Complete & Partial Denture Solutions
Losing your teeth can be a stressful time in your life which is why we try to make it easy for patients of Maniscalco Cosmetic & General Dentistry to find affordable solutions for their missing teeth. For patients who recently had their teeth pulled, or they fell out, we want to offer consultations to help them find the right solutions.
One of our most popular solutions for missing teeth is dentures. Although dentures have a bad reputation for only being for elders, they are a great solution that restores the appearance of your teeth and gives you full functionality so you can chew and speak normally again. Although we recommend dental implants as the best option for missing teeth, dentures are just as good for only a fraction of the cost. Learn more about dentures from our Birmingham dental office.
What Are Dentures?
You might be wondering what dentures even are. Technically speaking, they are artificial gums and teeth that are used to replace your missing teeth. We offer both full dentures to replace entire jaws of missing teeth as well as partial dentures to replace missing sections of teeth. Dentures are made to replace missing teeth to give you back the functionality you need to chew normally and smile without hiding it.
Dentures are made of a hard resin and they are custom made to look like your natural teeth. If you want them to look like your old teeth, our dentist can help make sure they do with the amazing dental technology we have today. They also have a supporting structure that looks similar to your gumline. This is made as the same material as the teeth on your dentures. Although dentures look like teeth, they are more fragile than your actual teeth. The materials used are not as long-lasting as a porcelain dental crown and should, therefore, be taken care of with the most care possible. When washing your dentures, make sure to not drop them otherwise they might crack, chip or break.
Your dentures should last you around 5 years with proper care. You will then need to have them replaced which is actually a good thing because the fit of your dentures might change over time. With proper care, you can expect your dentures to last you for at least 5 years before you need to the replace them. You don’t need to worry that they won’t look real or that they will be hard to chew or speak with. Today’s dentures are well made and fit patients well enough to feel secure throughout the day and all meals. Nobody will even know you’re wearing dentures because they look so realistic.
Procedure for Dentures
Getting dentures isn’t a long process or excruciating procedure. First, Dr. Maniscalco will extract any teeth that he finds need extracting. We recommend extracting teeth if you have a long history or bad teeth and your remaining teeth are already on their way to needing an extraction in the near future. This way, we can just give you a full set of dentures a little bit sooner than later. Once Dr. Maniscalco extracts your teeth if you need it, he will give you a set of temporary dentures to wear while your gums heal. These will help you get used to the feeling of wearing dentures. You will slowly learn to eat and speak with them in. It might feel awkward at first, but you will get used to it the more you force yourself to talk or the more you eat.
Once your gums are healed, Dr. Maniscalco will take impressions of your gums to send to the lab. The lab will create your set of dentures to look natural for your face. They will also fit every tiny nook and cranny of your mouth for a secure and strong fit that you won’t need to worry about slipping out. This will allow you to eat and speak with ease.
Once the dentures have returned from the lab, Dr. Maniscalco will ensure they fit correctly and look natural. He may need to make a few adjustments before sending you home with them. Once you are set up with your permanent pair of dentures, speak as much as possible to get used to speaking with them in. You might speak with a lisp at first and foods may be a bit difficult to chew, but you will get used to it in no time.
Different Options for Missing Teeth
At Maniscalco Cosmetic & General Dentistry, we have a few different options for our patients when it comes to dentures.
First, we offer full dentures which replace an entire jaw of missing teeth. These are an ideal solution for those who have no teeth.
Next, we offer partials which help replace sections of missing teeth. If you’re missing one or two teeth, we recommend dental bridges before partials because they are more secure.
Lastly, we offer implant supported dentures which connect your dentures to dental implants. This prevents them from ever falling out and giving you a more secure and natural feeling solution. We prefer the all-on-4 method which only requires 4 dental implants to secure a set of dentures to your jaw. However many teeth you are missing, we have a dentures solution for you.
Care Tips
You should care for your dentures just as you would your regular teeth. We recommend taking your dentures out every night to soak in the cleaning solution. In the morning all you need to do is brush them and pop them back in. If you have yours secured with implants, you can brush them just like you would regular teeth. Also, make sure to brush your gums and tongue to keep your breath fresh and to fight off gum disease.