What is a denture?
Dentures can either be full dentures, so you're missing all the teeth, or a plate, some people call it. They can be dentures for individual teeth, which some people call a flipper or an interim partial denture, or they can be partial dentures. So you have some teeth, about half say, and the other half are missing.
Are dentures removable?
Yes, dentures are removable, they come in and out of the mouth. You can affix them into your mouth with implants.
How do dentures affect the chewing function?
A denture only has about 25% of the chewing function of the natural teeth. You're basically, instead of having tooth, which is the hardest structure in the body, going to bone, you're having plastic or acrylic go to your gum. So you'll lose about 25% of your chewing function with dentures.
Are there situations when dentures are the best option despite their limitations?
Yes, sometimes, if teeth are beyond saving due to advanced gum disease, rampant decay, or you lost teeth early as a child, dentures are the best option.
How have advancements in dental technology affected dentures?
Now that we can affix dentures into the jaw with implants, it gives people a much stronger, much better fit, much better feel. They feel like natural teeth and are not going to come out at you at dinner with your friends.
Can you explain the two options for implant supported dentures?
You can have like a little snap, almost like I do on this jacket, it snaps in and out of the implant. That's one option. The other option is to permanently affix it to the implant. I can take it out, but you won't be able to take it out. So you'll brush it and floss it like you would your regular teeth.
What is the proper care for removable dentures?
If you do have a denture and it's removable, you do want to take it out at night, clean the remaining teeth if there are any and the gums, clean the denture. And then I recommend sleeping without it at night.
What materials are used to make dentures?
Dentures used to be made out of porcelain. Now they're typically made out of acrylic. Recently with the innovation in printed resin, we're getting printed resin dentures as well. Partial dentures have metal reinforcement. There's newer flexible plastics that can be used as well, like Valplast or FlexiPlast.
Is the fabrication of a denture a pain-free process?
Yes, to fabricate a denture, you don't need any numbing. The only reason the site would be painful is if you had recent surgery in the area.
Is it more difficult to speak with dentures?
A properly designed denture should mimic the phonetics. However, there is something now over the roof of your mouth, so it does take a couple weeks to adapt to the phonetics of it.
How long do dentures last?
Dentures do start to wear over time. If they're still comfortable with you and you're happy with them, stay with that. But most insurances will pay to replace the denture every five years, and that's because after about five years, there's usually enough breakdown of the acrylic or the teeth or wear that it would need to be repaired or rebased or remade in some way.
If you're missing teeth and you have questions about dentures or implant-supported dentures or different options for replacing those missing teeth, give us a call at the office. It's Dulac Dental of Springfield, (703) 451-4500.
Patients who have lost their natural teeth due to decay, periodontal disease or injury can suffer from difficulty eating and speaking, and drooping of facial muscles. Full and partial dentures replace the missing teeth both aesthetically and functionally, providing support and restoring the smile. Full (complete) dentures are used when all of the natural teeth have been lost, while partial dentures fill in the gaps between natural teeth.
Dental implants have greatly improved the function of traditional dentures and partial dentures. It is now possible to attach your dentures into dental implants for improved fit and retention. If you have an ill-fitting denture or partial denture, ask Dr. Dulac about retaining your denture with implants!
It’s possible to use dental implants to retain a removable denture or to fully fix a denture in place like teeth or a bridge. It’s now common to permanently secure a denture with dental implants. You may have heard commercials for “teeth in a day.” If you’re interested in securing a denture with dental implants please let Dr. Dulac know.
