If you’re missing one or several teeth, dentures may be the best option. Contemporary dentures look more natural and beautiful than their old fashioned counterparts, and they’re also a lot more comfortable. Of course, there’s lots of different kinds of dentures available at the Suwanee Center for Family Dentistry. Here’s what you need to know to get started.
Removable Dentures
This is the traditional style that probably comes to mind when you think about dentures. Full removable dentures are the perfect option if you’re missing all the teeth in your mouth. However, if you’re only missing a few teeth in the same arch, you can get partial removable dentures. Those generally anchor to your existing teeth with a wire frame.
In both cases, you have to remove the dentures every evening, soak them, and keep them clean. Because of those extra tasks, if you only need to replace a few missing teeth, you may want to consider partial permanent dentures.
Partial Permanent Dentures
If you have healthy teeth on either side of where you are missing teeth, a dentist can anchor partial permanent dentures to those teeth. Alternatively, you can have partial dentures anchored to implants in your mouth. Implants are crowns (realistic porcelain teeth) placed on top of metal rods. The rods are implanted into your jaw bone, and over time, they even ossify to the bones. The denture, sometimes called a bridge, stretches between those two implants.
Getting Dentures in Suwanee
To decide if you need dentures, you need to start with a consultation. During that appointment, the dentist helps you decide if you’re a good candidate for dentures, and talks with you about different types of dentures. You may also talk about alternatives to dentures such as cemented bridges.
During the next appointment, the dentist starts the work to prepare your mouth for dentures. That may involve pulling rotten teeth, filling cavities, doing x-rays to see if your jaw is healthy enough for implants, or taking similar steps. If you have tooth pulled, you may have to wait six to eight weeks until your gums have healed enough so that the new dentures are comfortable.
The dentist also makes a mold of your mouth. In most cases, the dentist sends the mold to a lab, and they create the dentures there. However, in some cases, you can get immediate dentures in Suwanee. This is also called same day dentures, and it’s when the dentist creates the dentures on site for you. You leave with your new smile on the same day you come in for the fitting.
Denture Repair
If you already have dentures, it’s important to keep them clean and protected. However, accidents happen, and in some cases, you may need a denture repair. Ideally, you should never repair your own dentures—professional repair is critical to ensure that the alignment and bite of your dentures is perfect and comfortable.
To learn more about dentures, contact us today. We work with patients of all ages. That includes seniors who need dentures, but it also includes younger people who are missing teeth because of accidents or any other reason.