What Different Dentures Can Do For You & Your Smile
It’s still early in 2017, and Galleria of Smiles would like to wish you and your family a happy new year. And if you are missing teeth, we would like to give you a new reason to smile — dentures!
In modern dentistry you have a lot of options:
- Traditional dentures
- Partial dentures
- Removable implant-supported dentures
- All-on-4® and similar dentures
We will discuss each of these below. The main thing we want you to know is that we are here to help you decide on the right kind of dentures for you.
You can make an appointment at our dentist offices by calling us or by filling out our online form.
Traditional Dentures
One in 10 Americans adults between the ages of 50 and 64 are missing all of their teeth, according to the National Institutes of Health. Every year, millions of people decide to get dentures for this reason.
A traditional denture rests on the outside of your gums. Upper dentures tend to be more stable than lower dentures. Traditional dentures can provide the cosmetic benefit of a natural-looking smile. On the downside, eating with traditional dentures can be tricky at times.
You may need to use a denture adhesive to hold your replacement teeth in place. Even with the adhesive, however, you may find some foods are too difficult to bite or chew.
Another thing to keep in mind with traditional dentures is that they may need to be refitted from every few years. Your jawbone can shrink when you lose your teeth. (This has to do with not having roots to put pressure on your jawbone. That pressure stimulates your jaw to create new bone tissue.)
As your jaw shrinks, this affects the shape of your mouth and how dentures fit. Dentures can become more likely to slip out of position or feel less comfortable as a result of these changes. This is why it’s common for traditional dentures to be refitted from time to time.
There are other benefits to having traditional dentures, nevertheless. And you should decide this is the right option for you, then Galleria of Smiles can help you get them.
Partial Dentures
Partial dentures are similar to traditional dentures. Partials are for patients who need to replace some teeth in their upper or lower jaw.
Partial dentures can have some added security. They can be made with small hooks that help them connect to any remaining healthy teeth. This can keep them somewhat more stable than a full set of traditional dentures.
Removable Implant-Supported Dentures
Implant-supported dentures are a big step up in terms of security and stability. This starts with the dental implants themselves.
Dental implants are replacements for the roots of your teeth. As such, they are embedded directly in your jawbone. Like your roots, the implants can press into the jaw when you bite and chew.
This pressure encourages new bone growth. That helps to hold the implants firmly in place. It also helps your jaw maintain its shape.
At Galleria of Smiles, we use the Zest Dental framework for your dentures. This frameworks will keep your dentures secure when you need them. Yet, you will be able to remove your dentures for regular cleaning, just like you would with traditional dentures.
Perhaps the biggest difference you will find with implant-supported dentures is the increased force in your bite. Research has shown that patients can regain 80 percent, 90 percent, and some case nearly 100 percent of their original bite force with implant-supported dentures.
That means you can continue to eat the foods that you want to eat. You won’t have to worry about your dentures coming loose when you take a bite or slipping out of place when you are telling a funny story to a friend or trying to place your order at a restaurant.
If you live in or near Sand Springs, OK, our dentists would be happy to help you restore your smile with implant-supported dentures.
All-On-4
All-on-4 implants — and similar All-on-5 and All-on-6 — are non-removable implant-supported dentures. These makes them incredibly secure, but that’s not the only benefit of All-on-4 and similar solutions.
With this procedures, you can get your dental implants and a temporary set of dentures during the same visit. With other dental implants, you may need to wait months until you have healed before you can get your dentures.
With All-on-4, we can place a set of temporary dentures that same day. To put this another way, you can start enjoying some of the advantages of implant-supported dentures sooner with All-on-4.
After you have healed, you will return to Galleria of Smiles for your permanent dentures.
Talk To Us To Learn More
If you have more questions about which kind of dentures are right for you, please schedule a consultation with our dentist in Sand Springs, OK.
Call us or contact us online to make your appointment soon.