What You Need to Know About Dentures
Missing teeth are a dental problem. Not only do they change your smile and facial features, they affect your dental structure. When you stay with missing teeth for long, the surrounding teeth will begin to shift to fill the available spaces. Furthermore, the supporting bone may get reabsorbed in the body, further weakening your teeth.
Replacing these teeth is crucial to your dental health and appearance. Fortunately, we have several dental treatments that can help you replace your teeth, such as dentures in Katy, TX.
What Are Dentures?
Dentures are removable teeth designed to resemble your teeth and gums. These teeth are customized to fit your dental structure and teeth. Plus, they are curved from a biocompatible material that is gentle on the gums.
The best starting point for getting dentures near you is to visit a prosthodontist. This is a dental specialist who focuses on the replacement and restoration of teeth including dentures.
What Types Are Available?
Dentures are designed to replace all or some of your teeth, and they are available in two types; complete and partial dentures.
- Complete dentures
Complete dentures are used when you have more than half of all teeth missing. These dentures are further grouped into conventional and immediate dentures. Immediate dentures are made in advance at the dental office.
They are fixed immediately after the teeth are extracted. Immediate dentures help to cover you’re your jaw and facilitate healing. But, on the downside, these dentures will become loose after some time due to the shrinking of the bone. That is why dentures are used as a temporary measure.
Conventional dentures, on the other hand, are made at the lab using your dental impression. The dentist will give you these dentures after the gums have healed.
- Partial dentures
Partial dentures are ideal when you have a few teeth missing, and the remaining ones are healthy., These dentures are made of false teeth attached to a gum-colored plastic base. At times, this base is connected to a metal framework to hold the denture in place.
How Are They Fixed?
Dentures are developed over a couple of weeks and require several appointments. Our prosthodontist will examine your teeth to determine which type of appliance is suitable for you. The following steps are followed:
- A series of impressions are made of the jaw to determine the structure and the spaces between them.
- The dentist will create models, wax forms, or patterns in the precise shape of your jaw to create the dentures.
- A fitting session is scheduled to check the fit and the color of the denture before the final cast is made.
What Can You Expect After You Wear the Dentures?
New dentures will feel odd the first time you wear them until the tongue, cheeks, and tongue get used to them.
You may also experience soreness, irritation of the gums, and an increase in saliva flow. Eating and speaking may also be a challenge in the first few days. But these issues will clear out as you get used to the dentures.
How Should You Wear the Dentures?
Dentures are to be worn all day but remove at night. Sleeping while wearing these false teeth is fine, but not advisable. It is recommended to take them off and allow the gums to breathe and settle.
How Can You Care for Your Dentures?
Hygiene is important when using dentures, and here are some tips:
- Clean and brush your dentures daily using a soft brush to remove plaques and reduce bacteria growth. Avoid using toothpaste to brush these restorations.
- Do not bleach your dentures because the color cannot be altered when they are fixed.
- Rinse your mouth after eating and before wearing the dentures
- Store the dentures in a denture cleaning solution to keep them moist.
How Can You Tell It’s Time to Reline the Dentures?
If your dentures are coming loose and you no longer feel comfortable, it may be time for a reline. Contact our dentist for assessment and the relining process.
Schedule an Appointment
Visit the One Brilliant Dental for more information on dentures and their benefits.