues, one being malnourishment. Dentures make it possible to eat regular foods again and maintain a normal and healthy diet.
The other typical reason that many of our patients are looking into dentures is for oral health issues like a rotted or severely damaged tooth/teeth, which are causing a great deal of pain or other issues such as infection. A set of dentures will eliminate the problematic teeth and replace them with a functional and great looking solution.
Types of Dentures
Full Dentures
We mentioned above that there are a couple different types of dentures – full or partial. Full dentures are ones that replace all of natural the teeth on the bottom or top gum line, or both. These are also often called complete dentures. The way in which they fit in the mouth is either by being suctioned once their fitted and/or held by an oral adhesive. They can easily be removed when needed.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are used to fill in where one or more teeth are missing. Often times dental bridges are the Go-To method for this type of issue but in cases where the surrounding natural teeth are not healthy and strong enough to provide support, partial dentures are a great alternative. They’re also a great choice if there’s more than only one or two teeth that are missing.
A dentist will fit the partial dentures to the area of the gum line in which it will be sitting and then fasten them onto the surrounding teeth so that they’ll be firmly in place. However, they are not permanently fastened and can easily be removed for proper cleaning or other purposes.
Immediate Dentures
Immediate dentures are usually created and put into place right after a patient has a tooth extraction. They’re created before the natural teeth are actually removed and then put into place directly after and used during the healing process. These are a little bit different than permanent dentures as they can be more easily refitted. This is often needed after the healing process is complete and any swelling is gone. At this point, these dentures will be disposed of and replaced with permanent ones.
Overdentures
Occasionally traditional dentures can be uncomfortable for a person and overdentures are often used as a solution for that. A dentist will fit them over the roots of the teeth that are already there or if there are no natural teeth, they’ll fit them over dental implants. Like the other types, these are also easily removed for cleaning as well as other purposes.
Implant-Supported Dentures
These dentures are ones that are anchored by dental implants. Dental implants are permanent fixtures used to replace one or more teeth. These are topped with a custom crown which is designed to look exactly like a natural tooth.
There are a couple of ways in which implant-supported dentures can be attached but regardless they are to be cared for exactly like traditional dentures. These are easier to fit on the lower jaw but can be worn on either the lower or upper jaw.
How to Care for Your Dentures
Some people think that dentures will require less care than natural teeth but that’s not actually the case. Dentures need to be cared for and cleaned daily, just like regular teeth. They still get build up on them and the gums which can cause damage if not properly cared for.
However, cleaning them is quite simple. You’ll need to remove them and wash them with clean water – just like your natural teeth, you’ll want to make sure that you get any food or other particles out of the teeth or gum line. Always only use a soft toothbrush with a light soap or an actual denture cleaner.
Dentures should be removed when sleeping to give your gums time to rest. We recommend soaking them in warm water to prevent them from drying out.
Still have questions? Our dental experts will be glad to help guide you to the best and most affordable dentures in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.