Getting a Brand New Smile with Dentures in Spring Branch & Memorial, Houston, TX

One does not have to work or pay for getting the natural set of thirty-two teeth. They come automatically as a gift from nature. This gift is free but very essential to life. A beautiful smile is an absolute social requirement. In addition to giving us a beautiful smile, our teeth are also essential for biting and chewing food.

Loss of teeth creates another problem. Facial muscles start sagging and facial contours change to make you look older. Unfortunately, whether through neglect or aging effects, few people retain this valuable asset of teeth through old age. Life becomes difficult without teeth. That is when dentures restore our smile, ability to eat and speak, and our social confidence.

What are Dentures?

Dentures are removable prostheses which are used for replacing lost natural teeth. Although dentures cannot restore for us one hundred percent functionality and aesthetics, and we do take time getting used to them, dentures have really improved with time. Modern dentistry can give you dentures which are quite natural in looks and far more comfortable than those available a decade ago.

What Types of Dentures are offered at Lifeworks Dental?

Removable dentures can be divided into various types:

  • Partial dentures – these dentures are used for replacing a few missing natural teeth in a jaw, or partial replacement of teeth. They gain their retention and support from the neighboring teeth with the help of metallic extensions known as clasps, as well as from the jaw bone and its overlying soft tissues. Partial dentures can be prepared from denture materials like gum colored acrylic resins or metallic alloys. In addition, we also offer flexible dentures at Lifeworks Dental, which are prepared from Nylon.
  • Complete Dentures – these are dentures which are used for replacing all missing teeth in a jaw. Since there is no natural tooth remaining for support, these dentures derive their support and retention from the underlying bone and the soft tissue covering them. Complete dentures are fabricated from gum colored acrylic resin, and the artificial teeth can be made from tooth-colored acrylic or porcelain.
  • Implant Supported Dentures – unlike the conventional dentures which rest on the jaw bone and soft tissues, these dentures are directly attached to dental implants with the help of precision attachments. The precision attachments contain two parts, one is present on the implant while the other is present on the fitting surface of the denture. When the denture is worn, both the parts come together, get firmly attached to each other and prevent the denture from slipping or rocking.
  • Immediate Dentures – these types of dentures are suitable for patients who do not want to wait for a few months after teeth extractions to get their dentures. Immediate dentures are given to the patients immediately after the extraction of their teeth. However, these dentures require frequent relining or repair while the healing of the extraction site is taking place. Also, not every individual is a candidate for getting immediate dentures.

Which Type of Denture Will Suit Me?

Our Houston Memorial Dentist can help you in choosing the denture that will suit you most while keeping in view your oral hygiene status, esthetic demands, and budgetary constraints. However, it will be useful for you to read the paragraph below which will help you make a better-informed decision.

How do Dentures Work?

Complete dentures use a flesh-colored base made from acrylic that fits snugly over your gums. In case of an upper denture, the base covers the palate (i.e., the roof of the mouth), while the base of a lower denture is shaped like a horseshoe so as to accommodate free movement of the tongue.

Dentures adhere to the gum and palate through suction only. That is why they can be removed as often as you like, but then they may slip off or fall out altogether. In contrast, the partial dentures primarily get retention and support from metallic extensions known as clasps, which encircle the surrounding natural teeth and prevent the dentures from slipping.

How Are Dentures Made at Lifeworks Dental?

Dentures are custom-made for every patient at Lifeworks Dental. First, we will make impressions of your existing teeth/ jaw bones. These impressions, along with the selected color of your teeth and the choice of material used for making your denture are sent to a dental laboratory. The lab will then manufacture the dentures according to instructions passed by your dentist and the type selected. Fabrication of dentures is carried out in multiple steps, and therefore, requires multiple clinical visits

  • Conventional Full Dentures– To install a conventional full denture in your mouth, any existing teeth have to be removed.  Healing may take several months after tooth extraction, and during this time you have to do without teeth. To avoid this difficulty for you, you can go for Conventional Immediate Dentures
  • Immediate Full Dentures An immediate full denture does not have to wait for the healing of the tissue injured due to extractions. The dentist takes impressions of your teeth in an earlier visit and has the immediate dentures made ready for you. As soon as the necessary extractions are performed, the dentist installs the dentures.  This saves you from being totally toothless for the several months of healing but has a disadvantage. As the jaw flesh heals and the bone reshapes itself the dentures need to be relined after a few months.  
  • Partial Denture– A partial denture is made to replace a few teeth only. It sits on a metal framework that attaches to existing natural teeth. Crowns may be placed on some of the natural teeth.  These crowns support the denture. Partial dentures are, thus, a removable alternative to bridges.

Getting Used to Dentures

Dentures may feel awkward for the first few weeks or maybe months. However, the muscles of your tongue and cheeks quickly learn to hold your dentures in place while eating.

Caring for Your Dentures

By following the tips below, you can make good use of your dentures for several years.

  • Cleaning– Brush your dentures daily with a soft brush to avoid plaque formation and stains. An ultrasonic denture cleaner may be used but is not as efficient.
  • Oral Hygiene– You should regularly brush your gums, tongue, and palate daily at least in the morning when you put your dentures back on.
  • Storage– At night the dentures are removed and stored in special storage solutions to avoid shrinking and warpage. Do the same whenever you are not using them.
  • Handling care– when handling them, stand over a folded towel etc.  Dentures are brittle and may break if they fall on the floor.
  • In Case of Damage– If your dentures get broken or cracked, do not use them. They cause injury. See your dentist, immediately.

Dentures provide a cost-effective and time-tested option for replacing missing natural teeth. Visit us at Lifeworks Dental for a getting a brand-new set of beautiful teeth with dentures.

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